(Credit and Caption for Photo: Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski delivers during the third inning against the Rockies on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at PNC Park. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Pirates reinstated pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski from the restricted list yesterday, making him available for the team’s series opener tonight against the Houston Astros in Houston.

Mlodzinski was placed on the restricted list Sunday after informing the team he was not ready to pitch in the series finale against the Minnesota Twins at PNC Park. The move came after he was shifted to the bullpen last week to make room for Jared Jones in the starting rotation.

Mlodzinski is 4-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 11 appearances, including nine starts, for the Pirates this season.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Justin Lawrence throws during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, April 13, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean, File)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins acquired right-handed reliever Justin Lawrence from the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash on Monday night.

The 31-year-old Lawrence was 0-2 with a 5.32 ERA in 23 appearances for the Pirates this season. He was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh on Friday.

Lawrence debuted with Colorado in 2021 and spent four seasons with the Rockies before Pittsburgh claimed him off waivers in March 2025. He has a 5.05 ERA over 222 major league appearances, all in relief.

The Panama-born Lawrence was a 12th-round pick by the Rockies in the 2015 amateur draft. He appeared in 69 games for Colorado in 2023 and had a 3.72 ERA and 11 saves. Last season, he allowed one run in 17 2/3 innings for the Pirates for an ERA of 0.51.

To open a spot for Lawrence, the Twins will make a roster move before Tuesday night’s game against the visiting Chicago White Sox.

(Credit for Photo: Courtesy of Schellhaas & Sons Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc.

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Former Quaker Valley basketball coach Vincent Cortese passed away on Thursday at the age of 92. He was born on September 9th, 1933 and was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, the late Mary Lou Cortese, his sisters, Sarah, Mary and Rose, as well as his brothers, Tony and Joe. He is survived by relatives including his four children. Vincent led the Quakers to their first outright section basketball title in school history in 1972. In 2011, he was enshrined into the Pittsburgh Basketball Hall of Fame for his outstanding career. He was also inducted into the Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 as an individual and 2012 as a coach. He was the Principal of Quaker Valley High School from 1977-1992, served as President of PASR and was a volunteer with the Knights of Columbus. He was also the President of The Salvation Army, Sewickley Chapter. Friends will be received on Thursday, June 4th from 3-7 p.m. at Schellhaas & Sons Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 1600 Stone Mansion Drive, Sewickley. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, June 5th at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Luke the Evangelist Parish, Saints John & Paul Catholic Church, 2586 Wexford Bayne Rd, Sewickley, PA 15143.

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Robert Morris Athletics, Caption for Photo: Robert Morris Athletic Director Chris King)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Moon Township, PA) The athletic director of Robert Morris University is stepping down. 

In a press release issued yesterday, the university announced that Chris King is resigning from his position as vice president and director of athletics. 

King has served as the Colonials’ athletic director since 2019. 

A university spokesperson said a national search for King’s successor is already underway.  

(File Photo of the PIAA Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Yesterday, six Beaver Valley teams competed in the PIAA playoffs for baseball and softball. Blackhawk softball and Hopewell baseball are moving on with their respective wins. According to a report from the Beaver County Times, here are the scores from yesterday’s results, and a schedule change for one matchup for Quaker Valley lacrosse that will now take place this afternoon:

High school baseball

[D10-No. 1] West Middlesex 12, [WPIAL-No. 4] Western Beaver 9 (1A)

[WPIAL-No. 3] Hopewell 9, [D10-No. 1] General McLane 1 (4A)

[D10-No. 1] Fairview 3, [WPIAL-No. 4] Riverside 1 (3A)

[D6-No. 2] Philipsburg-Osceola 4, [WPIAL-No. 1] Ellwood City 1 (3A)

High school softball

[WPIAL-No. 2] Blackhawk 12, Vs [D9-No. 1] Punxsutawney 6 (4A)

[D6-No. 1] Westmont Hilltop 4, [WPIAL-No. 3] Ellwood City 2 (3A)

PIAA high school lacrosse playoff schedule

Tuesday, June 2nd

[WPIAL-No. 2] Quaker Valley at [D6-No. 1] Bellefonte, 4 p.m. (2A)

(File Photo of the PIAA Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) The 2026 PIAA sports playoffs for several sports begins today.

