Category: Saturday Sports Slam

Tom Brady signs 2-year, $70M extension with Patriots

AP source: Brady signs 2-year, $70M extension with Patriots
By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer
Tom Brady has never known what it’s like to play out the final season of a contract in his 20-year NFL career, and the New England Patriots superstar quarterback isn’t about to find out.
Brady, who turned 42 on Saturday, is signing a two-year, $70 million extension that runs through 2021 and includes a hefty raise this season, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
The person, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity Sunday because the Patriots hadn’t announced the extension, confirmed the NFL Network’s report on Brady’s contract.
Brady will get an $8 million raise in 2019, when he’ll make $23 million. The extension also calls for him to make $30 million in 2020 and $32 million in 2021, when he would be 44.
Brady, who led the Patriots to a 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53, is one of just four players to win six NFL titles. The others all played for Vince Lombardi’s mighty Green Bay Packers teams in the 1960s: Hall of Famers Herb Adderley and Forrest Gregg and their teammate, Fuzzy Thurston.
Adderley, 80, told the AP earlier this year that he believes it will take another 100 years for someone else to join the exclusive club, although he figures Brady will make it a moot point with a seventh ring before he decides to retire.
“Oh yes, indeed. He has a shot at it as long as he plays,” Adderley said.
Brady and the Patriots open defense of their latest Super Bowl title against Pittsburgh on Sept. 8. Usually, the champion kicks off the season but that honor goes to Green Bay and Chicago this year as the NFL celebrates its 100th season.
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Chase Elliott wins NASCAR Cup race at The Glen

The Latest: Elliott wins NASCAR Cup race at The Glen
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) — The Latest on the NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen International (all times local):
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5:42 p.m.
Chase Elliott has won the NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen International for the second straight time, holding off Martin Truex Jr. just like he did a year ago.
Truex began to exert some pressure after sitting just behind Elliott for more than 10 laps in the final segment. Elliott held his ground until Truex closed with six laps to go, waiting to pounce on a mistake that never came.
It was a two-car race for more than half the 220.5- mile race and the entire final 40 laps. With two laps to go, Truex still couldn’t get close enough to make a move. Last year Truex ran out of fuel on the last lap, giving Elliott his first career victory.
Elliott, the pole-sitter, led 80 of 90 laps and snapped a long slump.
Denny Hamlin was third, Erik Jones fourth and Ryan Blaney fifth after starting from the rear of the field.
Seven-time champion Jimmy Johnson finished 19th with a new crew chief as he struggles to make the playoffs with four races left in the regular season.
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4:30 p.m.
Chase Elliott has won the second stage of the NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen, giving him two straight segment wins.
Elliott restarted seventh behind drivers that did not pit after the first segment and steadily worked his way up through the field.
He regained the lead on a restart with four laps left in the segment as Martin Truex Jr. began to close on his back bumper, just as he did a year ago in the final laps of this race, which he won. But the stage ended under caution after a spinout by Bubba Wallace.
Kyle Larson, who didn’t pit, led the first seven laps of the stage before pitting on lap 30, giving the lead back to Elliott.
Kyle Busch had rallied from 36th to 15th to get back into contention after a penalty on pit road when the first yellow flag flew. He and several others elected to pit for tires and fuel. Larson also chose to pit again for fuel only while Elliott stayed out on track, ahead of Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer and Alex Bowman.
Byron also pitted during the caution on lap 34 so his crew could work on the damaged front of the No. 24 Chevy.
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4:15 p.m.
Pole sitter Chase Elliott has won the first stage of the NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen, leading the entire segment and beating Denny Hamlin by 4 seconds.
Elliott, the defending race winner, gained a big early lead over Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron after five laps. Kyle Busch started third but spun out on the first turn of the race as he tried to dive inside Byron for second. Busch dropped to 10th, then began to slowly rally.
Hamlin, who won last week at Pocono, passed Byron for second halfway through the 20-lap segment.
Busch passed Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, and Jimmie Johnson on his way back up through the pack and was fifth with five laps to go, just behind Byron and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr.
Byron spun out into the grassy area in the inner loop and shot across the grass after a tap in the back from Busch and finished fifth in the segment. Byron then slammed Busch’s back end on the cooldown lap, damaging his front end.
Six drivers elected not to pit and Elliott restarted seventh in line behind leader Larson.
Busch was penalized for exiting pit road too fast and restarted 36th.
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1 p.m.
The NASCAR Cup Series is ready to go racing at Watkins Glen International.
Defending race winner Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports starts from the pole Sunday on the 2.45-mile road course in New York’s Finger Lakes region.
Martin Truex Jr., who starts fourth for Joe Gibbs Racing in the 90-lap race, is chasing a sweep of the two traditional road races on the schedule. He won at Sonoma in June for the second straight time and finished runner-up to Elliott a year ago at The Glen, where he also has a victory.
Like Sonoma, Watkins Glen can be unpredictable. The Glen hasn’t had a repeat winner in more than a decade. Marcos Ambrose was the last in 2011-12.
The cars were inspected Sunday morning and all passed, but Ryan Blaney will start from the back of the field after his crew made unapproved adjustments to the No. 12 Penske Racing Ford. Blaney qualified 19th on Saturday.
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Bucs get pounded by the Mets 13-2.

