Author: Beaver County Radio

Chase Elliott wins Cup race at Talladega, 1st win for Chevy

Chase Elliott wins Cup race at Talladega, 1st win for Chevy ByJOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Chase Elliott won the Cup Series race Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, giving Chevrolet its first victory of the season.
Elliott took the lead shortly after a restart with four laps to go and worked with three other Chevy drivers to hold off the rest of the field. He won for the first time since October and went to victory lane about 100 miles from his hometown in Georgia.
Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman finished second, followed by rookie Ryan Preece, Joey Logano and another rookie, Daniel Hemric.
Elliott is from about three hours away in Dawsonville, Georgia. His Hall of Fame father Bill Elliott won twice at Talladega.
“Dad’s history, obviously very cool,” Chase Elliott said. “To me the biggest piece of today was just how much of a home race it felt like after the race. I was blown away by the people and how fired up everybody was. That was an unbelievable experience. We are close to home, so that’s cool, and they made me feel that way.
“I couldn’t ask for much more there.”
Elliott is the sixth driver to win through 10 Cup races this season and locked up a playoff spot.
Elliott credited a meeting with all Chevy drivers for the late-race teamwork.
The race ended under caution after David Ragan hit William Byron, who tagged Kyle Larson and sent him sliding across the track. Larson then flipped half a dozen times before coming to a stop.
“It was a little bit scary, but thankfully I’m all right,” Larson said.
The 2019 aerodynamics package had cars reaching higher speeds than NASCAR wanted in practice, so officials tried to slow them down with a late rules tweak. But the changes made the cars go even faster, leaving many veterans wary of the closing speeds and potential for chaos and high-speed crashes.
But the race was mostly wreck-free — until the final lap.
Elliott’s victory ended a seven-race winning streak for Ford at Talladega. Penske Racing had won six of the last nine.
But it was a Chevy celebration — for a change.
LATE MELEE
Martin Truex Jr.’s race essentially ended with seven laps to go.
Aric Almirola turned Chris Buescher, who was vying for the 10th spot, coming out of Turn 2 and caused a four-car wreck that included Truex and brought out a red flag. Buescher slammed into the wall and started spinning.
Matt DiBenedetto had nowhere to go and rammed into Buescher’s rotating Chevy, lifting it several feet off the track. Buescher car then hit Truex and Justin Haley.
EARLY EXITS
It didn’t take long for the first wreck at Talladega Superspeedway. The first one caught up Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick.
Bubba Wallace and Ryan Blaney tangled on Lap 10 to touch off the crash that also caught up Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.
Wallace went low, got sideways and then slid back across the track, slamming into Michael McDowell and causing heavy damage to both cars. Harvick, McDowell and Wallace were knocked out of the race.
Hamlin joined them in the pits a short time later.
TOYOTA’S TROUBLES
It was a tough day for Toyota, with the only Top 10 finish with Kyle Busch at No. 9. Martin Truex Jr., Hamlin and Matt DiBenedetto were caught up in wrecks.
STILL STREAKING
Seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson ran over a piece of debris, punctured a tire and hit the wall early in the race. He fell several laps behind the leaders and extended his career-long winless streak to 69 races.
UP NEXT
The Cup Series moves to Delaware next Sunday for the Dover 400. Elliott is the defending race winner.
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More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

7 shot, 1 fatally, in latest Baltimore violence

Police: 7 shot, 1 fatally, in latest Baltimore violence
BALTIMORE (AP) — Authorities say seven people have been shot, at least one fatally, in Baltimore.
Police department spokeswoman Chakia Fennoy said authorities received a call shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday reporting that multiple people had been shot.
Fennoy said one of the victims has died but that she had no information about the conditions of the others.
The shooting happened on a street in the western part of the city.
Fennoy says she has no immediate information on what prompted the shooting or of any suspect or suspects.
According to local media reports, the shooting happened while people were gathered for a cookout.