A total of seven Beaver Valley high school programs (4 baseball, 2 softball, 1 girls lacrosse) will be aiming to punch their ticket to Penn State on June 11th-13th and compete for a state championship.

According to a report from the Beaver County Times, here is the schedule of games taking place:

Note: All first-round games are played on June 1 unless otherwise noted

Baseball

• Riverside Vs Fairview, 1:30 p.m. at Mercyhurst University (3A)
• Western Beaver Vs West Middlesex, 2 p.m. at Jack Critchfield Park (1A)
• General McLane Vs Hopewell, 4 p.m. at Mercyhurst University (4A)
• Philipsburg-Osceola at Ellwood City, 4 p.m. (3A)

Softball 

• Ellwood City Vs Westmont Hilltop, 4 p.m. at Hiram G. Andrews Center (3A)
• Blackhawk Vs Punxsutawney, 4 p.m. at Groundhog Field (4A)

Girls Lacrosse

• Quaker Valley at Bellefonte, 4 p.m. (UPDATE: will be played on Tuesday, June 2nd)

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, May 25, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates put right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski on the restricted list Sunday and infielder Konnor Griffin on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow strain.

Mlodzinski was moved to the bullpen earlier this week after Jared Jones returned to the rotation from elbow surgery. Mlodzinski hasn’t pitched since his start against the Chicago Cubs on Monday, and general manager Ben Cherington told reporters he wasn’t ready to pitch Sunday against Minnesota.

“Going into the weekend, we understood and communicated with Carmen that at some point this weekend we were going to need him to be ready or we were going to have to replace him on the team, in fairness to the team,” Cherington said. “So that’s what happened today.”

Cherington said he’s confident Mlodzinski will pitch again for the team soon.

Mlodzinski is 4-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 55 innings this season. He’s made nine starts and two relief appearances.

The Pirates signed Griffin to a nine-year, $140-million contract in April. The 20-year-old infielder is hitting .270 with four home runs, 22 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in his debut season.

Pittsburgh also reinstated first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn (right quad muscle strain) from the IL and recalled right-handed pitcher Cam Sanders from Triple-A Indianapolis.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Braxton Ashcraft delivers against the Minnesota Twins in th first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Braxton Ashcraft struck out 11 in six innings, Ryan O’Hearn and Nick Gonzales homered, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the skidding Minnesota Twins 9-3 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

Ashcraft (5-2) allowed two runs and five hits with no walks, sending the Twins to their fifth straight defeat.

Brooks Lee had a two-run homer in the sixth and a solo shot in the ninth for Minnesota.

O’Hearn returned from the injured list and hit a leadoff homer in the second his first time up. Jared Triolo singled in Oneil Cruz to make it 2-0.

Gonzales’ two-run homer in the third extended the margin to 4-0.

Mike Paredes replaced Minnesota starter Zebby Matthews (1-3) with one out and runners on second and third in the fifth. Gonzales and Cruz drew back-to-back walks, the latter of which scored Brandon Lowe, and Henry Davis hit a two-run single that capped the Pirates’ five-run inning and made it 9-0.

Matthews gave up seven runs and struck out seven in 4 1/3 innings.

Josh Bell had two hits for Minnesota.

Up next

Twins RHP Joe Ryan (3-3, 2.94 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Monday in the opener of a series against the Chicago White Sox, who hadn’t announced a scheduled starter.

