(File Photo: Source for Photo: San Diego Padres’ Jackson Merrill slides in to score from second base off an RBI single by Luis Rengifo during the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jackson Merrill doubled, tripled, drove in a run and scored another to help Randy Vásquez reach 10 victories as the San Diego Padres beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.

The Padres remained in possession of the National League’s third wild-card spot, one game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Diego has won 12 of 17 and 22 of 31.

Merrill doubled to right with one out in the second off Bubba Chandler and scored on Luis Rengifo’s single to right.

Manny Machado reached on third baseman Nick Gonzales’ throwing error with one out in the fourth and came around on Merrill’s triple to the right-field wall, sliding in headfirst and dragging his left hand across the plate.

Jake Cronenworth hit an RBI double in the eighth. Merrill drew an 11-pitch walk with two outs to load the bases before Jase Bowen flied out.

Vásquez retired his first nine batters before loading the bases with two outs in the fourth. He struck out Nick Gonzales to end it after catcher Freddy Fermin challenged a ball call that was overturned by the ABS system.

The right-hander held the Pirates to one hit in five innings, with two strikeouts and two walks. He has four wins and a no-decision in his last five starts. His previous high for victories in a season was six in 2025.

Griffin Canning got out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh.

Bradgley Rodriguez pitched the final two innings for his second save. It was San Diego’s 10th shutout.

The Pirates stranded 10 runners and were 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position.

Chandler (6-9) allowed two runs, one earned, and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Up next

Pirates RHP Jared Jones (2-5, 4.76 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at St. Louis.

The Padres haven’t announced starter for the opener of a three-game series Friday night at Tampa Bay.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz reacts after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Oneil Cruz hit the first homer allowed by Mason Miller in over a year with two outs in the ninth Tuesday night, sending the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 1-0 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Cruz improbably lined a low 98-mph pitch from Miller (4-2) into Petco Park’s short porch in right field for his 17th homer. Miller, the Padres’ All-Star closer and Pittsburgh native, hadn’t let anybody go deep on him in 73 consecutive appearances since Arizona’s Lourdes Gurriel Jr. did it Aug. 5, 2025, in Miller’s second appearance for his new team.

Gregory Soto (6-4) threw a scoreless eighth for Pittsburgh, and Mason Montgomery earned his sixth save.

Paul Skenes pitched six innings of three-hit ball in a solid rebound by the Pirates’ reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, but Michael King allowed five hits over seven scoreless innings in his latest strong start for the Padres.

San Diego didn’t get a hit off the Pirates’ bullpen while losing consecutive games for the first time since July 23, interrupting a 21-7 surge into playoff position.

Skenes had gone 0-3 with a 6.46 ERA in his past five starts, leading Pittsburgh to give extra rest to its ace last week. He was back on form in his native Southern California, throttling the Padres and issuing no walks while his fastball again touched 98 mph, assuaging concerns about his downtick in velocity earlier this month.

After King escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first, the veteran righty found a groove and matched his longest start of the season while striking out seven.

Up next

Bubba Chandler (6-8, 4.38 ERA) takes the mound for the Pirates on Wednesday. Randy Vásquez (9-6, 4.19) is likely to get the bulk of the innings for the Padres.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE- Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Allen Robinson II (11) makes a catch against the Cincinnati Bengals during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023. in Cincinnati. The New York Giants have signed wide receiver Allen Robinson to a free-agent contract with the hope of boosting one of the NFL’s worst passing games. The Giants announced the signing Thursday, May 9, 2024, two months after Robinson was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers in a cost-cutting move. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Detroit, MI) A former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver officially retired from football ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

Allen Robinson II announced yesterday on Instragram that he is retiring after eleven years in the NFL.

He played one season for the Steelers in 2023, and also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars (2014 – 2017), Chicago Bears (2018 – 2021), Los Angeles Rams (2022) and Detroit Lions (2024).

The Jaguars selected Robinson in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft with the 61st overall pick.

Robinson, who announced his retirement on his 33rd birthday, finishes his NFL career with 7,058 receiving yards, 565 receptions and 43 receiving touchdowns.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Esmerlyn Valdez (55) is congratulated by Oneil Cruz, center right, after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres in the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nick Gonzales led off the 12th inning with an RBI single and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped their three-game skid with a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night.