Mets’ Canó strains hamstring in 13-2 rout of Pirates
By WES CROSBY Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mets star Robinson Canó appears headed back to the injured list after straining his left hamstring, an injury that overshadowed Noah Syndergaard’s sparkling outing in a 13-2 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday that pulled New York within one game of .500 for the first time since mid-June.
Canó lined a hit to right in the fourth inning, his third hit of the game and ninth hit in his last 15 at-bats. He pulled up after rounding first and grabbed at the back of his leg. Melky Cabrera threw to shortstop Kevin Newman, who tagged out Canó.
Canó limped as he returned to the dugout.
In his first season with the Mets after being acquired from Seattle, the 36-year-old Canó was limited to one game between May 22 and June 16 because of a strained left quadriceps. He is hitting .252 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs.
New York, which won for the ninth time in 10 games, began the day four games back for the second NL wild card. The Mets had not been within one game of .500 since they were 33-34 before play on June 13.
Pittsburgh, wearing the gold and black throwback uniforms of the Pirates 1979 World Series champions, lost its seventh straight series and is 4-18 since the All-Star break. The Pirates are last in the NL Central at 48-63.
J.D. Davis hit a 449-foot home run into the fourth floor of the left-field rotunda, on a first-inning changeup from Joe Musgrove (8-10).
Syndergaard (8-5) allowed three hits, singled twice and pitched shutout ball into the seventh. After allowing Bryan Reynolds to single with one out in the first, Syndergaard didn’t give up another hit until José Osuna doubled with one out in the seventh. Colin Moran hit an RBI single later in the inning.
Syndergaard had multiple hits in a game for the first time since Sept. 27, 2016, against Miami and scored after each of his two singles.
Michael Conforto homered on Musgrove’s third pitch, his 22nd home run this season, and Davis’ two-run homer put the Mets ahead 3-0.
Jeff McNeil also homered for the Mets, who led 6-0 by the third, 8-0 by the fourth and 11-0 by the sixth and 13-0 by the seventh.
Musgrove gave up eight runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings, raising his ERA to 4.69.
José Osuna homered in the ninth off Jeurys Familia.
BACK ON THE BENCH
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle returned to the dugout after serving a two-game suspension assessed for his involvement in a brawl between the Pirates and Cincinnati Reds on July 30.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RHP Jacob Rhame was placed on the 10-day IL with right elbow discomfort. … LHP Donnie Hart was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and pitched a perfect eighth inning, a day after he was claimed off waivers from Milwaukee.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (6-7) and RHP Walker Lockett (1-1) are to start Monday’s doubleheader against visiting Miami.
Pirates: RHP Dario Agrazal (2-2) is slated to pitch against Milwaukee on Monday.
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Phillies sue to block Phanatic from becoming ‘free agent’

