Author: Beaver County Radio

2026 Pirates hit 100 home runs in the fastest pace in team history

(Credit and Caption for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz wears a welding hood as he is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a two run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, March 31st, 2026, in Cincinnati. (Kareem Elgazzar/Associated Press)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates are hitting home runs at possibly a record-breaking pace. The team reached the mark of 100 home runs for this season during Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park when second baseman Brandon Lowe hit a three-run home run in the third inning. The Pirates are currently at 105 home runs on the season after yesterday’s game, and it only took them eighty-three games to reach the mark, which is the fastest in team history. The record for most home runs by a Pittsburgh Pirates team stands at 171 when they hit those home runs during the 1999 season.  

Cranberry Township man arrested and released after driving under the influence of alcohol in Allegheny County

(File Photo of Handcuffs)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Pittsburgh reported today that a Cranberry Township man was arrested and has since been released after he was driving under the influence of alcohol in Allegheny County. Gary Gene Mell II was arrested on Friday at 6:27 p.m. on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in West Hampton Township. According to police, Mell was reported to be driving erratic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and he exhibited signs of intoxication. He also failed a preliminary blood test before being transported to AHN Harmar for a blood draw. He was released to his wife and charges will be filed against him. 

Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes reaches 500 strikeouts for his career in the lowest number of starts in team history

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Pittsburgh, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher and 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes reached 500 strikeouts for his career during the fourth inning of the team’s game against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday at PNC Park. Skenes reached the achievement faster than any Pirates pitcher that threw 500 strikeouts did, doing it in 72 starts. He also threw 500 strikeouts the fastest regarding Pirates pitchers since the pitcher’s mound was moved to its current distance back in 1893. Skenes also broke the Pirates franchise record for quickest to 500 strikeouts, passing Bob Veale, who accomplished the feat in 77 starts in 1965. 

Pirates rookie shortshop Konnor Griffin returns to play for the team after being activated from the injured list

(Credit and Caption for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin slides into third base on his triple off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brock Burke in the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin was activated from the team’s injured list on Friday. Griffin returned to play for the Pirates for the first time in just less than a month in Friday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park and it did not take him long to get back on the scoreboard. He hit a lead-off home run in the first inning of that game and when he was 20 years and 63 days old on Friday, Griffin became the fifth-youngest player in MLB history to hit a leadoff home run. Griffin was put on the injured list on May 31st because he suffered a right forearm strain and recently had a rehab assignment with Double A-Altoona on Wednesday before he returned to the Pirates. 

Charges withdrawn from New Castle teenager after he crashed his vehicle in Lawrence County

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lawrence County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported on Saturday that charges were withdrawn from a seventeen-year-old boy from New Castle after a single-vehicle crash occurred in Lawrence County on Thursday. The teenager was driving on U.S. Highway 422 in Slippery Rock Township at 3:27 p.m. and began to hydroplane on the road. He lost control of his vehicle and hit a ditch that was off of the road. The teenager was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash but according to police, his safety belt was used improperly. There were no reported injuries. 

Coraopolis woman not charged after two-vehicle crash occurs in Allegheny County

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Pittsburgh reported that a twenty-one-year-old woman from Coraopolis was not charged after a two-vehicle crash occurred in Allegheny County on Friday. Casara Thorhauer was driving on I-79 South in Sewickley Hills Borough at 12:13 p.m. and hit a guide rail after she tried to pass another vehicle. She eventually side-swiped the guide rail and the vehicle that hit her vehicle kept driving. Torhauer was transported to Allegheny General Hospital because of a possible injury.

Zelienople man charged after single-vehicle crash occurs in Lawrence County

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lawrence County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported on Saturday that a thirty-eight-year-old man from Zelienople was charged after a single-vehicle crash occurred in Lawrence County on June 7th. Emil Steinmetz was driving on Harlansburg Road in Scott Township at 2:03 p.m. and crashed his vehicle over an embankment. Steinmetz was ejected from his vehicle and was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash. He was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital for an injury with an unknown severity.  

Clinton man charged after two-vehicle crash occurs in Independence Township

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Cars)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Independence Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported an update on a crash that happened in Independence Township on May 31st. According to police, it occurred at the intersection of Bocktown Cork Road and East Hookstown Grade Road at 6:05 p.m. Forty-nine-year-old Lynne Legge of Greensburg was driving faster than the posted speed limit and she hit the vehicle of forty-seven-year-old Matthew Eaton of Clinton. Legge had a possible injury as a result of this crash but Eaton was not injured. Eaton was charged by police. 

Pittsburgh man crashes his vehicle in Potter Township after falling asleep; charges withdrawn

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Potter Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported an update to a crash that happened in Potter Township on May 27th. Seventy-three-year-old Frank Zadrozny of Pittsburgh was driving on I-376 West at 11:38 a.m. and fell asleep in his vehicle. He hit a median guard wire with his vehicle and reported that he had minor injuries to his hand. A small fire was also observed underneath his vehicle and was extinguished. Charges were withdrawn from Zadrozny. 

Charges of man from Aliquippa pending investigation after he crashes his vehicle in Shippingport Borough

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Shippingport Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported an update to a crash that happened in Shippingport Borough on May 27th. Sixty-one-year-old Donald Kirkland of Aliquippa was traveling on Shippingport Hill Road at 3:38 p.m. and another vehicle hit the mirror of Kirkland’s vehicle. The window of Kirkland’s vehicle was also shattered and the vehicle that hit it continued driving. There were no reported injuries. According to police, the charges against Kirkland are pending investigation.