Busch ends 0-for-30 slide with tying single, Cubs overcome 5-run deficit to beat Pirates 7-6

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Chicago Cubs’ Dansby Swanson, left, scores past Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart during the seventh inning of a baseball game, in Chicago, Sunday, April 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Busch ended an 0-for-30 slide with a tying, two-run single in the eighth inning and Carson Kelly had a winning single in the ninth as the Chicago Cubs overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 on Sunday.

Brandon Lowe hit a grand slam and a solo homer off Jameson Taillon, and Oneil Cruz homered leading off the game for Pittsburgh, which led 5-0 before third-inning solo homers by Dansby Swanson and Moisés Ballesteros against Bubba Chandler.

Lowe’s fifth-inning homer boosted Pittsburgh’s lead to 6-2 but Chicago closed on Alex Bregman’s sacrifice fly in the bottom half. Swanson scored from third in the seventh on an infield fly by Bregman as Lowe, the second baseman, fell while catching the ball in short right field.

Busch, benched from the starting lineup, pinch hit for Matt Shaw with two outs in the eighth after a pair of walks by Justin Lawrence and looped an opposite-field single into short left that tied the score 6-6.

Pinch-hitter Michael Conforto doubled off Jose Urquidy (0-1) leading off the ninth and, with the bases loaded and one out, Kelly hit a 381-foot drive that landed on the right-center warning track.

Daniel Palencia (1-0) pitched around a walk in the ninth.

Chicago had been 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position before Busch’s single after going 1 of 23 in the previous two losses to Pittsburgh.

Taillon struck out 10, allowing six runs, six hits and two walks in six innings.

Lowe had his second multi-homer game this season.

Chicago placed reliever Hunter Henry on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Thursday, with right triceps inflammation, and he became the eighth Cubs pitcher on the IL. Chicago selected the contract of left-hander Charlie Barnes from Triple-A Iowa. He has not appeared in a major league game since 2021.

Up next

Pirates: RHP Paul Skenes (2-1, 5.25) will be on the mound Monday at Pittsburgh, opposed by Washington RHP Cade Cavalli (0-0, 2.51).

Cubs: RHP Javier Assad (1-0, 0.00 ERA) starts Monday at Philadelphia, which starts Cristopher Sánchez (1-1, 1.65).

NFL Draft Road Closures: PennDOT Announces State Road Closures, Traffic Detours in Pittsburgh Beginning Today in Advance of the 2026 NFL Draft

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Visit Pittsburgh)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) PennDOT District 11 announced that several state-owned roadways will close for the 2026 NFL Draft in the City of Pittsburgh beginning today, and will remain closed for the duration of the Draft, unless otherwise noted. According to a recent release from PennDOT District 11, here is more information about these closures and where they are expected:

  • The event is expected to be extremely well attended. PennDOT encourages fans to plan in advance and to take mass transit, which may be the most efficient way to travel between Draft events. A comprehensive transportation guide including public transportation, parking, road closures, and other travel information for the NFL Draft can be found at NFLDraftPittsburgh.com by clicking here. PennDOT also encourages drivers not attending Draft Week events to delay unnecessary travel to Pittsburgh or consider alternate routes around the city. Drivers should allow extra travel time, be patient, and remain calm and courteous.

The following state roadways and ramps will close to traffic, and drivers will be detoured according to the following schedule:

Monday, April 13 at approximately 8:00 PM:

  • Southbound I-279 (Parkway North) ramp to the North Shore (Exit 1B).

Monday, April 20 at approximately 8:00 PM:

  • Northbound I-279 (Upper deck of the Fort Duquesne Bridge) left-hand ramp to the North Shore (Reedsdale Street – Exit 1B).

Monday, April 20 at approximately 10:00 PM:

  • The I-279 and I-579 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes will close to traffic to accommodate emergency vehicle and bus traffic. All other vehicles will be prohibited. The HOV lanes will reopen to traffic Monday morning, April 27.

Wednesday, April 22 at approximately 8:00 PM:

  • Southbound Route 65 ramp to the Fort Duquesne Bridge.
  • Northbound I-279 (Fort Duquesne Bridge) ramp to northbound Route 65.
  • 10th Street Bypass ramp to the I-279 Portal Bridge.
  • Eastbound I-376 ramp to Liberty Avenue (Exit 70A).
  • Liberty Avenue to I-376 (Fort Pitt Bridge).
  • Allegheny Avenue/Ridge Avenue/Reedsdale Street ramp to the Fort Duquesne Bridge.