Phillies sue to block Phanatic from becoming ‘free agent’
NEW YORK (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have sued the New York company that created the Phanatic mascot to prevent the green furry fan favorite from becoming a free agent.
In a complaint filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, the team alleged Harrison/Erickson threatened to terminate the Phillies’ rights to the Phanatic next year and “make the Phanatic a free agent” unless the team renegotiated its 1984 agreement to acquire the mascot’s rights.
The Phillies asked for declaratory judgments affirming their rights and sued H/E claiming unjust enrichment and breach of good faith.
A message left Saturday on the recorder that answered the company’s telephone was not immediately returned.
The team said it contracted with Harrison/Erickson in 1978 at the behest of then-Phillies executive vice president Bill Giles to develop the mascot for $3,900 plus expenses, which turned out to be about $2,000. The Phillies said they reached an agreement to cover promotional items, paid Harrison/Erickson more than $100,000 in royalties and were sued by the company in 1979. As part of the settlement later that year, the Phillies said they made a $115,000 one-time payment and agreed to pay $5,000 annually, increasing by $1,000 per year.
The Phillies said they reached an agreement with H/E in 1984 to buy all rights to the “artistic sculpture known as the ‘Phillie Phanatic'” for $215,000.
The team said Harrison/Erickson lawyers sent a letter to the Phillies on June 1 last year claiming H/E had the right to terminate the 1984 agreement and saying absent a new deal the Phillies would not be able to use the Phanatic after June 15, 2020.
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Race car flips over fence after crash, kills a spectator

Speedway car flips over fence after crash, kills man
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say a car flipped over the infield fence at a central Pennsylvania speedway and struck a track volunteer, killing him.
The Cumberland County coroner’s office said two Sprint car drivers crashed into each other while rounding a turn at Williams Grove Speedway just before 9:30 p.m. Friday.
Coroner Charles Hall said one of the cars went out of control, hit the inside wall and then flipped up and over the infield fence, striking Richard Speck Jr., who was sitting in the back of a pickup truck parked along the fence.
Speck, 67, of Mechanicsburg, was pronounced dead at the scene, Hall said. Speck volunteered at the track driving a push truck, which assists the open-wheel race cars on and off the track.
Vicky Leah, who said she had been Speck’s neighbor in Mechanicsburg for five years, told the York Daily Record she was devastated by the news.
“Every Saturday, he would wash the truck down. I will miss seeing the dirt run off in the street outside his home from cleaning the truck after each race,” she said.
“Even our dog adores him, and he always welcomed her. He would stop what he was doing, yard work in most cases, to have her come to him for petting,” she said. “He would also talk about what a good race it was the night before.”
Driver Wyatt Hinkle, making his first racing appearance of the year at Williams Grove, said he always saw Speck at races. “He was someone who supported the sport so much,” he told the paper.
The speedway said the rest of Friday night’s racing program was canceled. State police, the coroner’s office and speedway officials are investigating the collision.
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This story has been corrected to show two Sprint cars crashed, not Spring cars.

