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Scoring Updates: Penguins vs. Islanders Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 7:30 pm.
Category: Sports
Bucs pitcher Archer suspended for 5 games
Archer suspended for 5 games, Puig for 2, Bell for 1
By The Associated Press undefined
NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh pitcher Chris Archer was suspended for five games, Cincinnati outfielder Yasiel Puig for two and Reds manager David Bell for one on Tuesday for their parts in a bench-clearing fracas last weekend at PNC Park.
The commissioner’s office said Archer has appealed his penalty and will play pending a decision.
Puig and Bell chose not to appeal. Puig will miss the first two games of a series against the Marlins in Cincinnati starting Tuesday night. Bench coach Freddie Benavides will manage the Reds in the first game.
Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre also fined all three for their behavior Sunday in Pittsburgh, which was touched off when Cincinnati’s Derek Dietrich stood in the batter’s box to admire his long home run in the second inning.
Two innings later, Archer threw his first pitch behind Dietrich’s waist. Plate umpire Jeff Kellogg warned both benches and Bell jogged from the dugout to the infield, arguing Archer should be ejected. Archer maintained he simply was off-target with an inside pitch.
Benches and bullpens emptied, and an enraged Puig barreled into a bunch of Pirates and was restrained by several teammates.
Bell interpreted Archer’s suspension as confirmation that the pitch was purposely meant to hurt Dietrich. Bell said Torre told him that Archer wasn’t ejected by the umpires because he didn’t throw at the batter’s head.
“That to me is a very dangerous approach,” Bell said. “As we know, even if they’re aiming somewhere else, it could hit a hitter right in the head.”
Bell wasn’t surprised by his one-game suspension.
“I was suspended (because) things escalated when I came out,” Bell said. “Clearly both benches cleared, which is unfortunate.”
Puig declined to appeal his suspension because he thought it wouldn’t make a difference. He wasn’t satisfied with Archer getting a five-day suspension, which means the starter would miss one appearance at most.
“The pitcher’s going to be suspended for five days, that’s not costing him nothing because no matter what he’s going to rest for five days,” Puig said. “It cost me two games.”
Bell doesn’t agree with the old-school practice of a pitcher retaliating when they think a hitter has showed them up by lingering too long or doing something theatrical after hitting a home run.
“Major League Baseball needs to take this out of their hands if the players try to police it,” Bell said. “That’s a dangerous approach.”
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AP Sports Writer Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report.
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Pens legendary Broadcaster Mike Lange to miss start of Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Mike Lange, the radio voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins, will miss the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs after suffering an adverse reaction to medication for pneumonia.
The Hall of Fame broadcaster was briefly hospitalized last week and is now resting at home. He will phone in during the first intermission of Game 1 Wednesday to speak on the air with the Penguins’ radio intermission host, Brian Metzer.
“They’ve encouraged me to rest, but I’m looking forward to getting back in the booth with the ‘ol-29er’ Phil Bourque as soon as possible,” Lange said.
Josh Getzoff will handle radio play-by-play duties at the start of the playoffs with Bourque providing analysis. All games air on WXDX-FM (105.9) and the Penguins Radio Network.
Getzoff called radio play-by-play for most of the Penguins’ regular season road games, while Lange did most home games.
Paul Steigerwald will host the pre- and post-game radio shows.
Lange, who recently turned 71, is now in his 44th season as a Penguins broadcaster.
Bucs pounded by the Cubs 10-0!!
Schwarber, Cubs beat Pirates 10-0 in Wrigley opener
By JAY COHEN AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit a two-run homer and Chicago’s beleaguered bullpen stepped up after Jon Lester departed with left hamstring tightness, leading the Cubs over the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-0 in their home opener on Monday.
Brad Brach, Brandon Kintzler, Randy Rosario and Pedro Strop combined for seven innings of four-hit ball after Lester was removed with two on and no outs in the third. Brach (1-0) pitched two innings for his first win with the Cubs.
Chicago had an 8.37 bullpen ERA on its opening 2-7 trip, amplifying concerns about pitching depth with relievers Brandon Morrow, Xavier Cedeno and Tony Barnette sidelined by injuries. Manager Joe Maddon said he was confident the bullpen will settle eventually, and it delivered on a picturesque day at Wrigley Field.
Pittsburgh had won four in a row, but it hurt itself with four errors, including three by shortstop Kevin Newman. Melky Cabrera had two of the Pirates’ seven hits.
The game began to get away from Pittsburgh after Jameson Taillon (0-2) retired the first two batters in the second. Daniel Descalso reached on a throwing error by Newman, and Chicago was off and running.
After Jason Heyward was walked intentionally, Lester drove a 0-2 pitch into the gap in left-center for an RBI double. Lester scored from second on Ben Zobrist’s two-run single, sliding home safely for a 3-0 lead.
Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez tacked on RBI singles, and Newman committed two more errors on a Schwarber grounder, allowing another run to come home. Baez shrugged as he stood on first base after throwing his bat at a ball in the dirt, leading to a liner that just got over Newman’s head.