The following detours will be in place:

Southbound I-279 (Parkway North) ramp the North Shore (Exit 1B)

  • No detour route will be provided as all local roadways off the exit are closed to traffic. However, the ramp will reopen to traffic for specific Pirate games listed below.

Northbound I-279 (Upper deck of the Fort Duquesne Bridge) left-hand ramp to the North Shore (Reedsdale Street – Exit 1B)

  • No detour route will be provided as all local roadways off the exit are closed to traffic.

Southbound Route 65 ramp to the Fort Duquesne Bridge

  • From southbound Route 65, continue straight onto the ramp to North 28/North 279/Truck North 19
  • Merge onto northbound I-279 (Parkway North)
  • Take the Hazlett Street (Exit 3) off-ramp
  • Turn left onto East Street
  • Turn right onto the ramp to southbound I-279 at Venture Street
  • Follow I-279 southbound back to the Fort Duquesne Bridge
  • End detour

Northbound I-279 (Fort Duquesne Bridge) to northbound Route 65

  • From the upper deck of the Fort Duquesne Bridge, continue to North 28/279
  • From northbound I-279 (Parkway North), take the ramp to North 28 toward Chestnut Street/East Ohio Street/Etna (Exit 1D)
  • From northbound Route 28, take the left-hand off-ramp to North 279 toward East Ohio Street
  • At the traffic light, turn left onto East Ohio Street
  • Turn left onto the ramp to southbound I-279
  • From southbound I-279 take the ramp to North 65 toward Ohio River Boulevard (Exit 1C)
  • End detour

10th Street Bypass to the I-279 Portal Bridge

  • From westbound 10th Street Bypass, turn left onto Fort Duquesne Boulevard
  • Turn left onto 9th Street
  • Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
  • Turn left onto Stanwix Street
  • Take the ramp to West 376 toward the Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport
  • End detour

Eastbound I-376 ramp to Liberty Avenue (Exit 70A)

  • From eastbound I-376, take the ramp to the Boulevard of the Allies/Liberty Bridge/PPG Arena (Exit 70A)
  • Take the ramp to the Boulevard of the Allies
  • Turn left onto Stanwix Street
  • Follow Stanwix Street to Liberty Avenue
  • End detour

Liberty Avenue to westbound I-376 (Fort Pitt Bridge)

  • From Liberty Avenue, turn left onto Stanwix Street
  • Take the ramp to West 376 toward the Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport
  • End detour

Allegheny Avenue/Ridge Avenue/Reedsdale Street ramp to the Fort Duquesne Bridge

  • No detour route will be provided as Allegheny Avenue and Reedsdale Street will be closed. Ridge Avenue will remain open. Drivers can access southbound Route 65 at the West End Bridge interchange.

Additional items of note:

  • To accommodate Pittsburgh Pirates traffic, the southbound I-279 (Parkway North) ramp to the North Shore (Exit 1B) will reopen and close each day from Friday through Sunday, April 17-19. The ramp will reopen to traffic accessing Red Garage 5 and Champions Garage approximately five hours before the first pitch and will then reclose one-half hour after the first pitch of each game.
  • Line striping work is currently scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 18 on the northbound (upper deck) Fort Duquesne Bridge. The bridge will be reduced to two lanes of traffic during the work and the new two-lane traffic configuration will be implemented on Wednesday, April 22.
  • The I-376 Fort Pitt Bridge sidewalk will close to pedestrian traffic on Wednesday, April 22.
  • The northbound I-279 (Parkway North) ramp to northbound Route 28 (Ramp 1D) will be modified to two lanes of traffic.
  • Lane restrictions will occur throughout the draft in both directions of the Portal Bridge which spans a portion of Point State Park.
  • For those visiting Pittsburgh, the section of I-279 (Parkway North) just north of the Fort Duquesne Bridge is occasionally referred to as the North Shore Expressway.

 

  • Significant congestion is expected to occur during this event. PennDOT encourages drivers not attending draft week events to delay unnecessary travel to Pittsburgh or consider alternate routes around the city.

