Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, left, celebrates with pitcher Michael Kelly after the Athletics defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tyler Nevin homered for the second straight game and the Oakland Athletics beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Monday night.

Nevin added a single and a sacrifice fly as the A’s won for the fourth time in their last five games.

“When you’re feeling good, you just try to keep feeling good,” Nevin said. “I’m just trying to keep my same routine, not trying to do too much, and remembering what got me feeling good and just riding that wave.”

The Pirates had a season-low two hits while losing for the fifth time in six games.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to get out of it,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton. “We have to have more consistent at-bats.”

The Pirates’ first game in Oakland since 2016 was played in front of 3,528 fans. The Athletics have announced plans to play at least the next three seasons in Sacramento while their new stadium in Las Vegas is built.

Oakland starter Joe Boyle (2-4) struggled with his command, throwing just 45 of his 91 pitches for strikes, but the right-hander limited Pittsburgh to one run and one hit in five innings with four strikeouts and four walks.

“I felt good,” Boyle said. “I feel good about giving the team a chance. Stuff to work on, obviously. But we’re trending upwards, just kind of continuing improving each time.”

Boyle threw two wild pitches in the first inning, including one with the bases loaded which allowed Ke’Bryan Hayes to score the game’s first run.

Nevin tied it in the bottom of the first with his third home run of the season.

“His at-bats have been quality,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay praised. “They’re professional. He grinds out at-bats. He’s got enough juice in there to hit homers, as we’ve seen the last couple of days.”

Shea Langeliers and Max Schuemann hit sacrifice flies in the fourth to push Oakland’s lead to 3-1.

Esteury Ruiz added an RBI double in the fifth, and then stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nevin.

Pirates starter Bailey Falter (2-2) allowed five runs and six hits in five innings. He struck out five with no walks.

Oakland relievers Dany Jiménez and Michael Kelly each pitched two scoreless innings. The A’s bullpen hasn’t allowed a run in 18 1/3 innings over the last five games.

“That group has found a good rhythm,” Kotsay said. “They are throwing the ball great. It was nice to see two relievers come in and finish that off and split the back end of the game.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics 3B J.D. Davis (right adductor strain) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday, going 1 for 4 as the designated hitter. Kotsay said Davis would continue his rehab assignment with games at third base, and his status would be assessed later this week.

UP NEXT

Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (2-2, 5.14 ERA) starts Tuesday night opposite Athletics LHP Alex Wood (1-2, 6.59 ERA).

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz singles off Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Hoby Milner, driving in two runs, during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Oneil Cruz broke out of a slump with three hits, rookie Jared Jones allowed one run in six innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended their skid at six games, beating Milwaukee 4-2 to stop the Brewers’ four-game win streak. Cruz capped a three-run sixth with a two-out, two-run single. He also singled in the second and dropped a double into right-center in the fourth. The 6-foot-7 shortstop was 4 for 44 in his previous 12 games. Jones gave up four hits and two walks. The 22-year-old struck out seven and has 39 strikeouts through five starts.

President Joe Biden speaks at the United Steelworkers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — President Joe Biden suggested to cheering, unionized steelworkers on Wednesday that his administration would thwart the acquisition of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company, and he called for a tripling of tariffs on Chinese steel, seeking to use trade policy to win over working-class votes in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

The Democratic president’s pitch comes as Donald Trump, his likely Republican opponent, tries to chart a path back to the White House with tough-on-China rhetoric and steep tariff proposals of his own.

During a visit to the Pittsburgh headquarters of United Steelworkers, Biden said U.S. Steel “has been an iconic American company for more than a century and it should remain totally American.”

Administration officials are reviewing the proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel, and Biden said last month he would oppose the deal, saying it was “vital for it to remain an American steel company that is domestically owned and operated.”

But in front of a union audience, he went much further in pledging he may block it.

“American-owned, American-operated by American union steelworkers — the best in the world — and that’s going to happen, I promise you,” he said.

In another step that his administration argues can protect domestic steelworkers, Biden also announced that he will push for higher tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum, aiming to insulate American producers from a flood of cheap imports.

Biden’s push on steel reflects the intersection of international trade policy with his reelection effort, although the White House insisted they were more about shielding American manufacturing from unfair trade practices overseas than firing up a union audience.

The current tariff rate is 7.5% for both steel and aluminum but could climb to 25% under Biden’s proposal. The president said he was asking his trade representative to seek the increase, and separate tariffs of 10% on aluminum and 25% on steel would also remain in place.