Bucs drop 7th straight to Kershaw and the Dodgers 3-1

Bucs drop 7th straight to Kershaw and the Dodgers 3-1

Kershaw gets 1st win as Dodgers beat Pirates 3-1
By DOUG PADILLA Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three starts into his delayed season and Clayton Kershaw already appears back in his usual form.
Kershaw earned his first win, allowing one run over seven innings to outpitch Joe Musgrove and help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Saturday night.
Chris Taylor hit a tying sacrifice fly and Joc Pederson followed with a two-run triple as the Dodgers rallied for three runs in the seventh inning and sent the Pirates to their season-high seventh straight loss.
Kershaw (1-0), making his third start after recovering from shoulder inflammation, gave up four hits, struck out eight and walked none, retiring 13 of his last 14 batters. He has a 2.25 ERA and has not given up more than two earned runs in any of his three starts.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner is not usually one to compare outings, but did say this was an improvement over his last, when he gave up two runs over six innings at Milwaukee, while walking four.
“I felt pretty much the same,” Kershaw said about his strength as he builds into his season. “I think the one before this one was a little rockier. Not stronger or weak, just a little more inconsistent. But I felt great tonight and I need to keep building on this one.”
Pittsburgh went ahead in the third when Pablo Reyes singled leading off, was sacrificed to second by Musgrove and scored on Adam Frazier’s single.
From there, Kershaw matched Musgrove (1-2) pitch for pitch until the Dodgers broke through late in the game.
“This is a tough stretch we’re going through right now,” Musgrove said. “As a starting pitcher, I embrace the challenge. It’s my turn to go out there and set the tone and try and control the game. I came one out short of that tonight.”
Caleb Ferguson allowed the Pirates to load the bases with no outs in the eighth on two walks and a single.
Pedro Baez retired Melky Cabrera on a flyout and Colin Moran on a popup that dropped next to third baseman Justin Turner after an infield fly was called. Baez then struck out Josh Bell.
“Bases loaded and nobody out is a pretty impossible situation,” Kershaw said. “(Baez) was unbelievable. He dominated it and got us out of there. I can’t say enough about (Baez). That was awesome tonight.”
Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances, completing a five-hitter.
Singles by Max Muncy and Alex Verdugo started the Dodgers’ rally. Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli took a glancing blow to his left side as Muncy scored, but a video review determined there was nothing improper with Muncy’s slide.
Musgrove allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings, ending the Dodgers’ major league record of hitting a home run in 33 consecutive home games. Musgrove gave up just five earned runs in his first five starts.
“He’s very collected, he’s a fierce competitor and he expects a lot out of himself,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He pours into his teammates. He is an absolute pleasure to coach and have on a club.”
BUMP AND A RUN
Cervelli was met on the field by a trainer after Muncy bumped him while scoring his run in the seventh inning. Hurdle was asked about the play afterward.
“We’ll talk about it internally,” Hurdle said. “There is no need to share it publicly.”
Muncy said he meant no ill will.
“I didn’t want to hit him; I didn’t mean to hit him. I can tell you that right now,” Muncy said. “It wasn’t on purpose. It was one those things where I’m running straight for it and he came up the line so I raised my arm to brace in case we hit each other and I clipped him. That’s the end of it.
“If they feel the need to retaliate, that’s fine. They’ll retaliate and I’ll be on base and smile because that raises my on-base percentage.”
Cervelli, who said he took the blow to his ribs, was asked if he thought the bump was necessary.
“I don’t know,” he said. “You’ve got to ask him. I don’t know. I’ve got no idea.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: RHP Chris Archer was placed on the 10-day IL with right thumb inflammation. … OF Corey Dickerson will not start his expected minor league injury rehabilitation assignment after experiencing more shoulder discomfort. … OF Lonnie Chisenhall had his rehab assignment for a broken finger halted because of left calf tightness. … C Jacob Stallings (neck) started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis.
Dodgers: C Russell Martin was activated off the IL after not playing since April 8 because of a back inflammation. C Rocky Gale was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
UP NEXT
Dodgers LHP Rich Hill will make his 2019 debut after recovering from a left knee strain. Pittsburgh RHP Trevor Williams (1-1) heads into Sunday’s outing with quality starts in all five of his outings but just 11 runs of support.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Leaders struggle to make sense of fatal attack on synagogue

