Category: Sports

Connor Joe Homers Against Former Team As Pirates Beat San Francisco 2-1

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Connor Joe homered against his former team and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat San Francisco 2-1 on Tuesday night to snap a five-game losing streak against the Giants.

The Pirates moved back to .500 (27-27) after falling under for the first time since they were 1-2. Pittsburgh has gone 7-19 after starting the season 20-8.

Joe, who played for San Francisco in 2019, homered off John Brebbia in the first inning.

“It feels good doing that against any team, honestly,” Joe said. “No bad blood. I’m grateful (for) the opportunity they gave me to debut.”

Michael Conforto tied the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.

Pittsburgh scored the go-ahead run in the fifth, aided by a Giants error. With Rodolfo Castro on first and one out, Jason Delay singled to left. The ball bounced past left fielder Mitch Haniger, allowing Castro to advance to third and Delay to second.

Sean Manaea delivered a wild pitch, allowing Castro to score.

“Rudy did a good job getting a break on a ball that he saw down and did a good job base-running,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We didn’t have a ton of opportunities and we capitalized on a ball in the dirt.”

Josh Palacios followed with a ground ball to first, but Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. threw Delay out at the plate. The call was challenged and confirmed upon review.

Manaea (2-3) allowed just an unearned run in four innings of relief.

Pirates starter Johan Oviedo struggled with his command but held the Giants to one run in 4 1/3 innings. He walked five and struck out five.

“He executed pitches when he had to,” Shelton said. “When he put runners on base, he did a good job executing.”

Dauri Moreta (2-1) relieved Oviedo in the fifth and was credited with the win following a scoreless inning.

David Bednar retired the side in order in the ninth with two strikeouts for his 10th save in 11 chances.

San Francisco went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position after going 9 for 18 in Monday’s win. The Giants left nine runners on base.

“There are going to be nights when we’re not able to cash in on those (opportunities),” San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said. “I thought we had a good, quality first inning, had a couple of moments where we were threatening. We just weren’t able to get the big hit.”

Pirates’ Suwinski joins Bonds with 2 McCovey Cove homers in game

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jack Suwinski (65) celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Monday, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pittsburgh’s Jack Suwinski hit two home runs into San Francisco Bay on Monday during a 14-4 loss to San Francisco, joining Barry Bonds as the only players to reach McCovey Cove twice in a game since Oracle Park opened 24 seasons ago. Suwinski’s hit solo homers in the seventh against Anthony DeSclafani and in the ninth off Brett Wisely, a position player who took the mound in one-sided game. Bonds homered twice into the water beyond the right-field wall against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 10, 2000, and off the Florida Marlins on May 18, 2022.

Suárez’s 3-run homer lifts Mariners over Pirates 6-3 in 10 innings

Seattle Mariners designated hitter Cal Raleigh, right, holds a trident after hitting a solo home run as he greets teammate Julio Rodriguez (44) during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

SEATTLE (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 for their sixth win in seven games. The Mariners took a 3-1 lead with the help of solo home runs by Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh, but blew it in the eighth with an error and a wild pitch that allowed the Pirates to rally to a 3-all tie. Suárez entered the 10th inning 0 for 3 before hitting his sixth homer, to deep left field off Robert Stephenson (0-3). The once NL-leading Pirates have lost four of five and have not won a series in May.

Former Steelers, Jets running back Le’Veon Bell says he smoked marijuana before games

FILE – Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell (26) smiles during an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in Detroit on Oct. 29, 2017. The former Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets running back said on a podcast, Friday, May 26, 2023, he smoked marijuana before playing some NFL games during his career. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Former Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets running back Le’Veon Bell says he smoked marijuana before playing some NFL games during his career. Bell told Barstool Sports’ “Steel Here” podcast he would smoke and then run for 150 yards and two touchdowns. The 31-year-old Bell hasn’t played in the league since the 2021 season. The running back also blasted then-New York coach Adam Gase on the podcast, saying he was a “terrible” play caller during his brief tenure with the Jets.

Semien homers, Pérez throws 7 strong innings, Smith picks up 100th save as Rangers top Pirates 3-2

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Martin Perez delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Martín Pérez pitched seven strong innings, Marcus Semien hit his eighth home run and the Texas Rangers held off the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2. Pérez allowed two runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts to win his fifth straight decision. The 32-year-old left-hander kept the Pirates in check inducing 12 groundball outs, with a pair of inning-ending double plays. Johan Oviedo threw the second “immaculate inning” by a Pittsburgh pitcher this season when he struck out the side on nine pitches in the fourth inning. It wasn’t enough for the Pirates to avoid falling to 5-15 in May.

Pittsburgh Steelers eye playing regular-season NFL game in Ireland

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Kenny Pickett, left, takes a snap during the NFL football team’s OTA’s in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

DUBLIN (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers have long-term plans to play a regular-season NFL game in Ireland. They touched down in Dublin days after the NFL gave the team marketing rights for Ireland and Northern Ireland as part of the league’s aggressive push to expand its audience internationally. Steelers director of business development and strategy Daniel Rooney says “our aspirations long term are to play a game in Ireland.” Ireland has never hosted a regular-season NFL game but the Steelers beat the Chicago Bears 30-17 in a preseason matchup at Croke Park in 1997.

Marcano’s first slam, Ortiz’s first win power Pirates past Rangers 6-4

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Tucupita Marcano (30) celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a grand slam home run off Texas Rangers relief pitcher Joe Barlow during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, May 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Tucupita Marcano hit his first career grand slam, rookie Luis Ortiz pitched into the eighth inning and earned his first major league victory and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Texas Rangers 6-4. Ortiz allowed two runs and five hits in 7 2/3 innings, picking up the win in his eighth career start, including four this season. He struck out four and walked two in a 93-pitch effort. Marcano’s slam to straightaway center field off Joe Barlow capped a five-run seventh inning and put the Pirates ahead 6-1. Pittsburgh won for the fourth time in 11 games and snapped the Rangers’ three-game winning streak.

Walker 3 RBIs power D-backs to 8-3 win, Pirates 4-13 in May after a 20-9 start

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker doubles off Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Robert Stephenson, driving in two runs, during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, May 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Christian Walker had three RBIs, hitting a two-run double in a three-run seventh inning that powered the Arizona Diamondbacks to a series win with a 8-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ketel Marte had a two-out RBI single in the seventh and scored with Corbin Carroll on Walker’s double for a 7-3 lead. Walker added a run-scoring single in the ninth. Arizona has won seven of nine, including the final two games of the series. Pittsburgh committed three errors and had five wild pitches, falling to 4-13 in May after a 20-9 start. Merrill Kelly (5-3) gave up three runs and three hits in five innings.