The U.S. imported roughly $6.1 billion in steel products in the 12 months ending in February 2023, but just 3% of those imports came from China, according to Census Bureau figures. Citing existing trade barriers, the American Iron and Steel Institute said China last year accounted for even less — just 2.1% of U.S. steel imports — making it America’s seventh-biggest source of foreign steel.

However, a senior administration official said there are concerns about China ramping up exports, making the higher tariff levels necessary as a preventative measure.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said the “U.S. is making the same mistake again and again” by seeking increased tariffs. In a statement, he also dismissed levies already in place as “the embodiment of unilateralism and protectionism of the U.S.”

Biden insisted that getting tougher on China was sound policy, including when it comes to preventing the exportation of advanced technologies that could “undermine our national security.”

He said he delivered a similar message to Chinese President Xi Jinping during previous conversations, telling him, “You’ll use them for all the wrong reasons, so you’re not going to get those advanced computer chips.”

Biden criticized Trump for failing to take such steps, saying that “for all his tough talk on China, it never occurred to my predecessor to do any of that.”

The administration also promised to pursue investigations against countries and importers that try to saturate existing markets with Chinese steel, and said it was working with Mexico to ensure that Chinese companies cannot circumvent the tariffs by shipping steel there for subsequent export to the United States.

“The president understands we must invest in American manufacturing. But we also have to protect those investments and those workers from unfair exports associated with China’s industrial overcapacity,” said White House national economic adviser Lael Brainard.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai also announced Wednesday that her office, acting on a petition from five national labor unions, was investigating China for “targeting the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors for dominance.”

China’s Commerce Ministry responded hours later that the “U.S. petition is full of false accusations.”

It ”misinterprets normal trade and investment activities as damaging to U.S. national security and corporate interests,” the ministry said in a statement. “And blames China for the U.S.’s own industrial issues, lacking factual basis and running counter to common sense in economics.”

China produces about half of the world’s steel and is making far more than its domestic market needs. It sells steel on the world market for less than half what U.S.-produced steel costs, senior Biden administration officials said.

The first step to the higher tariffs is the completion of a review of Chinese trade practices. Once Biden gives the official authorization, there will be a public notice and a comment period that could take weeks.

Biden is on a three-day Pennsylvania swing that began in his childhood hometown of Scranton on Tuesday and will include a visit to Philadelphia on Thursday. After ignoring the first two days of Trump’s hush money trial in New York, Biden made a veiled reference to it on Wednesday, joking that his predecessor is “busy right now.”

Biden’s announcement on steel tariffs was cheered by U.S. steelmakers. Kevin Dempsey, president of the American Iron and Steel Institute, accused China of disrupting “world markets both by subsidizing the production of steel and other products, and by dumping those products in the U.S. and other markets.”

To coincide with the announcement, Biden’s campaign released a 60-second ad that will air on Pennsylvania television for the next five days. It features a steelworker, who is also a small-town mayor, praising the president’s economic policies.

Higher tariffs can carry major economic risks. Steel and aluminum could become more expensive, possibly increasing the costs of cars, construction materials and other key goods for U.S. consumers. Also, inflation has already been a drag on Biden’s political fortunes, and his turn toward protectionism echoes Trump’s playbook.

The former president, who has said he would never allow the acquisition of U.S. Steel by a foreign company to go through, imposed broader tariffs on Chinese goods during his administration and has threatened to increase levies on Chinese goods unless they trade on his preferred terms as he campaigns for another term.

An outside analysis by the consultancy Oxford Economics has suggested that putting in place the tariffs Trump has proposed could hurt the overall U.S. economy.

___

Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) looks up at the scoreboard as the New York Islanders celebrate a goal by Simon Holmstrom, third from left, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

NEW YORK (AP) — Simon Holmstrom scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, Ilya Sorokin stopped Sidney Crosby on a late penalty shot and the playoff-bound New York Islanders edged the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Samuel Bolduc and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist, and Casey Cizikas and Kyle Palmieri also scored for the Islanders, who ended the regular season having won eight of their last nine (8-0-1). Ruslan Iskhakov had his first NHL assist in his debut.

Sorokin finished with 39 saves, including one on Crosby in the final minute when the Penguins were awarded a penalty shot.

“It’s like a dream,” Sorokin said. “Good moment for me.”

The Islanders, who finished third in the Metropolitan Division, open the playoffs Saturday at Carolina.

