(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin is hit by a pitch from Baltimore Orioles pitcher Shane Baz during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

(PITTSBURGH, PA-AP) Konnor Griffin’s $140 million, nine-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates includes a $12 million signing bonus payable over the next two years.

Pittsburgh’s deal with the 19-year-old shortstop, announced April 8, can increase to $150 million based on his finish in MVP voting, according to details obtained by The Associated Press.

Griffin gets $5 million of his signing bonus within 30 days of the contract’s approval by Major League Baseball and $3.5 million each next April 1 and on April 1, 2028.

He gets salaries of $1 million this year, $2 million in 2027, $4 million in 2028, $6 million in 2029, $12.5 million in 2030, $21 million in 2031, $26.5 million in 2032 and $27.5 million each in 2033 and 2034.

His 2032 and 2033 salaries can escalate by up to $2.5 million based on MVP voting from 2026-31: $1.5 million for winning, $750,000 for second or third and $500,000 for fourth through 10th. His 2034 salary can escalate by up to $5 million based on the same levels in MVP voting from 2026-33.

Griffin receives a limited no-trade provision allowing him to block being dealt to six teams without his consent. He gets a hotel suite on road trips.

His deal supersedes a one-year agreement calling for the $780,000 minimum salary while in the major leagues and a $127,100 salary in the event he was sent back to the minors.

Griffin, who turns 20 next week, debuted on April 3 and is hitting .189 with five RBIs in his first 12 major league games.

He is among four top prospects to get a big-money deal since late March, joined by a $150 million, eight-year contract for 21-year Detroit infielder Kevin McGonigle, a $95 million, eight-year agreement for 20-year-old Seattle shortstop Colt Emerson and a $50.75 million, eight-year pact for 21-year-old Milwaukee shortstop Cooper Pratt.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Carmen Mlodzinski allowed two hits over a career-high six innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Washington Nationals 2-0 on Wednesday night.

Mlodzinski (1-0) took over for opener Mason Montgomery in the second and struck out five against two walks to lower his ERA to 1.77. Dennis Santana worked the ninth for his second save.

Ryan O’Hearn had three hits for the Pirates, who have won 10 of 14. Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales had first-inning RBI singles against Jake Irvin (1-2), and it proved to be enough as four pitchers combined for Pittsburgh’s second shutout in less than a week.

Mlodzinski began this season as a full-fledged starter for the first time in his four-year career after bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen last season.

While he was excellent through his first three turns in 2026, manager Don Kelly opted to give the ball to the left-handed Montgomery in the first inning on Wednesday in hopes of dealing with the left-hand-heavy top of Washington’s lineup while also allowing Mlodzinski to work deeper into the game.

Montgomery allowed a one-out double to Curtis Mead. Mead advanced to third on a groundout but stopped there after Montgomery fanned Brady House to end the inning.

It would be as close as the Nationals, whose 99 runs through 17 games coming in were tied for the best offensive start in franchise history, would get to scoring all night.

Mlodzinski entered in the top of the second and hit CJ Abrams before settling down. His only real spot of trouble came in the fifth, when a single and a walk put two on with one out. He retired James Wood on a long flyout to left and then forced Mead into a grounder to third to end the threat.

Up next

The four-game series wraps up on Thursday. Foster Griffin (2-0, 1.76 ERA) starts for the Nationals against Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft (1-1, 2.12).

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Lehigh catcher Owen Walewander (5) celebrates with his teammates after hitting a three-run home run against Saint Joseph’s in the third inning during an NCAA college baseball game, March 31, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jason E. Miczek, File)

BALTIMORE (AP) — Lehigh set an NCAA Division I record by scoring 20 runs in the first inning of a 38-6 victory over Coppin State on Tuesday night.

The Mountain Hawks broke the first-inning record of 18 runs set by Princeton and matched by Air Force, both in 1974. Lehigh’s 38 total runs were a Patriot League record and the most in a game between Division I teams since New Mexico State beat Texas Southern 38-6 in 2019.

Of Lehigh’s 20 first-inning runs, 13 were scored consecutively on bases-loaded walks, hit by pitches or wild pitches. Owen Walewander’s grand slam accounted for the final runs in the inning. Lehigh sent 23 men to the plate, three shy of the record for an inning.

Lehigh’s Aidan Quinn was walked seven times, also a Division I record.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Washington Nationals’ CJ Abrams crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — CJ Abrams went 3 for 4 with a home run, a double and two RBIs as the Washington Nationals held off the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Abrams hit a solo shot down the left-field line in the fourth inning to extend the Nationals’ lead to 4-1. He also hit the third of three consecutive RBI singles in the first inning, following Brady House and Daylen Lile, as Washington took a 3-0 lead.

The shortstop is 9 for 17 in his last five games with three home runs and seven RBIs.