Bullpen blows excellent start by Archer. Bucs fall to Mets 7-5

Ramos bails out Stroman, Mets rally by Pirates 7-5
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Marcus Stroman already feels like he’s been a member of the New York Mets “forever.”
Maybe, but the All-Star pitcher is still getting used to his surroundings. New clubhouse. New catcher. New opponents. New stakes. It’s a lot to take in. And for an inning on Saturday night, Stroman looked like one of those players he watched growing up on Long Island, the ones who couldn’t handle the bright lights of playing in New York.
Stroman labored through a 35-pitch opening frame before settling in and keeping the Mets in range of the Pittsburgh Pirates long enough for catcher Wilson Ramos to key a 7-5 comeback victory.
The right-hander — acquired in a trade with Toronto last week — was admittedly not as sharp as he’d like while lasting 4 1/3 innings in his National League debut. But Ramos made sure it didn’t matter, hitting a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning and adding a three-run double in the ninth to give the Mets their ninth win in 11 games.
“My command was a little iffy but my body felt great,” said Stroman, who gave up three runs seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts. “Just need to make a few adjustments on my mechanics and I think I’ll be ready for my next one.”
New York trailed 3-1 in the seventh when Jeff McNeil hit a pinch-hit solo home run to get the Mets within one. Robinson Canó doubled off Kyle Crick (3-6) leading off the eighth and Ramos followed with a shot to the seats in right-center field to put New York in front.
Ramos provided insurance in the ninth when his drive to the Clemente Wall in right field off Chris Stratton cleared the bases. Ramos finished 4 for 5 with a career-high six RBIs. The Mets, who saw a seven-game winning streak snapped on Friday, won for just the fifth time this season when trailing after the seventh.
“I think that tonight was elusive to us in the first half,” New York manager Mickey Callaway said. “It was tough to stop the bleeding and I think we understand we have to do that. I don’t think we’ve ever given up. We’ve just got to get it done. It seems like we’re getting it done.”
Amed Rosario added three hits for the Mets. Justin Wilson (3-1) earned the victory by pitching a scoreless seventh.
Bryan Reynolds had four hits for Pittsburgh. Starling Marte went 3 for 5, including a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth off Mets closer Edwin Díaz to get the Pirates within two. Díaz struck out the last two batters to drop the Pirates to 4-17 since the All-Star break.
MORE STROMAN
Stroman hadn’t pitched since July 24 and the layoff may have played a factor in his early struggles. He ducked into the clubhouse after the first inning to look at video of his mechanics, made a tweak and eventually got into a rhythm. He retired eight straight at one point but was lifted after walking Josh Bell to put runners on first and second with one out in the fifth.
It wasn’t dominant, but it was enough to keep the Mets close.
“He didn’t have his great stuff,” Callaway said. “I’m sure the energy was off the charts. New team. New York. It’s his hometown. Pitching for the first time and he battled. He was probably rusty because he hasn’t pitched in a long time and he was out there doing everything he can to keep guys from scoring.”
SYMMETRY FOR ARCHER
Stroman’s debut with the Mets came on the same night Pittsburgh starter Chris Archer celebrated his one-year anniversary in Pittsburgh. Archer received a standing ovation after earning a victory over St. Louis in his debut with the Pirates on Aug. 3, 2018, a nod to the optimism the trade to bring him over brought to a young club trying to stay competitive in the NL Central.
The honeymoon ended quickly. Archer is just 6-11 with the Pirates and is winless in his last 10 starts. Still, he overcame a shaky 33-pitch first inning to work six innings, giving up one run on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Archer also kept the ball in the park, a rarity for a pitcher who has allowed 25 home runs on the season.
“When he’s on top of his game, that’s what he does,” said acting Pirates manager Tom Prince, filling in for the suspended Clint Hurdle. “He settled in after that first inning. Thought he did a really good job.”
ROSTER SHUFFLING
Mets: Recalled RHP Jacob Rhame from Triple-A Syracuse and sent down RHP Tyler Bashlor. Bashlor allowed a three-run home run to Marte in Friday night’s loss and has surrendered six runs overall in his last two appearances. … Claimed LHP Donnie Hart from Milwaukee and optioned him to Syracuse.
Pirates: Placed RHP Richard Rodriguez on the paternity list and called up reliever Parker Markel from Triple-A Indianapolis. Pittsburgh claimed Markel from Seattle on July 27. RHP Keone Kela began serving his 10-game suspension for his role in a brawl in Cincinnati on Tuesday. Utility player Jose Osuna (five games) and Crick (three games) are still awaiting word on their appeals.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: LHP Steven Brault (left shoulder strain) will rejoin the starting rotation against Milwaukee on Tuesday. Brault last pitched on July 5, leaving after four innings due to shoulder tightness.
UP NEXT
Mets: Noah Syndergaard (7-5, 4.10 ERA) has thrown at least seven innings in each of his last four starts, striking out 36 against just seven walks.
Pirates: Joe Musgrove (8-9, 4.23) is 4-2 with a 3.09 ERA over his last six starts.
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Pirates designate infielder Jung Ho Kang for assignment

Pirates designate infielder Jung Ho Kang for assignment
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jung Ho Kang’s time with the Pittsburgh Pirates — and quite possibly in the major leagues — is over.
The team designated the South Korean third baseman/shortstop for assignment on Friday. Kang hit .169 with 10 home runs and 24 RBIs in 65 games this season.
The 32-year-old Kang signed with Pittsburgh in January 2015, becoming the first position player to jump directly from the Korean Baseball Organization to the majors. He made a splash as a rookie, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting after hitting 15 home runs. His season ended abruptly that September when he broke his leg after getting taken out at second base by Chris Coghlan of the Chicago Cubs.
Kang returned in 2016 and hit 21 home runs before his career went into a tailspin after getting arrested in Seoul in December 2016 on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Kang received a two-year suspended sentence, spent the entire 2017 season on the restricted list after being unable to secure a visa back to the U.S. and played in just three games at the end of the 2018 season. The Pirates cut him last September before bringing him back on a one-year deal worth $3 million.
Kang played well defensively while splitting time at third base and shortstop, but he failed to find any sort of consistency at the plate. He never hit better than .222 in any month this season.
“As hard as he’s tried and the work that he’s put in, it hasn’t transferred to the game right now,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “So that’s the hard part. … We saw a guy come in here and was a significant player, a significant addition to the lineup with a power component that was real and a style of play that worked. The time away though, seemed to affect him more offensively than defensively.”
The Pirates recalled shortstop Erik Gonzalez from his rehab assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis. Gonzalez fractured his collarbone in a collision with center fielder Starling Marte in April.
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Reds beat Pirates 4-1, both teams behave day after brawl