Esmerlyn Valdez homered and Rafael Flores Jr. had an RBI double in the sixth for the Pirates, who rebounded from getting swept at Dodger Stadium last weekend with just their 11th win in 31 games.

Jake Cronenworth tied it in the eighth with a two-out RBI single for the Padres, whose three-game winning streak ended with only their eighth loss in 29 games. San Diego’s eight-game home winning streak also ended.

San Diego loaded the bases with one out in the 11th, but Kirby Yates (2-5) struck out Jackson Merrill and got Xander Bogaerts to line out. Merrill went 0 for 5 on his bobblehead night, striking out on three pitches with the bases loaded in both the eighth and 11th, and also failed to make a diving catch on Flores’ RBI double.

After Jared Triolo scored on Gonzales’ single off Jeremiah Estrada (2-3), Yohan Ramirez struck out the side in the 12th to earn his second save.

Braxton Ashcraft pitched six strong innings of four-hit ball for Pittsburgh. He has allowed just three runs over 23 innings in his last three starts.

Robbie Ray dueled Ashcraft through five scoreless innings before Valdez led off the sixth with a 414-foot shot to center field. Ray allowed five hits and struck out five in his fourth start for the Padres.

Freddy Fermin doubled later in the sixth and eventually scored on Ashcraft’s balk.

Padres closer Mason Miller allowed two baserunners and barely escaped a ninth-inning jam while facing his hometown team on his 28th birthday.

Up next

Paul Skenes (9-11, 3.95 ERA) returns from another rocky outing on normal rest for the Pirates on Tuesday. Michael King (8-9, 3.38 ERA) makes his team-leading 27th start for the Padres.

(File Photo of a Football)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) High school football will be returning to FNB Stadium and the South Shore of Pittsburgh for the first time since 2018 on October 15th-17th in the inaugural 412 Football Classic, and some local schools are participating in it.

Neshannock and North Catholic will play against each other and kick off the event on October 15th. 

Penn Hills will play against Moon Area on October 16th in a game between Northeast Conference foes. 

Hopewell will play against OLSH on October 17th in a matchup between Western Hills conference foes. 

You can purchase tickets for this event by clicking here. 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Snell threw six scoreless innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers won their sixth straight game by easing past the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 on Sunday.

Snell (2-1) has won consecutive starts and the Dodgers have been victorious in each of his three appearances in August after missing three months because of surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow. He allowed two hits and three walks on a sweltering afternoon at Dodger Stadium, but still had enough to end his outing with a 97 mph fastball for his sixth strike out.

Alek Thomas, Hunter Feduccia and Max Muncy had an RBI for the Dodgers, who have bounced back since manager Dave Roberts called them out for sustained inconsistent play a week ago.

The Pirates have dropped eight of their past nine road games. Lake Bachar (1-3) started a bullpen game and allowed one run in two innings, and Carmen Mlodzinski gave up three runs in three innings.

Shohei Ohtani put the Dodgers ahead 1-0 after drawing a leadoff walk on 11 pitches despite falling behind 0-2 in the count.

Thomas and Feduccia extended the lead with consecutive two-out RBI singles in the fourth inning.

It was the second hit and second RBI in five games with the Dodgers for Thomas, who was acquired from Arizona in a trade in May. He is starting in center field for the time being after All-Star Andy Pages fractured his left hand on a hit by pitch Friday.

Up next

Pirates: RHP Braxton Ashcraft (13-5, 3.68 ERA) will be on the mound to start a three-game series at the San Diego Padres on Monday night.

Dodgers: RHP Tyler Glasnow (3-0, 2.72 ERA) is set to take the opener of a three-game series at the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night. Glasnow has not pitched since May 6 because of back spasms.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, right, gestures as Pittsburgh Pirates’ Henry Davis flies out during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The NL West leaders won their fifth in a row and ninth in 12 games with their 37th comeback win of the season.

After a rough first inning in which he trailed 3-0, Skubal (8-7) settled down and retired 20 of his final 23 batters. The left-hander allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings with one walk. His strikeouts were one off his season high and two off his career best.

Tanner Scott retired the side in the ninth to earn his 19th save.

Skubal was 0-2 with a 3.18 ERA in his first three starts with the Dodgers, who acquired the two-time Cy Young Award winner in a blockbuster deal with the Detroit Tigers ahead of the trade deadline earlier this month.

