Category: Sports

ESPN, LLWS announce media-rights extension through 2030

ESPN, LLWS announce media-rights extension through 2030
By The Associated Press undefined
ESPN will continue to air the Little League Baseball World Series as well as other events through 2030 as part of an eight-year extension. The agreement was announced by both parties on Sunday, which would have marked the first weekend of this year’s World Series. The event was canceled in the spring because of the coronavirus pandemic. The eight-year extension, which covers domestic, international and streaming platforms, makes ESPN the exclusive global rights holder for Little League baseball and softball. ESPN will carry more than 300 games yearly. ESPN started televising Little League games in 1983 and each year since 1987.

Andretti savoring his own Indianapolis 500 spotlight

Andretti savoring his own Indianapolis 500 spotlight
By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marco Andretti has hard a rough racing career in which he’s never answered the expectations of his famous racing family. He has two victories in 15 seasons and hasn’t won a race since 2011. He will try to snap the so-called “Andretti Curse” in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. Andretti will lead the field to the green, the first Andretti to do so since grandfather Mario in 1987. He’s under an enormous spotlight but is comfortable in his skin and accepts the pressure.

Bumpy 2019 over, Steelers’ Rudolph eager to “push” Big Ben

Bumpy 2019 over, Steelers’ Rudolph eager to “push” Big Ben
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph believes he can be a starter in the NFL despite a rocky 2019. Rudolph was thrust into a starting role last fall after Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season due to a right elbow injury. The team went 5-3 during his starts, but his season was side-tracked following an incident with Cleveland defensive star Myles Garrett. The two fought near the end of a Browns’ victory, with Garrett ripping off Rudolph’s helmet and hitting him with it. Garrett claimed Rudolph used a racist slur, a slur the NFL found no evidence of. Rudolph says he’s focused on getting better in 2020.

Pirates Win Two Straight for First Time this Season

Offense breaks out as Pirates rip Brewers 12-5
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Adam Frazier and Jacob Stallings homered and drove in three runs apiece as the Pittsburgh Pirates slammed the Milwaukee Brewers 12-5. Struggling outfielder Gregory Polanco added a home run and a double for his first two-hit game in 15 months. Colin Moran doubled three times for Pittsburgh. Erik Gonzalez hit a two-run double in the seventh as the Pirates batted around against Milwaukee’s suddenly vulnerable bullpen. Pittsburgh’s nine extra-base hits were a season high and its run total matched the most surrendered by the Brewers this year.

Hamlin holds off JGR teammate Truex for 1st Dover victory

Hamlin holds off JGR teammate Truex for 1st Dover victory
By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer
DOVER, Del (AP) — Denny Hamlin zipped past teammate Martin Truex Jr. with less than 10 laps to go and won the NASCAR Cup Series race Saturday at Dover International Speedway. Hamlin matched Kevin Harvick for the season victory lead with six, matching his total from last season and closing within two of his career high set in 2010. Hamlin chased down Truex, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, and held on in the first of two Cup races this weekend at Dover.  Hamlin won for the first time at Dover in 29 career races. He was told by crew chief Chris Gabehart to save the No. 11 Toyota from a burnout because the car is needed again Sunday.

Allgaier holds off Cindric to win Xfinity race at Dover

Allgaier holds off Cindric to win Xfinity race at Dover
By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer
DOVER, Del (AP) — Justin Allgaier held of a streaking Austin Cindric to win his first Xfinity Series race of the season Saturday at Dover International Speedway. Cindric had been the driver to beat. He came into Dover with a staggering five wins in the last six races. Allgaier won a combined eight races from 2017-2019 but had gone 20 races since his last victory. His win earned him a spot in the Xfinity Series playoffs. Cindric was second for his seventh straight two-top finish.

Kuhl earns first win in 2 years as Pirates top Brewers 7-2

Kuhl earns first win in 2 years as Pirates top Brewers 7-2
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chad Kuhl allowed one run in five innings to pick up his first win in more than two years as the Pittsburgh Pirates rolled by the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2. Kuhl (1-1) gave up a long solo home run to Ben Gamel in the second but otherwise kept the Brewers at bay to pick up his first victory since June 15, 2018. Kuhl, who missed the second half of 2018 and all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, walked three and struck out just one as the Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak.

Brain games; Steelers want LB Bush to take mental leap

Brain games; Steelers want LB Bush to take mental leap
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers liked what they saw from inside linebacker Devin Bush in 2019. They believe they need to see him do more than just chase down opposing ballcarriers in Year 2. The Steelers are giving Bush more responsibility in terms of helping set up the defense between plays. Head coach Mike Tomlin says he wants to see Bush make “dramatic improvement” in terms of being a communicator. Bush led the team in tackles last season but says he is more comfortable with the defense now and feels the game is slowing down for him.

P.I.A.A. Board clears fall school sports to begin

Pennsylvania board clears fall school sports to begin
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
The governing body for Pennsylvania interscholastic sports decided Friday to move forward with the fall season, rejecting the governor’s recommendation that all youth sports be postponed until 2021 to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. The board of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association voted 25-5 to allow high school football, soccer, tennis, field hockey and other fall sports to go on as planned. The PIAA had delayed the start of fall sports by two weeks after Gov. Tom Wolf on Aug. 6 urged that scholastic and recreational youth sports be put off until January, citing the coronavirus pandemic. The PIAA has said it was blindsided and “tremendously disappointed” by the Wolf administration’s recommendation, which is not binding.

Bieber strikes out 11 as streaking Indians shut out Pirates

Bieber strikes out 11 as streaking Indians shut out Pirates
By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Unbeaten Shane Bieber racked up 11 more strikeouts and combined with four relievers on a seven-hitter Thursday night as the Cleveland Indians blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 to win their sixth in a row and sweep the three-game series. The right-hander scattered six hits and did not walk a batter in six innings before being lifted after his pitch count reached 99. Beiber raised his season strikeout total to a major league-best 65 in 40 2/3 innings, an average of 14.4 per nine innings. Oliver Perez, Nick Wittgren, James Karinchak and Brad Hand finished the shutout.