Leaders struggle to make sense of fatal attack on synagogue
By ELLIOT SPAGAT and DAISY NGUYEN Associated Press
POWAY, Calif. (AP) — The rabbi who led a service on the last day of Passover suffered a gunshot wound to his hands and two others endured shrapnel wounds as political, civic and religious leaders across the country struggled to make sense of another fatal attack on a house of worship six months after a mass shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue.
John T. Earnest, 19, surrendered to a police after bursting into Chabad of Poway, north of San Diego on Saturday and opening fire with about 100 people inside, killing Lori Kayne, 60, and injuring Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Noya Dahan, 8, and Almog Peretz, 34, authorities said.
Earnest, who had no previous contact with law enforcement, may be charged with a hate crime in addition to homicide, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. Earnest is also being investigated in connection with an arson attack on a mosque in nearby Escondido, California, on March 24.
“Any time somebody goes into a house of worship and shoots the congregants, in my book, that’s a hate crime,” Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said.
There were indications an AR-type assault weapon might have malfunctioned after the gunman fired numerous rounds inside, Gore said. An off-duty Border Patrol agent working as a security guard fired at the shooter as he fled, missing him but striking his getaway vehicle, Gore said.
Shortly after fleeing, Earnest called 911 to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. When an officer reached him on a roadway, “the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody,” Nisleit said.
Audrey Jacobs, a friend of the slain woman, said on Facebook that Kane was “taking bullets” for the rabbi to save his life and the rabbi continued to give his sermon after being shot.
Gore said authorities were reviewing copies of Earnest’s social media posts, including what he described as a “manifesto.”
A person identifying themselves as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish screed online about an hour before the attack. The poster described himself as a nursing school student and praised the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue Oct. 27.
California State University, San Marcos, confirmed Earnest was a student on the dean’s list and said the school was “dismayed and disheartened” that he was suspected in “this despicable act.”
There was no known threat after Earnest was arrested, but authorities boosted patrols at places of worship as a precaution, police said.
Minoo Anvari, a member of the synagogue, said her husband was inside during the shooting. She said he called to tell her the shooter was shouting and cursing.
She called the shooting “unbelievable” in a peaceful and tight-knit community. “We are strong; you can’t break us,” Anvari said.
Rabbi Yonah Fradkin, executive director of Chabad of San Diego County, said that “in the face of senseless hate we commit to live proudly as Jews in this glorious country. We strongly believe that love is exponentially more powerful than hate. We are deeply shaken by the loss of a true woman of valor, Lori Kaye, who lost her life solely for living as a Jew.”
Donny Phonea, who lives across the street from the synagogue, turned off his power drill and heard someone shout, “Police!” Then he heard three or four shots.
The 38-year-old bank auditor looked over his backyard fence facing the synagogue and saw people hiding behind an electrical box in the parking lot of a neighboring church. At that point, he knew something was “very, very wrong,” went inside and closed his doors and garage.
“I’m a little taken aback,” said Phonea, who moved to Poway two weeks ago. “I moved here because safety was a factor. Poway is very safe.”
President Donald Trump offered his sympathies Saturday, saying the shooting “looked like a hate crime.”
“Our entire nation mourns the loss of life, prays for the wounded and stands in solidary with the Jewish community,” Trump said later at a rally in Wisconsin. “We forcefully condemn the evils of anti-Semitism and hate, which must be defeated.”
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he joins the community in grief.
“No one should have to fear going to their place of worship, and no one should be targeted for practicing the tenets of their faith,” he said.
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Nguyen reported from San Francisco.

