(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes allowed two hits over eight masterful innings to help the Pittsburgh Pirates toppled the Colorado Rockies 3-1 on Tuesday night.

The reigning National League Cy Young winner carried a no-hitter into the seventh while retiring 18 of the first 19 batters he faced. Colorado’s Mickey Moniak broke up the no-hit bid when he dumped a single into left-center field with one out in the seventh. Skenes (6-2) retired Hunter Goodman and TJ Rumfield to end the threat.

Skenes returned for the eighth, giving up a one-out double to Troy Johnston before getting a flyout and a ground ball. The 23-year-old received a standing ovation on his way back to the dugout after throwing out Ezequiel Tovar to end the eighth. Skenes tipped his cap before making his way down the dugout steps after finishing with a season-high 10 strikeouts and lowering his ERA to 1.98.

Six days after allowing two hits over eight shutout innings in a victory over Arizona, Skenes was perhaps even better against Colorado. He struck out the first six Rockies who came to the plate, the second time in his three-year career he has fanned that many hitters to start the game.

Colorado’s Willi Castro ended that run when he laid down a bunt with the first pitch of the third inning. The ball went right back to Skenes, who scooped it up and easily tossed to first as the PNC Park booed.

Skenes kept on rolling, his only hiccup coming in the fifth when he hit Johnston in the left foot on a 2-1 pitch with two out. Johnston was promptly thrown out trying to steak second base to end the inning.

Though Skenes threw 68 of his 98 pitches for strikes, he didn’t come back on in the ninth in search of his first career shutout. There were brief chants of “We Want Paul! We Want Paul!” when reliever Gregory Soto came on. Soto allowed a a two-out RBI-double by Goodman but recovered for his fourth save.

Oneil Cruz had three hits for the Pirates. Nick Gonzales added two hits, including an RBI-single off Michael Lorenzen (2-5) in the first that gave Skenes all the offense he would need.

Up next

The series continues Wednesday, with Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.90 ERA) set to start for Colorado against Mitch Keller (4-1, 2.87).

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Philadelphia Flyers’ Garnet Hathaway, right, trips Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin, left, during the second period of Game 4 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoff series Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Evgeni Malkin might get his wish to stay in Pittsburgh after all.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said Tuesday the club would “love” to have the three-time Stanley Cup-winning forward back for a 21st season next winter.

Malkin is scheduled to become a free agent for the first time in his career in July and turns 40 in August. The Russian star is coming off a solid bounce-back year, finishing with 19 goals and 42 assists in 56 games.

The future Hall of Famer said after Pittsburgh’s first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia that he plans to play in the NHL next season and would prefer to do it with the only franchise he’s ever known. Dubas had been vague most of the year about Malkin’s future, but sounded more optimistic a couple of weeks removed from the Penguins’ first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia.

“He’s a special player,” Dubas said of Malkin.

Dubas pointed to Malkin’s resiliency during an eventful year in which he missed 20 games because of injury and five more because of suspension as proof that Malkin remains an effective player on a team that returned to the postseason following a three-year absence.

Each time Malkin’s season threatened to derail, he returned with what Dubas described as “renewed energy.”

Dubas pointed out that no player in Pittsburgh’s improved prospect pool appears poised to take on Malkin’s role as a top offensive option.

“I don’t think he’s blocking anybody,” Dubas said. “We would love to have him back.”

Malkin and longtime running mates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang have spent two decades playing alongside each other, the longest three teammates have played together in major North American sports history.

While Dubas knows that run will likely end during his tenure, he also allowed that what the trio has is special. Letang remains under contract for two more seasons. Crosby, the only player in NHL history to average a point a game for 21 straight years, is eligible for an extension in July.

Dubas added that while the team as a whole took a significant step forward under first-year head coach Dan Muse, there remains work to be done regardless of who is on the roster when the Penguins report for training camp in September.

“We’re still well short of where we aspire to be,” Dubas said.

Dubas praised the Flyers for “getting to their game” early in the first-round series, and while the Penguins eventually found their footing, it was too late. He added that it’s clear by watching some of the teams still in the playoffs that the gap between where Pittsburgh is and the top contenders is still significant.

“We have a long way to go,” he said. “I don’t kid myself with that.”

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby meets with media in front of his locker at the NHL hockey team’s practice facility in Cranberry Township, Pa, Friday, May 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

(Pittsburgh, PA-AP) Sidney Crosby is heading to Switzerland to represent his country at the men’s world hockey championships, Hockey Canada announced on Tuesday.

This will mark the Pittsburgh Penguins captain’s fourth career appearance at the international tournament, and second in consecutive years. Crosby was available after the Penguins were eliminated by Philadelphia in Game 6 of the first round of the NHL playoffs two weeks ago.

The 38-year-old Crosby’s addition came at the same time Hockey Canada announced New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal will not compete as a precaution because of an injury.

Philadelphia’s Porter Martone and New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer were added to the roster hours before the announcement of Crosby in and Barzal out was made.

It was not immediately clear if Crosby would take over as captain for San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, who was initially expected to wear the “C.”

Crosby most recently captained Canada’s silver medal-winning team at the Milan Cortina Games in February. He was unable to finish the tournament because of a lower-body injury, which sidelined him for nearly a month.

From Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Crosby is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s elite “Triple Gold” club in having won Olympic and world championship gold medals, and a Stanley Cup.

He’s a two-time Olympic gold medalist and most memorably scored the championship-clinching overtime goal in Canada’s 3-2 win over the U.S. at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Crosby is a three-time Cup champion with Pittsburgh, and was a member of Canada’s gold medal world championship team in 2015.

Canada opens the 17-day, 16-nation tournament facing Sweden on Friday.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Joey Bart hits an RBI single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates placed catcher Joey Bart on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a left foot infection.

Bart is hitting .259 with two homers and nine RBIs for the Pirates while splitting starting catching duties with Henry Davis.

The Pirates called up catcher/designated hitter Endy Rodriguez from Triple-A Indianapolis to take Bart’s place on the roster. Rodriguez was hitting .221 with one home run and 16 RBIs at the time of his call-up.

Once considered a contender to be Pittsburgh’s everyday catcher, Rodriguez has spent the last two-plus years trying to regain his form after undergoing left elbow surgery in late 2023 and right elbow surgery last year.

Pittsburgh also called up Australian-born reliever Brandan Bidois from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned reliever Cam Sanders back to the minors.

(File Photo of the WPIAL Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Slippery Rock, PA) The WPIAL announced that its 2026 individual high school track and field championships scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, have been postponed due to impending weather.

The meet has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 14, with events at Slippery Rock University set to begin at 11 a.m.

Earlier this week, WPIAL officials said they were in contact with the National Weather Service regarding the potential for inclement weather that could affect the championships.

Citing a high chance of rain and the possibility of thunderstorms, league officials decided to move the meet to Thursday, when weather conditions are expected to improve.

The schedule of events will remain unchanged, with preliminary heats for track events beginning at 11 a.m.