Ilya Protas scores first NHL goal, Capitals defeat Penguins, 6-3

 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin (8) is defended by Pittsburgh Penguins’ Ryan Graves (27) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ilya Protas scored his first NHL goal and added two assists as the Washington Capitals beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 on Saturday.

The 100th career matchup between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin didn’t materialized. The Penguins opted to sit Crosby and several other regulars after clinching a playoff berth for the first time since the 2021-22 season and home ice advantage throughout the first round.

Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, Ben Kindel, Parker Wotherspoon, Blake Lizotte and Connor Dewar also missed Saturday’s game against Washington, which kept its faint playoff hopes alive.

Ovechkin scored a late empty-net goal to pass Ron Francis for the fifth-most road points in NHL history.

Ryan Leonard scored twice for Washington and became the eighth rookie in team history with 20 goals in a season, Aliaksei Protas scored and Tom Wilson continued a six-game point streak with a goal and an assist, giving him back-to-back 30-goal and 60-point seasons.

Logan Thompson stopped nine shots for the Capitals, who have won six of their last eight games.

Anthony Mantha scored his team-best 32nd goal, while Noel Acciari and Kevin Hayes also scored for Pittsburgh.

Arturs Silovs made 25 saves for the Penguins, whose three-game win streak ended. Pittsburgh has wins in six of its last nine games overall.

Ilya Protas, playing in his second game, scored his first NHL goal on the power play to give the Capitals a 5-3 lead.

The Penguins showed a video tribute honoring Ovechkin and his longstanding rivalry with Crosby during a television timeout in the second period. Ovechkin received a standing ovation from the visiting crowd, as he stood up from the bench and waved while players tapped their sticks on the ice in appreciation.

The teams combined for seven goals in the second period, as Pittsburgh scored its three goals on seven shots.

Up next

The Penguins and Capitals meet again in Washington on Sunday afternoon.

 

Ramírez escapes bases-loaded jams in 10th, 11th innings, NL Central-leading Pirates beat Cubs 4-3

CHICAGO (AP) — Yohan Ramírez escaped bases-loaded jams in the 10th and 11th innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of a throwing error by Caleb Thielbar to score the go-ahead run in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday that clinched the three-game series.

Alex Bregman’s RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning on an 0-2 pitch off Dennis Santana tied the score 3-3 but the NL Central-leading Pirates (9-5) rebounded and won for the eighth time in 10 games, improving to 2-0 this season in series against division rivals.

Oneil Cruz was 4 for 5 with a double, becoming the first Pittsburgh player with at least four hits and three stolen bases in a game since Matt Lawton on July 26, 2005, and Nick Yorke had three hits.

Chicago stranded 16 runners and went 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position. Michael Busch went 0 for 3 and is hitless in 30 at-bats.

Pittsburgh went ahead in the 11th when Brandon Lowe hit a two-out grounder to Thielbar (1-2), who bounced his throw to the infield side of first, and the ball bounced off Matt Shaw’s mitt for an error that allowed Mitt Gonzales to score from second. Lowe was credited with an infield single.

Ramírez got out of the 10th when Dansby Swanson grounded out. Then in the 11th, Ramírez threw wildly past first on Nico Hoerner’s leadoff comebacker for an error that advanced Swanson, the automatic runner, to third as Hoerner took second.

Matt Shaw flied out to medium right field, Bregman fouled out and an intentional walk to Ian Happ loaded the bases. Seiya Suzuki got ahead 3-0 in the count, tool a called strike and then fouled out.

Pirates starter Braxton Ashcraft struck out a career-best nine in five innings while allowing a run on Hoerner’s fifth-inning RBI groundout, which cut the Cubs’ deficit to 3-1.

Cubs starter Edward Cabrera gave up three runs, eight hits and three walks in five innings.

Up Next

Pittsburgh RHP Bubba Chandler (0-1) and Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (0-1) start Sunday.

Bryan Reynolds homers as the Pittsburgh Pirates blank the Chicago Cubs 2-0

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds watches his two-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

CHICAGO (AP) — Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run homer and Carmen Mlodzinski pitched six-hit ball into the sixth inning, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on Friday.

Pittsburgh was shut down by Shota Imanaga before breaking through against Caleb Thielbar in the seventh. Ryan O’Hearn hit a leadoff single for the Pirates’ first hit of the chilly afternoon, and Reynolds drove Thielbar’s next pitch deep to left for his third homer.