Recalled from Triple-A Syracuse earlier in the day, left-hander Mitchell Parker (1-0) struck out five in two scoreless innings of relief as the Nationals won for the fourth time in five games.

Gus Varland pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save, working around a double and a walk.

Brandon Lowe and Joey Bart hit solo homers for the Pirates. It was Lowe’s seventh of the season.

Lowe became just the fourth Pirates player to hit at least four home runs and drive in 11 runs in a three-game span. Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner did it in 1947 and 1949, and Jose Castillo did it in 2006.

Pittsburgh’s Marcell Ozuna, who entered the game with a .070 batting average, had two hits and his first RBI of the season. Oneil Cruz’s 12-game hitting streak ended as he went 0 for 5.

Left-hander P.J. Poulin opened for the Nationals and gave up Lowe’s homer. Miles Mikolas followed and allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Mitch Keller (1-1) gave up five runs and six hits over four innings.

The start of the game was delayed 18 minutes because of rain.

Up next

Nationals RHP Jake Irvin (2-2, 7.09 ERA) will start on Wednesday night. The Pirates will use LHP Mason Montgomery as an opener.

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Eakin Howard, Eakin Howard, Imagn Images, Caption for Photo: March 26, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Meleek Thomas (1) goes to the basket against Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) during the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center.)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Fayetteville, AR) Former Lincoln Park standout basketball player and five-star recruit Meleek Thomas declared for the 2026 NBA Draft in a post on Instagram yesterday after spending his freshman season at the University of Arkansas. Thomas averaged 15.6 points per game, while shooting 43% from the field and 41% from the three-point line his first season with the Razorbacks. The 2026 NBA Draft will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on June 23rd and June 24th. As Thomas enters the draft, he is most likely to be a late first-round or early second-round selection after the most recent mock drafts. If he is selected in the first round, Thomas would become the third player in the Beaver Valley to be drafted in the opening round, joining Monaca graduate Brad Davis, who was drafted 15th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1977, and OLSH graduate and current Denver Nuggets small forward Cameron Johnson, who was selected 11th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves before he later joined the Phoenix Suns via trade. If Thomas is selected in this year’s draft, he would become the second consecutive Beaver Valley player drafted to an NBA team after Quaker Valley alum Adou Thiero was selected by the Brooklyn Nets and was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2025 NBA draft at 36th overall. Moon Township native John Calipari also coached both Thomas and Thiero in college during his current stint as the head coach of the University of Arkansas. Thomas was ranked as one of the top high school prospects in the country when he played for Lincoln Park and helped the team capture back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA titles during his sophomore and junior seasons. He will maintain his collegiate eligibility if he undeclares for the draft by May 27th, 2026.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Avery Hayes (85) and Philadelphia Flyers’ Jamie Drysdale (9) fight during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/ Gene J. Puskar)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Philadelphia, PA) The Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs after the Flyers clinched their spot by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in a shootout in Philadelphia last night. The Penguins return to the playoffs of the NHL for the first time since 2022 and the Flyers are back in it for the first time since 2020. The last time the Penguins won an NHL playoff series was when they played the Flyers in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which was ironically the last time the two teams met in the NHL postseason. The Penguins won the series 4-2.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes allowed one hit in six strong innings and Brandon Lowe homered for the third time in two games, driving in five runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates steamrolled the Washington Nationals 16-5 to begin a four-game series Monday night.

Skenes (3-1) struck out six and walked one, throwing a career-high 32 changeups among his 88 pitches while improving to 7-1 in his last 11 home starts. The only run he gave up came on a first-inning homer by CJ Abrams.

Lowe went 3 for 5 with a two-run single in the second and his sixth homer — a three-run shot in the Pirates’ 10-run sixth. He had a grand slam and a solo shot Sunday at Wrigley Field in a 7-6 loss to the Cubs.

Lowe became the first Pirates player to knock in at least five runs in consecutive games since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920.

Oneil Cruz reached base four straight times for Pittsburgh and went 2 for 3 to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games. He had three RBIs and scored three runs.

Bryan Reynolds had a bases-loaded triple in the sixth and an RBI single in the second. He finished with three of the team’s 16 hits.

Pittsburgh has scored 38 runs in Skenes’ four starts this season after totaling 37 runs in his first 11 outings last year.

Skenes struck out three in the first, but Abrams hit a 99.5 mph fastball on a full count for his fifth home run and a 1-0 lead.

Cruz’s bases-loaded walk tied it in the second against Cade Cavalli (0-1) before Lowe’s two-run single and Reynolds’ run-scoring single chased the right-hander after he allowed four runs in 1 1/3 innings.

Spencer Horwitz hit his first homer of the season leading off the third against Paxton Schultz for a 5-1 advantage.

Konnor Griffin added an RBI single in Pittsburgh’s 10-run sixth.

José Urquidy allowed six hits and four runs, two on Jacob Young’s second homer, as the Nationals batted around in the seventh. Evan Sisk worked two innings and struck out the side on 10 pitches in the ninth to end it.