Tucker snapped an 0 for 25 skid at home with his two-run RBI to right, giving the Dodgers their first lead, 4-3. Mookie Betts got hit by reliever Yohan Ramírez to open the inning and Max Muncy followed with a double to set up Tucker, who again received encouraging applause from the sellout crowd of 53,417.

The Pirates had the tying run on third in the eighth after Esmerlyn Valdez doubled off reliever Evan Phillips. Pinch-runner Billy Cook took third on a passed ball by catcher Ben Rortvedt. Jack Dreyer came in and got Cruz on a called third strike to end the threat.

Yohan Ramirez (6-4) took the loss in relief.

After three hitless innings, the Dodgers finally got to Pirates starter Jared Jones in the fourth. Teoscar Hernández and newly called up Alek Thomas had back-to-back RBI singles that pulled them within 3-2.

The Pirates jumped on Skubal in the first, taking a 3-0 lead. Oneil Cruz had a two-run triple — his first of the season — to right and Rafael Flores Jr. followed with an RBI groundout to second.

Jones gave up two runs and three hits in four innings while striking out five and walking five.

Pirates reliever Camilo Doval pitched one inning of scoreless relief in the sixth before being ejected.

Up next

The Pirates will start RHP Lake Bachar (1-2, 3.75) in Sunday’s series finale against Dodgers LHP Blake Snell (1-1, 3.60).

(File Photo: Source for Photo: New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) greets teammates before an NFL preseason football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Geno Smith’s left ankle appears to be just fine. So much so that a one-drive cameo is all the New York Jets quarterback might need to get ready for the regular season.

The veteran quarterback, reunited with the team that drafted him back in 2013, completed all seven of his passes for 65 yards, the last 13 coming on a flip to tight end Jelani Woods for a touchdown in what became a 17-0 exhibition victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday night.

Smith, who sat out New York’s preseason opener to give his aching ankle a break, showed a little mobility when rushed and needed just 10 plays to take the Jets (1-1) 69 yards on their opening possession.

“It felt good to be out there with the guys,” Smith said. “Obviously we got one drive in, but we scored a touchdown. You always want to start fast, and so that was a good thing. Definitely a lot of room for improvement.”

Asked what those things might be, Smith demurred.

“I’ll keep that to myself,” said Smith, who played for the Jets from 2013 to 2016 and was acquired from Las Vegas in March.

New York coach Aaron Glenn was a little more expansive, pointing to a running game that managed just 62 yards, 16 of them coming on a scramble by rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik.

“I know (the Steelers), they pride themselves on stopping the run, but that’s not a pass for us,” Glenn said. “But we got to get better in that aspect, and we will.”

Klubnik, battling to be Smith’s backup when the season opens, completed 10 of 15 passes for 75 yards. Bailey Zappe threw for 68 yards and Brady Cook’s one completion was a 31-yard lob that Quincy Skinner cradled for a late touchdown.

The Jets defense produced pressure and turnovers

New York’s defense, a major weakness during a 3-14 slog in 2025, kept young Pittsburgh quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar in check. Jets rookie edge rusher David Bailey, the second overall pick in this year’s draft, dropped Howard for an 11-yard loss in the first quarter.

Perhaps even more promising for New York, the defense also found a way to catch the ball, something that didn’t happen at all during the regular season a year ago when the Jets became the first team since the NFL started tracking the statistic in 1933 to go an entire year without a single pick.

New York intercepted Howard twice in the first half with the Steelers (1-1) driving in New York territory. Andre Cisco stepped in front of a poor pass by Howard intended for Roman Wilson and raced 23 yards the other way. Samuel Womack made a nice grab on a ball again intended for Wilson on Pittsburgh’s next drive.

Glenn deflected when asked about feeling any sense of relief seeing a couple of passes end up in the hands of players in green and white.

“Man, there’s so much noise on the outside that it’s really good to see our guys just focus on the now,” he said. “And they’re trained to do that, and it’s hard sometimes, but I’m really proud of how our guys respond to that and continue to work.”

Young Steelers QBs come back to earth after hot debuts

Howard and Allar, given the entirety of the workload while starter Aaron Rodgers and longtime backup Mason Rudolph took the night off, failed to reproduce the fireworks that marked their impressive performances a week ago.

The duo who combined to lead four touchdown drives against the Packers failed to reach the end zone even once against the Jets.