Pittsburgh won for the seventh time in nine games since its 1-3 start.

Chicago went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. Ian Happ had two of the team’s six hits.

Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki went 1 for 3 with a fourth-inning single in his first game this season. He had been sidelined by a sprained right knee.

Imanaga struck out nine and walked one in six innings. The Japanese left-hander threw 68 of 100 pitches for strikes.

Thielbar (1-1) was lifted after Oneil Cruz’s two-out single in the seventh. The 39-year-old lefty pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings over his first four appearances this year.

Mason Montgomery (1-0) replaced Mlodzinski with runners on first and second in the sixth. He struck out Pete Crow-Armstrong and walked Carson Kelly before fanning pinch-hitter Matt Shaw for the final out of the inning.

The Cubs also left the bases loaded in the fourth when Moisés Ballesteros lined to Reynolds in left.

Isaac Mattson and Gregory Soto each pitched an inning for the Pirates before Dennis Santana handled the ninth for his first save this season.

Pirates rookie Konnor Griffin went 0 for 3 with a strikeout in his first career road game. The 19-year-old shortstop agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract on Wednesday

Up next

Braxton Ashcraft (1-1, 2.25 ERA) starts for Pittsburgh on Saturday, and fellow right-hander Edward Cabrera (1-0, 0.00 ERA) pitches for Chicago.

Pittsburgh Penguins clinch a playoff spot, ending their 3-year drought

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins right wings Bryan Rust (17) celebrates with Egor Chinakhov (59) after scoring a goal against the New Jersey Devils during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — For the first time in four years, it will soon be a great day for playoff hockey in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins clinched a playoff spot Thursday night by beating New Jersey, ending their postseason drought that lasted three seasons. They had made 16 postseason appearances in a row before that, last missing in Sidney Crosby’s rookie year in 2005-06, with that stretch including three Stanley Cup titles.

“That’s why you play — that’s the best time of year,” Crosby said. “I know how hard it is. I think I understand that. We had some tough ones where it came down to the last day and didn’t get in, and you don’t ever know. But I thought right from camp, we’ve had those intentions and had that belief.”

It was an up-and-down season that included an eight-game skid in December and a pair of six-game winning streaks later in the winter. Far from assured a place in the field in late March when the Eastern Conference race was a crowded mess, they’ve won five of six games since March 30 to get in.

“A couple weeks ago (we realized) it’s really in our hands (because we) play a lot of the teams in it,” defenseman Connor Clifton said. “We figured it was going to work itself out, and first and foremost it’s about us and getting points and we’ve done that, so it’s been good.”

It has also been a surprise. Pittsburgh was a 6-1 long shot to qualify before the puck dropped on opening night, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. This looked like one last kick at it together for an aging core of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, who at 20 seasons together are the longest-tenured trio of teammates in North American professional sports.

Instead, new coach Dan Muse has made general manager Kyle Dubas look brilliant for hiring him from relative anonymity: five years as an assistant under Peter Laviolette with Nashville and the New York Rangers. Succeeding two-time Cup-winner Mike Sullivan was not an easy task, but Muse aced the test in his first chance to run an NHL bench.

“He’s been great: Calm there behind the bench, and he’s just a really personable guy, easy to talk to away from the rink,” forward Justin Brazeau said. “Any time you create that atmosphere in here, it’s not too tense or anything like that. I think guys are just willing to go out there and play free.”

Center Ben Kindel, picked 11th in the draft last year, made the team at 18. Defenseman Erik Karlsson thrived at 35. Crosby was a point-a-game player for a 21st consecutive season, even if it was interrupted by the injury that knocked him out of the Olympics.

“It takes everybody,” Crosby said. “Everybody has had a part in this. Obviously it’s a team game, but especially with this group: With the injuries and all the different guys in and out, everybody’s contributed to us getting there.”

Muse, like Crosby, saw evidence in training camp that this was a playoff-caliber team.

“I just saw the competitive nature of the group,” Muse said. “There’s ebbs and flows in every season, but I think this group has just continued to grow. Enjoy it for a little bit, a minute, and then it’s just continuing that preparation. It’s a big step for the group. I’m really proud of these guys, happy for these guys, the staff, everybody involved. The players have done a great job with it throughout the year. We talked about earning things at the beginning of the year. This group earned it.”