Position player Joey Wiemer pitched the eighth for the Nats and allowed Joey Bart’s sacrifice fly.

Up next

Nationals RHP Miles Mikolas (0-3, 12.41 ERA) starts Tuesday opposite Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (1-0, 1.00).

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Visit PA, in partnership with the PGA of America, is now launching a statewide ticket giveaway hosted locally by Visit Delco to provide residents from all 67 counties a chance to attend one of golf’s most prestigious events: the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Chester County. It is scheduled for May 11th–17th, 2026 and this event is one of golf’s four major tournaments. It is is expected to draw over 200,000 spectators to the region of Philadelphia and the Wanamaker Trophy will return to Aronimink Golf Club for the first time since 1962. Residents can visit: https://visitdelco.com/pga-giveaway/ by clicking here to enter for a chance to win. According to a release today from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, here are more details about this giveaway:

The Details

• 268 Championship Tickets are being gifted to Pennsylvania residents across all 67 counties
• Two (2) tickets per winner, two (2) winners selected per county to attend on Monday, May 11, Tuesday, May 12 or Wednesday, May 13
• Practice round tickets include full access to the grounds and public grandstand seating
• Inclusive of food and non-alcoholic beverages at all concession venues
• Proof of residency required, if selected as a winner

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Tim Foli, left, and Phil Garner, the middle infield of the 1979 World Championship Pittsburgh Pirates team attend a pre-game ceremony remembering the team’s accomplishment 40 years ago before a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies in Pittsburgh, July 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

HOUSTON (AP) — Phil Garner, a three-time All-Star infielder who went on to manage the Houston Astros to their first World Series appearance, has died. He was 76.

Garner’s family issued a statement Sunday saying Garner died Saturday after a two-plus-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

“Phil never lost his signature spark of life,” Garner’s son, Ty, said in a statement. “He was so well known for his love for baseball, which was with him until the end.”

Nicknamed “Scrap Iron” for his blue-collar approach to the game, Garner had a 16-year playing career with the Oakland Athletics (1973-76), Pittsburgh Pirates (1977-81), Astros (1981-87), Los Angeles Dodgers (1987) and San Francisco Giants (1988).

He played 150 games and had an .800 OPS for Pittsburgh during the Pirates’ 1979 World Series championship season. He batted .417 in the NL Championship Series sweep of Cincinnati and hit .500 (12 for 24) in the World Series as the Pirates rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Baltimore.

Garner made All-Star teams with Oakland in 1976 and with Pittsburgh in 1980 and 1981.

“Phil Garner was a fierce competitor, a respected leader, and a cherished part of the Pirates family,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement. “His contributions to the 1979 World Series championship team will forever be part of Pirates history. We always appreciated welcoming Phil back to Pittsburgh, and it was evident how deeply this city, this team, his teammates, and our fans meant to him.

“He will be remembered not only for the grit, passion, and heart he brought to the game, but also for the way he carried himself as a devoted family man and respected member of the baseball community.”

Garner hit .260 with 109 homers, 738 RBIs and 225 steals in 1,860 regular-season games while being versatile enough to make more than 700 starts at both second base and third base.

Garner managed in the majors for 15 years, compiling a 985-1,054 record with Milwaukee (1992-99), Detroit (2000-02) and Houston (2004-07).

“When I got back into managing, he was the first person that I met in Houston and has introduced me to so many of my close friends,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who dedicated an 8-2 win over Miami to Garner and his family on Sunday. “When I got the job in Detroit, he reached out and talked to me about the city of Detroit and the fan base. Even though his time here didn’t go great, he was a big advocate for Detroit.”

Garner held the Brewers record for managerial wins until Craig Counsell surpassed him in 2022.

“He was a very highly respected and beloved individual who was known for his caring nature, wisdom and sense of humor,” the Brewers said in a statement.

Garner took over the Astros midway through the 2004 season after the firing of Jimy Williams and led them to a 48-26 record the rest of the way. They finished 92-70, beat Atlanta in the NL Division Series and wasted a 3-2 lead over St. Louis in the NL Championship Series.

Garner got the Astros to the World Series the following year. They bounced back from a 15-30 start to finish 89-73 and beat Atlanta in the NLDS and St. Louis in the NLCS before the Chicago White Sox swept them.

“Phil Garner’s contributions to the Houston Astros, the city of Houston and to the game of baseball will not be forgotten,” Astros owner and chairman Jim Crane said in a statement.

Garner was a Tennessee native who starred at the University of Tennessee, which retired his No. 18 in 2009.

“I genuinely appreciated Garner as a manager!!” former Tiger Brandon Inge wrote in a text message. “He really taught us how to play with a chip on our shoulders and not to back down to anyone or anything, no matter the circumstance!!! Thinking of his family, he’ll be missed!”