Crane falls on busy Seattle street, killing 4

‘Terrifying’: Crane falls on busy Seattle street, killing 4
By LISA BAUMANN Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — A construction crane fell from a building on Google’s new Seattle campus during a storm that brought wind gusts, crashing down onto one of the city’s busiest streets and killing four people.
One female and three males had died by the time firefighters had arrived Saturday afternoon, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. Two of the dead were ironworkers who had been inside the crane while the other two were people who were inside cars, Fire Department spokesman Lance Garland said.
A 25-year-old mother and her 4-month-old daughter were in a car that was smashed by the crane on its passenger side, and both managed to escape with only minor injuries, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said, calling it a miracle. They and a 28-year-old man were taken to Harborview Medical Center. A fourth person also was injured and treated at the scene.
The crane collapsed near the often-congested intersection of Mercer and Fairview Avenue just north of downtown in the South Lake Union neighborhood shortly before 3:30 p.m., Scoggins said.
The deadly collapse is sure to bring scrutiny about the safety of the dozens of cranes that dot the city’s skyscape. With Amazon, Google and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has more cranes building office towers and apartment buildings than any other in the United States. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle.
Durkan said the city had a good track record with crane safety but that officials would conduct a review. “It’s a horrible day in Seattle when something like this happens. But it’s a time when we come together because Seattle is a city that rallies around each other,” she said.
Officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse. Police and the state Department of Labor and Industries were investigating, which Durkan said could take months.
Daren Konopaski, the business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators, told The Seattle Times he understood the crane was being dismantled when high winds moved through the area.
“We don’t know, but that’s what seems to have happened here,” he said. “We are in the process of trying to get information.”
Durkan confirmed that people were actively working on top of the building Saturday, but she didn’t say whether the crane was being dismantled.
A line of showers moved over Seattle just about the time the crane fell, the National Weather Service said. An observation station on nearby Lake Union showed winds kicked up with gusts of up to 23 mph at 3:28 p.m., just about the time the crane fell.
“It was terrifying,” witness Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told the Times.
“The wind was blowing really strong,” she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half. “Half of it was flying down sideways on the building,” she said. “The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic.”
The office building the crane fell from was badly damaged, with several of its windows smashed.
A Google spokesperson said in a statement that the company was saddened to learn of the accident and that they were in communication with Vulcan, the real estate firm that is managing the site and working with authorities.
Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Saturday night that the mother and baby had been discharged, while the man injured was in satisfactory condition.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office said it would not release names of people who died until Monday.
A crane collapsed in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue in 2006, damaging three neighboring buildings and killing a Microsoft attorney who was sitting in his living room. The state Department of Labor and Industries cited two companies for workplace-safety violations after an investigation that found a flawed design for the crane’s base.
“Trudi and I join all Washingtonians in extending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the four people who died in this afternoon’s tragic accident,” Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement. Inslee also said he hoped for a speedy and full recovery for those injured, thanked first responders and urged people to stay clear of the accident scene.
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Geranios reported from Spokane, Washington.

Informative fun day at the 2019 Ambridge Home and Garden Show

(Ambridge, Pa.) Story by Frank Sparks, Beaver County Radio

It was an informative fun day at the 2019 Ambridge Home and Garden show that was held at the Ambridge Do It Best Home Center and presented by the Ambridge  Regional Chamber of Commerce. The show was held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday April 27, 2019. There was so much to do for the whole family. Activities for the kids included a jumping house, baseball throw and football throw. The Ambridge Fire Department also had a truck on hand for the kids to see up close. The food that was served was free to everyone. The Chamber also held a raffle and gave away goody bags that were stuffed with all kinds of informative things and included an eco friendly light bulb and night that were courtesy of Duquesne Light Company.

Beaver County Radio 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMBA did a live broadcast from 12 to 2 p.m.. Frank Sparks, host of Teleforum and Ed “the master” Hermick anchored the broadcast. They talked with David Strano who is the manager of the Ambridge Do It Best Home Center. David’s family also owns the store. The guys also interviewed Deanna Bautti, owner of Bautti Charcuterie, Jennifer Watkins, Events Coordinator for the Ambridge Regional Chamber, and Valerie Pedigo from Huntington Bank. Check out the photos below of the show…….

 