Malkin, Crosby and Letang help the Penguins beat the Devils to clinch a playoff spot

 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) shoots against New Jersey Devils centers Cody Glass (12) and Nick Bjugstad (72) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Evgeni Malkin scored as part of his two-point game, Sidney Crosby set up two goals and Kris Letang had an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins clinched a playoff spot by defeating the New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Thursday night.

The Penguins are playoff-bound for the first time since 2022, ending a three-year drought that followed a streak of qualifying 16 seasons in a row. Crosby, Malkin and Letang have been around for all of it, including Stanley Cup runs in 2009, ’16 and ’17.

Bryan Rust, who was part of the back-to-back championships, scored his 29th goal of the season on Pittsburgh’s first shot of the game.

Newcomers helped make the latest bid possible, including winger Egor Chinakov, who had a goal and two assists, and netminder Stuart Skinner, who made 19 saves and was serenated by “STUUUU” chants from visiting fans in attendance. Each player was acquired by trade in December.

Skinner stopped all seven shots he faced and got a fortunate break with a puck off the post before Rust gave the Penguins the lead. He turned aside former Edmonton teammate Connor Brown later in the first, before allowing a pair of goals in the second.

Tommy Novak also had a goal for the Penguins, and Erik Karlsson sealed it with an empty-netter.

U.S. Olympic hero Jack Hughes scored, and Jake Allen made 26 saves in net for the Devils. The team announced earlier Thursday the decision to shut down young defenseman Luke Hughes for the remainder of the season so he could undergo a procedure to address a lingering undisclosed injury and be ready for training camp in September.

Up next

Devils: Visit Detroit on Saturday in another crucial game for the Red Wings in their playoff chase.

Penguins: Host the Capitals on Saturday in the first half of a home-and-home series that could be the final two games between Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.

 

Nick Castellanos’ two-run double, Jake Cronenworth’s homer spark Padres over Pirates 8-2

(File Photo: Source for Photo: San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth, left, is greeted by Nick Castellanos (21) after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Justin Lawrence during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Castellanos hit a two-run double, Jake Cronenworth added a two-run homer and the San Diego Padres beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 on Wednesday.

Castellanos’ double began a four-run seventh inning that broke open a scoreless game and helped San Diego clinch the three-game series.

Michael King (1-1) allowed two runs on four hits over six innings while striking out four and walking three for San Diego. Justin Lawrence (0-1) took the loss after giving up four runs on three hits in one inning for Pittsburgh.

The game remained scoreless through six innings as Mitch Keller and King matched each other early. Keller worked six scoreless frames, allowing three hits and striking out four, while King limited Pittsburgh to two hits through the first six innings.

San Diego broke through in the seventh after Xander Bogaerts reached on a throwing error and Miguel Andujar doubled to put runners at second and third. Castellanos followed with a double to left field that scored both runners and gave the Padres a 2-0 lead.

Luis Campusano grounded out before Cronenworth lined a two-run homer to right-center field, stretching the lead to 4-0.

Pittsburgh answered in the bottom half. Nick Yorke singled and Nick Gonzales doubled to start the inning before Konnor Griffin hit a sacrifice fly to score Yorke. Joey Bart later added an RBI single that cut the deficit to 4-2.

The Padres pulled away in the ninth, though, as Campusano doubled home Bryce Johnson. Fernando Tatis Jr. added an RBI single and Jackson Merrill drove in a run on a fielder’s choice before Merrill stole second and Tatis stole home to make it 8-2.

Kyle Hart and Jeremiah Estrada each worked scoreless relief innings before Mason Miller struck out two in a perfect ninth. Miller extended the longest active scoreless streak in the majors to 26 2/3 innings.

Earlier Wednesday, the Pirates announced they signed Griffin to a nine-year contract worth at least $140 million.

Up next

RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (0-0, 4.00 ERA) opens the series against the Cubs on Friday for the Pirates, while RHP Randy Vásquez (1-0, 0.75 ERA) takes the mound for the Padres against the Rockies.

Pirates sign teenage shortstop Konnor Griffin to a 9-year deal worth at least $140 million

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin takes infield practice before making his Major League Baseball debut in the Pirates’ home-opener against the Baltimore Orioles in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Konnor Griffin is with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the long haul.