Reds beat Pirates 4-1, both teams behave day after brawl
By JOE KAY AP Sports Writer
CINCINNATI (AP) — Clint Hurdle and David Bell had little interaction while exchanging lineup cards one day after their teams fought on the field, and the Pirates and Reds were on good behavior Wednesday during Cincinnati’s 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh behind a strong performance from Luis Castillo.
Bell and three Reds, including now-traded Yasiel Puig, were ejected for a ninth-inning brawl during the Pirates’ 11-4 win on Tuesday night. Four Pirates also were ejected. Major League Baseball was reviewing video of the fight Wednesday and was expected to hand down suspensions over the second fracas between the NL Central rivals this season.
Bell went after Hurdle during the fight and was restrained in a headlock by batting coach Rick Eckstein. Bell repeatedly cursed Hurdle as he left the field. A day later, the two managers didn’t say much while handing lineup cards to the umpires.
They’re not done with each other. They meet again at PNC Park on Aug. 23, and wrap up the season together with three games in Pittsburgh Sept. 27-29.
The series matched two teams that have faded from the NL Central race, but only one of them is already looking to next year.
Puig went to Cleveland as part of a three-team deal for pitcher Trevor Bauer even though Cincinnati had slid to 7½ games out. Puig can be a free agent at the end of the season, while Bauer is under contract control for another year. The Reds also dealt starter Tanner Roark to Oakland on Wednesday for an outfield prospect.
The Pirates have gone 3-16 since the All-Star break, prompting them to deal starter Jordan Lyles to Milwaukee at the start of the series. They couldn’t muster much against Castillo (10-4), who recovered from his worst start of the season. The All-Star allowed a career-high six runs in a 12-2 loss to the Rockies on Friday.
Castillo gave up six hits and a run while pitching into the eighth inning on Wednesday. Raisel Iglesias retired the side in the ninth for his 20th save in 23 chances.
Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez homered off rookie Dario Agrazal (2-2), who lasted only 3 2/3 innings. Agrazal hit Tucker Barnhart on the foot with a breaking ball, and got Winker on the arm with a fastball, drawing boos from the crowd of 20,886. The umpires huddled after Winker was hit, but didn’t eject Agrazal.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: Hurdle said none of his players was hurt in the brawl.
Reds: Reliever David Hernandez was activated off the injured list and took Puig’s roster spot. Hernandez had been sidelined by shoulder fatigue.
UP NEXT
Pirates: After a day off, Pittsburgh opens a six-game homestand against the Mets on Friday.
Reds: Anthony DeSclafani (6-5) opens a four-game series in Atlanta. Bauer is expected to join the Reds there, although he hasn’t yet been slotted into the rotation.
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Reports that Corey Dickerson has been traded to the Phillies

During today’s Pirates Radio Network Broadcast Announcer Joe Block that the Pittsburgh Pirates have traded Outfielder Corey Dickerson to the Philadelphia Phillies. Block said that ESPN is reporting this but nothing has been confirmed by the Pirates.

Stay tuned to Beaver County Radio for updates on this developing story

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Wild night in Cincy results in the end of the Bucs losing streak.