Steelers begin life after Brown, draft WR Diontae Johnson

Steelers begin life after Brown, draft WR Diontae Johnson
OkBy WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers expect third-round picks Diontae Johnson and Justin Layne to get their hands on the ball. That’s where the similarities in their job descriptions end.
The Steelers began the process of reloading following the high-profile departure of star wide receiver Antonio Brown by taking Johnson with the 66th overall selection in the NFL draft on Friday night then took aim at a secondary in serious need of a ballhawk or two by grabbing Layne with the 83rd pick.
Johnson understands the parallels he shares with Brown. Both are 5-foot-10. Both are around 180 pounds. Both played collegiately in the Mid-American Conference. Both posted 40-yard dash times that didn’t exactly dazzle pro scouts.
Yet Johnson — selected with a pick the Steelers acquired when they sent Brown to Oakland in March — knows that’s where the parallels end. Brown is a great player. The three-year letterman at Toledo is eager to write his own story.
“At the end of the day, I can only be me,” Johnson said. “Do what I do best.”
Namely, attack defenses in a way that renders his lack of breakaway speed — at least according to the stopwatch — meaningless. The player who ran a so-so 4.53-second, 40-yard dash won over the Steelers’ coaching staff with his ability to win one-on-one battles at the line of scrimmage.
Head coach Mike Tomlin noticed Johnson first then sent wide receivers coach Darry Drake to do some digging. What Drake found turned him into Johnson’s biggest advocate in the team’s draft war room.
“He’s a tremendously gifted young man,” Drake said. “The most natural catcher that I’ve seen in a while. … He doesn’t have great timed speed but he plays the game fast. He’s really, really good against the press and this is a press league. DBs walk up to your face and try to fingerprint you. He gets off bumps, gets in and out of his breaks as well as anybody I’ve seen in a long time.”
Johnson caught 43 passes for 663 yards and seven touchdowns for the Rockets as a redshirt junior last season and was named the MAC’s Special Teams Player of the Year after returning a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns. He’ll likely get a chance at special teams too, where Brown first distinguished himself after being taken in the sixth round out of Central Michigan in 2010 before developing into one of the top receivers in the league.
Brown’s record-setting run in Pittsburgh ended with an ugly divorce in the offseason, with the Steelers sending him to the Raiders. They used one of the picks they acquired from Oakland to grab a player that joins a room that will have a decidedly different feel with the prolific but also high-maintenance Brown out west.
This is the third straight season the Steelers have taken a wide receiver in the top three rounds of the draft. They selected JuJu Smith-Schuster in the second round in 2017 and James Washington in the second round last year. Pittsburgh signed former Jacksonville Jaguar Donte Moncrief to a two-year deal in March and also have Ryan Switzer and Eli Rogers in the mix.
Drake likes Johnson’s versatility and expects the Steelers will move him around instead of just sticking him in the slot. Drake also isn’t worried about Johnson’s 40-time. The coach who counts Larry Fitzgerald among his former pupils doesn’t believe the stopwatch tells the whole story.
“We want that guy, that blazer but normally with that package of that dynamic speed, very seldom do you get the total package,” Drake said. “This guy has the ability to be a total package guy.”
Pittsburgh is hoping to one day say the same about Layne, who arrived at Michigan State as a wide receiver before moving to cornerback during his freshman season to help address a spate of injuries at the position. At 6-2 and 192 pounds he has the size to be a potential difference maker on the outside for a secondary that picked off just five passes in 2018.
“He’s competitive, he’s not afraid to throw it up in there,” Steelers defensive backs coach Teryl Austin said. “He’s got a lot of good things to work with.”
Even if Layne didn’t always get a chance to show it. He picked off just three passes during his career with the Spartans, though his 15 pass breakups in 2018 ranked among the top 10 in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Layne called the move from offense to defense “nothing major.” Last he checked, the game is still the game.
“I’ve been playing both ways my whole life,” said Layne, who went to Benedictine High School in Cleveland, the alma mater of late Hall of Fame Steelers coach Chuck Noll. “I’m a football player today. I expected to go in the second round but it’s all good. They’re going to feel me.”
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Bucs lose Sixth straight game 6-2.