Howard got the start and completed 10 of 15 passes for 75 yards, his most impressive moment coming on a 15-yard third-down connection with Ben Skowronek in which he stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure before finding Skowronek over the middle.

That moment, however, was overshadowed by a pair of throws that ended up in the hands of the Jets on a night the former sixth-round pick looked very much like the project that he is.

“We can’t let this trip us up going forward,” Howard said. “We have to continue to make strides. And we didn’t really make any strides tonight.”

Allar, taken in the third round this year, avoided turning the ball over but wasn’t quite as electrifying as he was last week. His best moment came on a 39-yard connection with Lake McCree in which Allar went through his progressions before floating the ball to an open McCree down the sideline. Allar finished 11 of 23 for 110 yards.

Jets newcomer Nate Lynn shines with a pair of sacks

It didn’t help either quarterback that the protection in front of them was shaky most of the night. The Steelers allowed four sacks, including two to recently signed edge rusher Nate Lynn, who spent 2024 with the Detroit when Glenn was serving as the club’s defensive coordinator.

Injuries

Jets cornerback Tre Brown was helped off the field in the second quarter, but he returned.

Up next

Jets: Host MetLife Stadium roommates the New York Giants on Aug. 28.

Steelers: Travel to Buffalo on Aug. 27.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy, right, hits a two-run home run as Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Rafael Flores Jr. watches during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Edman hit a line drive to left field off Gregory Soto (5-4), scoring automatic runner Kiké Hernández from third, keeping the Dodgers as the only undefeated team in extra innings in the majors with a 5-0 record.

With Hernández starting at second, pinch-hitter Alex Call struck out and Mookie Betts was intentionally walked. Kyle Tucker grounded into a fielder’s choice to second, where Betts was out.

Evan Phillips (1-2) got the win with one inning of relief.

The NL West-leading Dodgers have won eight of their last 11.

Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer off reliever Kyle Hurt in the eighth to make it 4-4.

Betts hit a two-run single with two outs in the third to make it 4-2.

Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts.

The Japanese right-hander was lifted after putting the tying runs aboard in the seventh. Jake Mangum had a leadoff double and Yamamoto hit Jared Triolo. Reliever Brock Stewart came on to retire the next two batters and end the inning.

Pirates reliever Luke Bachar set up the struggling Tucker for a potential Hollywood ending in the bottom of the seventh. Shohei Ohtani drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Two outs later, Bachar issued back-to-back walks to Max Muncy and Betts to load the bases and bring up Tucker. However, he flied out to center to end the threat.

Muncy’s two-run, two-out homer in the first gave the Dodgers to a 2-1 lead.

The Pirates led 1-0 on Nick Gonzales’ RBI single to center in the top of the inning. He tied the game 2-2 with an RBI single to center in the third.

Up next

Pirates RHP Jared Jones (2-5, 4.78 ERA) starts Saturday against Dodgers LHP Tarik Skubal (7-7, 2.85). Skubal is 0-2 with a 3.18 ERA since being traded to Los Angeles earlier this month.

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Gene J. Puskar/AP)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Penguins recently announced that they named Marc-Andre Fleury, the late Jack McGregor, Larry Murphy and Jim Rutherford to the franchise’s Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

That class represents the second group of inductees in a three-year plan to relaunch the Penguins Hall of Fame.

Fleury played for the Penguins for thirteen seasons, (2003-2017) and his accolades include being a three-time Stanley Cup winning goalie (2009, 2016 and 2017).

Murphy played for the Penguins for five seasons, (1990-1995) and his accolades include being a two-time Stanley-Cup winning defenseman (1991 and 1992) and recording a plus-102 rating, which leads all defensemen in Penguins franchise history.

Rutherford served as the team’s executive vice president and general manager from June of 2014 to January of 2021, winning three Stanley Cups in that span (2009, 2016 and 2017.)

McGregor, who organized the original effort to bring an NHL franchise to Pittsburgh and served as the Penguins’ president from 1967 to 1970, will be inducted posthumously.

Inductees will be featured permanently in a dedicated Hall of Fame space that is located on the FedEx main concourse level at PPG Paints Arena.  

An on-ice ceremony for the Penguins Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will take place before a Penguins home game against the Ottawa Senators on November 14th.

The four remaining members that are scheduled for induction as part of the relaunch plan, Tom Barrasso, Jaromir Jagr, Chris Kunitz and the late Ray Shero, will be inducted in 2027.