Going out swinging: Puig brawls again as Reds finish trade
By JOE KAY AP Sports Writer
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jared Hughes’ errant pitch threw a load of fuel on one of the majors’ most flammable rivalries.
Call it Pirates vs. Reds, round two — and a fitting farewell for Yasiel Puig.
Hughes hit Starling Marte with his first pitch in the ninth inning Tuesday night, setting the stage for the latest dust-up between the Ohio River rivals. Four Pirates and four Reds were ejected in Pittsburgh’s 11-4 win, including Puig, who was in the process of being traded.
“The ball just slipped and it was real unfortunate and a lot of bad things happened afterward,” Hughes said.
And it’s not over.
Reds manager David Bell faces a suspension for coming back onto the field and going after Pirates manager Clint Hurdle during the fracas. Bell had already been ejected for arguing a strike call an inning earlier.
And there was Puig, who’s headed to Cleveland as part of a three-team deal for starter Trevor Bauer, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced.
Puig prolonged the fight that started when Reds reliever Amir Garrett went toward the Pirates dugout and threw several punches.
Puig’s summary of the inning: “That’s crazy.”
The NL Central rivals have been going at each other for years. The nastiness resumed this season when Derek Dietrich admired his homer at PNC Park in April, touching off a fracas.
On Tuesday, Dietrich got into the lopsided game late, and Keona Kela threw a fastball up-and-in that set off the Reds.
“I just wanted to show them that we didn’t agree with the way things went down, and you have to pitch in,” Kela said. “I was just going my part.”
Between innings, Joey Votto exchanged words with Kela.
“Today was an example of us standing our ground for what we think is right,” Votto said. “At some point, a group of players has to do that.”
Both benches had been warned when Hughes plunked Marte, so the reliever and Reds bench coach Freddie Benavides were ejected. Garrett relieved and, during the inning, traded words with Pirates starter Trevor Williams, who was in the dugout.
Garrett ran from the mound toward the dugout and started swinging as players came onto the field. Garrett was upset over the up-and-in pitch to Dietrich.
“I definitely do think they teach that in that organization,” Garrett said. “I don’t think it’s right to throw at somebody. That’s not something you should do. If you have a problem, handle it like a man.”
When the fight began, a livid Bell ran back onto the field and went after Hurdle, who got knocked to the ground in the scrum. Pirates hitting coach Rick Eckstein got Bell in a headlock. Bell yelled at Hurdle as he left the field.
“It’s a shame that this is allowed and that they’re able to get away with it,” Bell said of the up-and-in pitch. “They celebrate it, they support it, they clearly allow it. I don’t know if they teach it, but they allow it. It’s dangerous.”
Four Pirates were ejected: Williams, Chris Archer, Kyle Crick and Francisco Cervelli, who is on the injured list.
“No one likes getting shown up,” Williams said. “Alphas don’t like it. You hope it’s done. You hope it’s over. Hopefully, it won’t escalate. Today was pretty bad for us, pretty bad for baseball, pretty bad for everybody.”
Puig was given a warm ovation from Reds fans as he left the field after his ejection, knowing he was headed to Cleveland. He was also at the center of the memorable fight that followed Dietrich’s homer in April, taking on nearly the entire Pirates team at one point — a striking image with Pittsburgh sporting bright yellow throwback uniforms.
As for the game, Pittsburgh ended a nine-game losing streak behind trade candidate Corey Dickerson, who had another big game at Great American Ball Park. He drove in a career-high five runs with a pair of homers and a single. In 14 career games at Great American, Dickerson is batting .431 with nine homers and 18 RBIs. He’s had three four-hit games and three multi-homer games.
Joe Musgrove (8-9) set a career high with his eighth win. He went six innings and gave up solo homers by Votto and Jose Iglesias . Tanner Roark (6-7) had a rough time Tuesday. He lasted only 3 1/3 innings — his shortest start of the season — and gave up five runs.
The teams conclude the series Wednesday, with neither one looking for another confrontation but not backing away, either.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if it sparks again,” Musgrove said, noting that Bell ran back onto the field to join in the fight. “We don’t take lightly what happened tonight.”
SUSPENDED
The Pirates suspended bullpen coach Euclides Rojas for two games for an undisclosed contract violation. Rojas started serving the penalty Tuesday. The club had no further comment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: Dickerson was back in left field after missing three games with a sore groin.
Reds: Reliever David Hernandez will be activated before the final game of the series on Wednesday. He’s been on the injured list with shoulder fatigue.
UP NEXT
Pirates: Dario Agrazal (2-1) makes his seventh start since his major league debut June 15. He gave up a career-high three homers in a 6-3 loss to the Mets on Friday.
Reds: Luis Castillo (9-4) is coming off his worst start of an All-Star season. He gave up a career-high six runs in five innings of a 12-2 loss to the Rockies on Friday.
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AP Sports Writer Tom Withers contributed from Cleveland.
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