Pirates RHP Bubba Chandler (1-6, 4.85 ERA) takes the mound Tuesday against Astros RHP Mike Burrows (3-6, 5.40) to open a three-game set in Houston.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jake Mangum drives in a run with a single off Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jake Mangum went 3 for 4 with his first homer of the season and a go-ahead RBI single after the Pirates blew a six-run lead as Pittsburgh held off the Minnesota Twins 10-9 on Saturday.

Mangum went deep against Bailey Ober (6-3) in the second inning for the fourth home run of his career. He later tagged Ober with a line drive single in the fifth that scored Konnor Griffin to help the Pirates steady themselves after the Twins erased a massive early deficit. Mangum also contributed defensively, going deep in the gap in left-center to rob Minnesota’s Orlando Arcia of extra bases in the ninth with the tying run on first.

Gregory Soto got the final four outs for his seventh save. Yohan Ramirez (3-2) earned the win in relief after starter Mitch Keller couldn’t hold an early 7-1 lead.

Oneil Cruz hit his 13th home run of the season and second in as many days as the Pirates won for the fifth time in seven games. Spencer Horwitz had two hits for Pittsburgh, including a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first.

Nick Gonzales had three hits for Pittsburgh, which handed former manager Derek Shelton a second consecutive loss in his return to PNC Park since being fired by the Pirates last May early into his sixth season with the club.

Kody Clemens had three of Minnesota’s 12 hits. Josh Bell drove in three runs for the Twins, who have lost five of six.

Ober’s three-game winning streak came to an abrupt end. The right-hander allowed a season-high eight runs (seven earned) on 12 hits. Ober has given up seven homers over his last three starts.

Pittsburgh second baseman Brandon Lowe was ejected for the first time in his nine-year career. The two-time All-Star, whose 14 homers lead the team, was tossed by first base umpire Jordan Baker after flying out to left in the fourth inning. Earlier in the at-bat, Lowe attempted to challenge a strike call, but it was not recognized by plate umpire Alex Tosi.

Up next

The series wraps up Sunday. Zebby Matthews (1-2, 2.37 ERA) starts for the Twins against Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft (4-2, 2.75).

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz, right, is greeted by third base coach Tony Beasley, left, as he rounds third after hitting a solo home run off Minnesota Twins pitcher Taj Bradley during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning — after Oneil Cruz hit a mammoth shot early — to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

Reynolds launched a 422-foot shot to left field off Taylor Rogers (1-2), scoring Tyler Callihan, who replaced Spencer Horwitz after an infield hit to begin the inning.

All the previous scoring came in the first three innings.

Pittsburgh’s Jared Jones struck out Byron Buxton on three straight fastballs that topped 100 mph in his first start in the majors since Sept. 27, 2024.

Kody Clemens hit sixth homer on Jones’ seventh straight pitch above 100 to give the Twins a 1-0 lead. The 24-year-old right-hander missed more than a year after undergoing UCL surgery in 2025. He allowed five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Twins starter Taj Bradley threw eight straight balls to put Brandon Lowe and Reynolds on base with one out in the first. Nick Gonzales reached on an infield single with Lowe scoring on a throwing error by third baseman Brooks Lee.

Oneil Cruz drove in Reynolds with a grounder to first, and Konnor Griffin followed with a two-out RBI single for a 3-1 advantage.

Tristan Gray tied it 3-3 with a bases-loaded two-run single in the second, and Trevor Larnach followed in the third with his third homer — a 424-foot shot that left the park in right to put the Twins up 5-3.

Cruz hit his 12th home run — a two-out 450-shot that also left the park in right to cut it to 5-4 in the third.

Clemens threw Cruz out at home in the eighth to keep it 5-4 after the Pirates had runners on second and third with nobody out and failed to score.

Wilber Dotel allowed one hit in three innings of relief for Pittsburgh, and Gregory Soto (4-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.

Bradley gave up four runs on five hits in four innings.

Up next

Twins RHP Bailey Ober (6-2, 3.92) was set to start Saturday opposite Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (5-2, 3.64).