(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin hits an RBI double, his first Major League career hit and run, during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Konnor Griffin debuted in style. The 19-year-old Pirates shortstop delivered an RBI double in his first big league at-bat as Pittsburgh held off the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 on Friday.

Griffin, called up on Thursday and the consensus top prospect in baseball, looked every bit the part during an electric afternoon at PNC Park.

He laced a double to center field off Kyle Bradish (0-2) in the bottom of the second, then showcased his speed while racing home on a single to shallow right field by Jared Triolo.

The teenager, the youngest player to make his major league debut at shortstop since Alex Rodriguez did it at 18 for Seattle in 1994, also drew a walk and handled all of his defensive chances without an issue as the Pirates won their third straight. Griffin became the first Pirate under 20 to reach base twice in his debut since Bobby Del Greco in 1952.

The sellout crowd at PNC Park, which opened 25 years ago, or a full half-decade before Griffin was born on April 24, 2006, roared when Griffin was introduced during the pregame ceremony. The roars drew even louder when he took an 85 mph curveball from Bradish and sent it rocketing to the fence in center field.

Triolo, who moved from short to third after Griffin’s promotion, had a pair of hits and his first RBI of the season. Ryan O’Hearn, Henry Davis and Oneil Cruz also drove in runs for the Pirates.

Mitch Keller (1-0) allowed two runs and six hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Gregory Soto gave up a solo home run to Gunnar Henderson with two outs in the ninth, but rebounded by striking out former New York Mets teammate Pete Alonso to pick up his first save with Pittsburgh.

Henderson finished with three hits for Baltimore. Dylan Beavers and Blaze Alexander had two hits apiece for the Orioles. Bradish was touched for four runs and six hits with three walks and six strikeouts in four innings.

Up next

The series continues Saturday when Baltimore’s Shane Baz (0-0, 6.75 ERA) faces Pittsburgh’s Carmen Mlodzinski (0-0).

(File Photo of PNC Park)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Sheetz and the Pittsburgh Pirates launched a new initiative for the 2026 season called the “Home Runz for Hunger” program to support local food security efforts. Sheetz will donate $100 for every home run hit by the Pirates at PNC Park this year to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. This will begin this afternoon when the Pirates take on the Orioles for the team’s 2026 home opener. Each donation of $100 allows the food bank to provide approximately 300 meals to residents in need. The 2026 season marks the first year Sheetz will serve as the official home run activation partner of the Pirates, which expands a relationship between them that began in 2024.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Pittsburgh Penguins’ Caleb Jones skates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, in Pittsburgh, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Caleb Jones is now out for the rest of this NHL season with an injury. Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed this recently. Jones had one assist in seven games for the Penguins. However, he suffered a lower-body injury, which caused him to miss several months. The NHL suspended him for 20 games on February 4th, 2026 because he tested positive for a performance enhancing substance. 

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Chris O’Meara/AP)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Pirates announced today that ESPN’s number one baseball prospect for 2026, Konnor Griffin, has been promoted to the major leagues for the team’s home opener tomorrow against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park. The nineteen-year-old shortstop was the number nine overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft and he will turn twenty years old later this month. The Pirates sent him to the minor leagues to play for Triple-A Indianapolis on March 21st, 2026 and when he makes his Major League Baseball debut, Griffin will become the first teenager to play in an MLB game since Juan Soto in 2018. Griffin slashed a combined .333/.415/.527, along with 23 doubles, four triples, 21 home runs, 94 RBI and 65 steals in 122 games between Low-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona. He also won a minor-league Gold Glove playing in the position of shortstop.

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Visit Pittsburgh)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The National Football League announced the headlining acts for the free NFL Draft Entertainment Series presented by Bud Light in Pittsburgh, featuring award-winning global superstar Kane Brown, Pittsburgh native and Grammy-nominated recording artist Wiz Khalifa and Pittsburgh-area native Bret Michaels. All three of them will perform as part of an unforgettable three-day celebration at the 2026 NFL Draft,which will be from April 23rd-25th. According to a release from VisitPittsburgh today, here is what you need to know about these performances:

• To kick off Day 1 on Thurs., April 23, Pittsburgh-raised and jazz-trained artist KELS will perform the National Anthem. KELS toured and sold-out hundreds of shows across the country independently before her 2025 breakout single “Gone” put her on the map. Preceding the National Anthem, the James Weldon Johnson Foundation’s National Hymn Choir, featuring The Heritage Gospel Chorale of Pittsburgh, will perform the hymn Lift Every Voice and Sing – conducted by Grammy Award-winning, Dr. Jeffery Redding.
• As part of the Day 2 festivities on Fri., April 24, Pittsburgh natives Wiz Khalifa and Bret Michaels will perform at 5:15 p.m. ET ahead of the Draft rounds 2 and 3 that evening. Multi-platinum, Grammy- and Golden Globe-nominated artist Wiz Khalifa broke through with his major-label debut Rolling Papers, led by chart-topping hits including “Black and Yellow,” “See You Again” and “No Sleep.”
• Bret Michaels, iconic frontman of Poison with a multi-platinum-selling career in music spanning decades, will headline alongside Wiz Khalifa on Day 2 of the Draft, said, “I cannot be more honored, excited and fired up to be asked to perform at the Pittsburgh 2026 Draft on Friday night. As a Pittsburgh native and a diehard fan of the Steelers, the NFL and all things Pittsburgh, this is a dream come true.”
• After the Draft selections conclude on Sat., April 25, global superstar Kane Brown will take the stage for a high-energy finale to the 2026 NFL Draft Entertainment Series presented by Bud Light. Following the success of his widely acclaimed 2025 record, The High Road, the multi-Platinum-selling, award-winning singer/songwriter just released “Woman”.
• This year’s artists join an elite lineup of performers who have helped bring the Draft to life through music over the years, including Tim McGraw, Eminem, Dierks Bentley, Weezer, Brad Paisley, Mötley Crüe, Ice Cube, Marshmello, Kings of Leon, Fall Out Boy, Black Pumas, Big Sean and more.
• All performances as part of the NFL Draft Entertainment Series presented by Bud Light will take place at the Draft Theater adjacent to Acrisure Stadium. General fan viewing of the performances is free, and fans are encouraged to arrive early, as standing room will be on a first-come first-served basis.
• In addition to the live performances, the NFL will host the NFL Draft Experience presented by American Express, the league’s ultimate fan football festival that’s free to fans of all ages who can run the 40-yard dash, take on football drills, meet NFL Legends, grab photos with the Lombardi Trophy and all 58 Super Bowl rings, and enjoy food & beverage concessions. Fans will also be able to take the field of Acrisure Stadium to kick a field goal, participate in clinics and activities, and watch the NFL Draft happen live onscreen. Draft Experience presented by American Express will be free and open to the public from April 23-25.
• Fans planning to attend the free 2026 NFL Draft Experience should download the NFL OnePass app. Available through NFL.com/DraftAccess by clicking here, NFL OnePass is the must-have tool for navigating Draft weekend and provides real-time updates, a full schedule of interactive activities, Know-Before-You-Go information, and access to exclusive digital content and prizes, including a grand prize trip for two to Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles.

• All times are local and may be subject to change.
• For fans not in Pittsburgh, the 2026 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light will be broadcast live on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes and will be available to stream on NFL+. Round 1 begins Thursday, April 23, followed by Rounds 2–3 on Friday, April 24 and Rounds 4–7 on Saturday, April 25.
• For more information on the 2025 NFL Draft, including programming, special events, and registration, fans should visit NFL.com/DraftAccess by clicking here.

(Caption for Headline Photo and First Photo Below: Pitt’s Roman Siulepa shoots against Stanford on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Credit for Photo: (Charles Gatewood | Pitt Athletics)