Dodgers homer in record 33 straight home games, beat Pirates
By DOUG PADILLA Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cody Bellinger’s one mighty swing of the bat was loaded with historical significance.
Bellinger hit a two-run homer in the first inning and the Dodgers set a major league record with homers in 33 consecutive home games in a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
Bellinger’s blast was noteworthy for other reasons, too. He moved into a tie for the major league lead for home runs with the Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich at 13 and set the major league record for total bases in the months of March-April with 88. He also set a Dodgers’ record for home runs in March-April, moving past Matt Kemp.
With his total-base mark, he moved past former teammate Chase Utley, who had 85 total bases before the start of May in the 2008 season as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. Utley, who now works in baseball operations for the Dodgers, was on hand before Friday’s game.
“It feels pretty cool,” Bellinger said about passing Utley’s mark. “I honestly didn’t know until he told me at the game today. So hopefully he is here (Saturday) so we can talk about it.”
So it was Utley that informed him that a record-breaking night could be ahead?
“No, they told me in the dugout after it happened,” Bellinger said.
With home runs in their first 14 home games this season, the Dodgers also matched this year’s Milwaukee Brewers and the 1962 New York Mets for most consecutive home games with a home run to open a season.
Josh Bell hit a home run for the Pirates, who were otherwise held in check by Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu. The Pirates lost a season-worst sixth consecutive game, a skid that followed a five-game winning streak.
“Like I always say, it’s pretty comfortable pitching at home, especially knowing how my teammates will help me in terms of putting up runs early,” Ryu said through an interpreter. “That has led to successful results. And seeing that consecutive (home-run streak) definitely builds my confidence.”
Ryu (3-1) struck out 10 and gave up two runs over seven innings in his second start since returning from the injured list due to a strained left groin. It was the first time the left-hander reached double-digits in strikeouts since July 13, 2014.
“He pitched us basically as we anticipated because he had good stuff, he mixed his pitches well,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He kept the ball away, he kept the ball down, the cutter played in tight. We had early opportunities we weren’t able to get traction with and that hurt us.”
Pirates starter Chris Archer (1-2) gave up six runs on six hits over four innings, the most earned runs he has allowed in an outing since Aug. 26 of last season at Milwaukee. Heading into the game, Pirates starters had given up 11 home runs, the fewest in baseball.
Bellinger’s home run in the first was his eighth at Dodger Stadium this season. Austin Barnes added a solo shot in the second inning, his third of the season.
“If I had my slider working like it normally is working, then I’m able to (put away hitters),” Archer said. “Tonight, I didn’t. I left a change-up up to Bellinger, which, you know, it happens. Anything that dude sees right now, he’s smashing. But other than that, most of the damage was on sliders that I left over the plate or fastballs that I didn’t locate well enough.”
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Adam Frazier and Melky Cabrera each singled four pitches into the game and Frazier scored when Gregory Polanco grounded into a double play. The Pirates fell to 12-6 when scoring first.
NO WALKING ZONE
Friday’s outing was Ryu’s third in five tries in which he did not walk a batter. He has given only two free passes in 27 1/3 innings this season.
Both of Ryu’s walks this year were on borderline pitches, and he has not walked a batter at home since Aug. 26 of last season. In that stretch, he has struck out 58 batters over 56 innings.
Pinpoint control has always been a priority for the lefty. He’s executing that plan well of late.
“I guess it all goes back to how I was taught going back to elementary school,” Ryu said. “People around me told me how it’s better to give up a homer than a base on balls. Unfortunately, that led to consecutive games of me giving up homers right now. That is the downside, but at least I don’t have anybody that gets on base for free. It’s just the nature of how I attack hitters.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: Outfielder Corey Dickerson, who has been out since April 4 because of a shoulder strain, is set to join Triple-A Indianapolis at Charlotte for a minor league rehab assignment.
Dodgers: Catcher Russell Martin, who has been out since April 10 with a back injury, participated in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium and is expected to be in the starting lineup Sunday, manager Dave Roberts said. . Right-hander Tony Cingrani, who hasn’t pitched this season because of shoulder soreness, threw on the side and could be headed on a rehab assignment next week, according to Roberts.
UP NEXT
Joe Musgrove (1-1, 1.59 ERA), who has left each of his last two starts with a lead in the seventh inning, will take the mound Saturday at Los Angeles. Clayton Kershaw (0-0, 2.77) will make his third start of the season Saturday, after delivering a quality start at Milwaukee on Sunday despite four walks.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

NRA No Longer The Player It Once Was In Presidential Politics

Washington, D.C. (AP) – The National Rifle Association is no longer the dominant force it was when it played a pivotal role in President Donald Trump’s victory in 2016. Three years later, it’s limping toward the next election divided and diminished. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence will headline the NRA’s annual convention in Indianapolis on Friday.

Amish Population In PA’s Lancaster County Continues To Grow Each Year

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — The Amish population in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County is continuing to grow each year, despite the encroachment of urban sprawl on their communities. The U.S. Census Bureau says the county added about 2,500 people in 2018. LNP reports that about 1,000 of them were Amish. Elizabethtown College researchers say Lancaster County’s Amish population reached 33,143 in 2018, up 3.2% from the previous year.