“Playoffs are always another level, a different animal,” Nelson said. “They (Carolina) have a great team. They’ve been playing great all year.”

Pittsburgh’s Jeff Carter had a goal in what was likely his final game in the NHL. Rickard Rakell, Evgeni Malkin and Valtteri Puustinen also scored for the Penguins. Crosby had two assists and ended the season with 94 points — 42 goals and 52 assists.

“I’m going to be a dad,” the 39-year-old Carter said on what’s next for him. “You miss a lot being a hockey player — you’re in and out in a way. … My family sacrificed a lot for me to live out my dream. I’m going to be home and be a dad and then figure it out from there.”

Alex Nedeljkovic made 27 saves, but the Penguins failed to reach the postseason for the second straight season.

With the game tied at 4, Holmstrom wired a wrist shot from the faceoff circle past the blocker of Nedeljkovic and the Islanders regained a one-goal lead at 14:27 of the third period.

“You just want to make sure you play the right way,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said of playing a game that was meaningless to the standings. “You don’t want to develop bad habits. That’s what I love about this group — there are so many vets on this team and they knew it was important to play the right way and that’s what the guys did.”

Holmstrom’s goal came after Carter finished a feed from Crosby to tie it at 4 at 10:56 of the third.

Nelson finished a pretty feed from Holmstrom to open the scoring at 4:56 of the first period.

Rakell evened it at 1 when he beat Sorokin with a soft wrister near the blue line late in the first.

Penguins took their first lead when Crosby found Malkin near the far post as Pittsburgh capitalized on the power play. The goal was reviewed for a kicking motion, but was ruled a good goal, per the officials.

Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov craftily kept the puck in the offensive zone and fired a shot that Cizikas redirected past Nedeljkovic to tie it at 2 at 13:19 of the second.

Puustinen gave Pittsburgh a short-lived one-goal advantage when he stole the puck from New York defenseman Adam Pelech and rifled a shot past Sorokin at 14:37.

Palmieri reached the 30-goal milestone for the second time in his NHL career, tying it at 3 in the final minute of the second.

“He’s got a great shot, plays hard,” Nelson said of Palmieri. “He’s a big part of our team on and off the ice. Offensively, he’s got great instincts, finds himself open, doesn’t need a whole lot of space.”

Bolduc’s shot inadvertently deflected off Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea and past Nedeljkovic to give the Islanders a 4-3 lead 1:36 into the third. Ryan Pulock and Iskhakov assisted on the go-ahead power-play goal.

NOTES: New York’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau left midway through the first and did not return. … Oliver Wahlstrom and Samuel Bolduc also returned to the Islanders’ lineup. Mathew Barzal, Pierre Engvall, Hudson Fasching and Anders Lee did not dress.

UP NEXT

Penguins: Head into the offseason.

Islanders: Visit Carolina on Saturday to begin their first-round playoff series.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona State has hired former Pittsburgh Steelers star Hines Ward as wide receivers coach. Ward replaces Ra’Shaad Samples, who left to become associate head coach and wide receivers coach at Oregon. Ward played for the Steelers from 1998-2011, winning two Super Bowls. He was the MVP of the Super Bowl in 2005 after the Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks. Ward had 12,083 receiving yards and 85 touchdowns during his career, earning four trips to the Pro Bowl. After his playing career, he had stints as Florida Atlantic’s receivers coach, was an offensive assistant for the New York Jets and the head coach of the XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas last year.

Toronto Maple Leafs’ Jake McCabe (22) scores on Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) during overtime of an NHL hockey game in Toronto on Monday, April 8, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

TORONTO (AP) — Jake McCabe scored at 1:30 of overtime and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Auston Matthews got his NHL-leading 65th goal of the season to go along with an assist, while Matthew Knies also scored for Toronto. Ilya Samsonov made 30 saves. Rickard Rakell and Drew O’Connor scored for Pittsburgh, which is now 6-0-3 over its last nine to get back into the Eastern Conference playoff race. Alex Nedeljkovic had 20 saves. The Penguins are tied with Detroit for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, and trail the New York Islanders by one point for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Reynolds hit his 100th career home run as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 7-4. Connor Joe and Jared Triolo had two hits and two RBIs for the Pirates as Pittsburgh improved to 9-2. That’s tied with the New York Yankees for the best record in the majors. Mitch Keller struck out nine in six innings to pick up his first win of the season. Detroit’s Reese Olson allowed six runs on nine hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. The Tigers have dropped four of five after starting 5-0.