Caption for Second Below: Pitt coach Jeff Capel greets forward Papa Kante during the Panthers’ win over Ohio State. Credit for Photo: (Charles Gatewood | Pitt Athletics)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) According to Johnathan Givony of Draft Express on Tuesday, Pitt freshman forward Roman Siulepa plans to enter the college basketball transfer portal. Siulepa is a native of Australia who averaged 10 points, 5.5 rebounds and one steal per game for the Panthers. He started all thirty-three of Pitt’s games this season and he is a former pro rugby prospect who played in the Australian semi-pro NBL1 beginning at age sixteen. Siulepa is the third Pitt college basketball player to enter the transfer portal this week, joining Senegalese sophomore forward from Senegal, Papa Amadou Kante and sophomore guard and former Lincoln Park standout Brandin Cummings. A report from Pittsburgh Sports Now on Tuesday confirms that Kante will be entering the transfer portal. Kante is a native of Senegal who finished his third season with the Panthers. Knee surgery sidelined him in early January, which was when he was averaging 2.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Kante joined Pitt as a four-star recruit in 2023. Joe Tipton of On3 Sports notes that Cummings plans to enter the college basketball transfer portal after two seasons at Pitt. Cummings averaged 12.5 points per game this season in nineteen games. He started in nine of those games. The Midland native suffered a season-ending ankle injury halfway through this season. Cummings was one of the top-ranked recruits in Pennsylvania in high school and he was ranked among the state’s top-five players.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin plays during a spring training baseball game, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, in Clearwater. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum,File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Sources recently told ESPN that the Pittsburgh Pirates are deep into negotiations with Konnor Griffin with the two sides making their respective cases since early in spring training over what an appropriate deal would be for the 19-year-old shortstop. Griffin, who turns twenty years old later this month, was the number nine overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft and is ESPN’s number one baseball prospect for 2026. However, the Pirates sent him to Triple-A Indianapolis, where he has six hits in his first 13 at-bats. 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz (15) celebrates with third base coach Tony Beasley (27) as he rounds the bases after hitting a three-run homer in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Oneil Cruz had a three-run homer, his third in two games, Paul Skenes allowed one run in five innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds 8-3 on Wednesday to take the three-game series.

Bryan Reynolds had a two-run shot, and Nick Gonzales added a two-run double during the ninth inning.

Eugenio Suárez had a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the sixth inning for the Reds.

Cruz went 5 for 13 with three home runs and six RBIs in the series. The power-hitting outfielder has gone deep nine times in the 19 games he has played in Cincinnati.

Reds starter Andrew Abbott (0-1) retired the first two Pirates hitters before Bryan Reynolds singled to right and Marcell Ozuna drew a walk. Cruz then connected on a 2-1 curveball that was over the bottom part of the plate and drove it 407 feet over the wall in right field.

Skenes (1-1) returned to his All-Star form after giving up five runs in two-thirds of an inning last Thursday in the season opener against the New York Mets. The reigning NL Cy Young winner allowed three hits, walked two and struck out five.

The right-hander gave up two walks in the first three innings before Elly De La Cruz led off the fourth with a base hit to right. Two batters later, Nathaniel Lowe had an RBI double to right-center, snapping the Reds’ 31-inning scoreless streak against Skenes.

Pittsburgh took a 4-1 lead in the sixth when Cruz scored after Spencer Horwitz was walked by Connor Phillips with the bases loaded.

Suárez got the Reds within a run in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run homer to left, his second of the season.

Up next

Pirates: Have their home opener on Friday against Baltimore. RHP Mitch Keller (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the start.

Reds: Open a seven-game road trip on Friday against Texas. RHP Brady Singer (0-0, 6.75 ERA) makes his second start.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Ryan O’Hearn follows through after hitting a three-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Oneil Cruz homered twice and Ryan O’Hearn hit a three-run shot as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-3 on Tuesday night.

O’Hearn and Bryan Reynolds went back-to-back in the second inning. Cruz finished with three hits and three RBIs. He also scored three times.

The Reds were held hitless until Jose Trevino singled off reliever Hunter Barco with one out in the seventh. Pirates rookie starter Bubba Chandler tossed 4 1/3 innings with six strikeouts, but also walked six.

Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz hit consecutive homers off Barco to trim the Pirates’ lead to 6-3 in the eighth.

Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly was ejected in the eighth for arguing with plate umpire Jordan Baker.

Cruz hit a solo homer in the fourth off left-hander Brandon Williamson, then provided insurance for Pittsburgh with a two-run homer off Pierce Johnson in the ninth.

Williamson made his first major league appearance since Sept. 1, 2024. He missed last season following left elbow surgery.

Williamson (0-1) allowed consecutive homers in the second to O’Hearn and Reynolds that made it 5-0.

It was the 139th career homer for Reynolds, tying Jason Bay for ninth on the franchise list.

Chandler issued three walks in the third but allowed only one run, helped when TJ Friedl popped into a double play attempting to bunt.

The Reds’ first run scored when Reynolds and Cruz allowed Ke’Bryan Hayes’ flyball to drop between them in left-center. It was initially ruled a single but later changed to an error on Reynolds in left, keeping the no-hit bid intact for a while.

Cincinnati had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth but Yohan Ramírez (1-0) struck out Matt McLain and De La Cruz to end the inning.

Up next

Pirates: RHP Paul Skenes (0-1) looks to rebound from a rough opener Wednesday.

Reds: LHP Andrew Abbott (0-0) tossed six shutout innings last Thursday.