The 19-year-old shortstop agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract with the Pirates early Wednesday, less than a week after the former first-round pick made his major league debut.

The deal, the largest in club history, includes escalators that could raise the total value to $150 million.

Griffin’s Pittsburgh teammates attended Wednesday’s news conference to announce the deal hours before the team lost to the San Diego Padres 8-2.

“This week has been amazing, debut week, and then sitting here signing a contract, it’s been amazing,” Griffin said. “It’s one of the best weeks of my life. … But it’ll be even better if we can get a win today.”

In Wednesday’s game, Griffin entered as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh and hit a sacrifice fly to score Nick Yorke for the Pirates’ first run.

Pirates owner Bob Nutting said the nine-year contract reflects the team’s commitment in winning this season and in the future.

“This is an important step for 2026 as we look at it right now, but obviously this is a long-term commitment,” Nutting said. “It’s a long-term statement of where we’re headed as an organization, where we are headed with this team. … This obviously is an unusual and dramatic step for the Pittsburgh Pirates. So I’m excited, I hope our fans are excited, I hope the city is excited, I know the organization is excited.”

When asked why it was important to sign for nine years, Griffin said he sees the Pirates as a winning organization.

“I’m pumped to be a Pirate and be a part of this wonderful clubhouse,” Griffin said, looking at his teammates at the back of the room. “A lot of great talent back there and coaches and staff. Thank you all for being here to support me. Y’all made this transition to the big leagues super easy. And I’m just pumped to go compete. The goal is to win. The goal is to win a World Series. And I think we’ve got a great clubhouse to go do that. I’m pump to be part of it.”

The agreement comes less than 24 hours after general manager Ben Cherington said the “ingredients” were in place for a long-term pact.

The Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft. He sprinted through the team’s farm system, hitting .333 with 21 home runs, 94 RBIs and 65 stolen bases. He was one of the final cuts during spring training last month, and his stay at Triple-A Indianapolis was brief.

Pittsburgh called Griffin to the majors after just a week, and he has played well through his first handful of games. Griffin laced an RBI-double in his first big-league at bat against Baltimore last Friday, and added a pair of hits, including a two-run single, in a 7-1 win over San Diego on Tuesday night that helped the Pirates to their sixth win in seven games.

Griffin, who has said repeatedly he wants to stay in Pittsburgh for as long as possible, has impressed teammates with his maturity and his unique skillset.

Reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes called Griffin “a big leaguer through and through,” though Griffin is doing his best to ignore the attention that has surrounded his arrival for a team that is trying to return to relevance and end a playoff drought that’s now over a decade old.

“Just sticking to being myself, not trying to do too much,” Griffin said Tuesday night. “Just let the game tell me the situation. Compete one pitch at a time and let it all happen.”

Paul Skenes takes a no-hitter into the 6th as the Pirates beat the Padres 7-1

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes put together his second straight solid start, keeping San Diego hitless until the sixth inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 7-1 win over the Padres on Tuesday night.

Skenes (2-1), who was rocked during an opening day loss to the New York Mets, struck out six and walked two in 6 1/3 innings while lowering his ERA to 5.54. The Padres’ first of two hits against the 23-year-old was a clean single to left by Fernando Tatis Jr. with one out in the sixth.

Xander Bogaerts homered off Skenes — the first round-tripper given up by a Pittsburgh starter this season — with one out in the seventh. Skenes exited to a loud ovation from the announced crowd of 9,061 on a chilly night as the Pirates won for the sixth time in seven games.

Oneil Cruz hit a two-run double off Nick Pivetta (1-2) in the fifth and Nick Gonzales added a two-run single to start a five-run eighth for the Pirates. Skenes and three relievers combined on a three-hitter.

Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin picked up the second and third hits of his major league career. The 19-year-old had an infield single in the fifth and scored from first on Cruz’s laser down the left field line. He added a line drive to center for a two-run single in the eighth, a few hours after Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said some ingredients for a long-term contract for Griffin were “in place.”

Pivetta was dominant through four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. The veteran right-hander gave up two runs on four hits with a walk and a season-high eight strikeouts.

Up next

The series wraps up on Wednesday. Michael King (0-1, 3.38 ERA) starts for the Padres against Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller (1-0, 1.50).