Taillon was charged with six unearned runs and four hits in two innings. Rizzo’s run-scoring single appeared to go off his head, but he stayed in the game.
Schwarber capped the scoring when he drove a 1-0 pitch from Steven Brault over the wall in left-center for his third homer in the fourth, delighting the crowd of 40,692. He went deep 26 times last season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: OF Gregory Polanco (left shoulder surgery) and RHP Dovydas Neverauskas (left oblique strain) began rehab assignments with Class A Bradenton on Sunday.
Cubs: Morrow (elbow surgery) has completed each of his bullpen sessions so far “without incident,” according to president of baseball operations Theo Epstein. The next step for Morrow is expected to be finalized this week. … Barnette (right shoulder inflammation) and Cedeno (left wrist inflammation) are “moving along and getting closer to the possibility of rehab assignments,” Epstein said. “No setbacks with either guy.”
UP NEXT
Following an off day, right-handers Jordan Lyles and Yu Darvish get the ball when the series resumes Wednesday night. Lyles (0-0, 0.00 ERA) made his Pittsburgh debut Thursday against Cincinnati and pitched five innings in the Pirates’ 2-0 victory. Darvish (0-1, 8.10 ERA) struggled in his first two starts of the year, issuing 11 walks in just 6 2/3 innings.
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Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap
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Wild Puig in middle of bench-clearing fray, Pirates sweep Reds.
Wild Puig in middle of bench-clearing fray, Pirates top Reds
By ALAN SAUNDERS Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A charged-up Yasiel Puig barreled into a bunch of Pirates during a bench-clearing fracas Sunday, and was among five ejections in Pittsburgh’s 7-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The trouble started in the fourth inning when Chris Archer threw his first pitch behind the waist of Derek Dietrich. His previous time up, Dietrich dropped his bat and stood in the box to watch his 436-foot drive clear the fence atop the Clemente Wall and bounce into the Allegheny River.
Dietrich stood still when Archer’s 93 mph fastball whizzed by. Plate umpire Jeff Kellogg warned both benches and new Reds manager David Bell jogged from the dugout to the infield, arguing Archer should’ve been ejected.
Tempers quickly escalated. The excitable Puig, in his first season with the Reds, grabbed Pirates bench coach Tom Prince and tried to put the 54-year-old former catcher in a headlock. Puig kept trying to plow ahead, and eventually was held back by teammate Joey Votto.
Puig, Bell and Reds pitcher Amir Garrett were ejected, as were Pirates pitchers Keone Kela and Felipe Vazquez.
Archer (1-0) was allowed to remain in the game. He went six innings, allowing three runs and five hits while striking out seven.
Dietrich later homered for the second time. Scott Schebler also homered for the Reds.
Josh Bell hit an estimated 474-foot home run off Reds starter Anthony DeSclafini (0-1) in the fourth that cleared the batter’s eye in center field. Adam Frazier homered on DeSclafini’s first pitch of the game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: RF Gregory Polanco (left shoulder surgery) and RHP Dovydas Neverauskas (left oblique strain) began his rehab assignments with Class A Bradenton. Neverauskas pitched a scoreless inning of relief with one strikeout. Polanco went 0 for 2 with two walks.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (0-1, 1.42 ERA) will start a three-game homestand against Miami on Tuesday. They will be the only three games in Cincinnati for the Reds between April 4 and April 22, a span of 16 games.
Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (0-1, 3.46) will make his third start of 2019 against the Chicago Cubs on Monday.
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Wrestler Bret Hart tackled during WWE Hall of Fame speech
Wrestler Bret Hart tackled during WWE Hall of Fame speech
Associated Press undefined
NEW YORK (AP) — Wrestler Bret “The Hitman” Hart was tackled by a spectator Saturday while he was giving a speech during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The attacker was promptly subdued by several people, including other wrestlers, who came to Hart’s defense. Hart, 61, is OK.
The person ran toward the ring from the crowd, spectator Alan Fisher told The Associated Press.
“I couldn’t believe that the security had missed him in the first place and the next thing you know there was Shane McMahon and Travis Brown on top of him the crowd was going crazy booing,” Fisher said. “Everyone was cheering when one of the wrestlers punched him.”
New York City Police arrested 26-year-old Zachary Madsen. He faces assault and criminal trespass charges. An email to the district attorney seeking someone who could comment on Madsen’s behalf wasn’t immediately answered.
Several shocked onlookers posted footage of the tackle online.
The induction event resumed, with Hart continuing his speech, after the fan was taken into custody.
“He should have never attacked Bret Hart especially at such a special moment in his life,” Fisher said.
Strome scores in OT to lift Rangers past Penguins 4-3
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan Strome scored 2:09 into overtime and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 Saturday night in the regular-season finale.
Brendan Smith, Brady Skjei and Vladislav Namestnikov also scored for New York, long eliminated from playoff contention for the second straight year. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 36 shots while starting for the second straight night. The Rangers snapped a three-game skid and won for just the fifth time in their final 21 games (5-10-6).
Sidney Crosby, Nick Bjugstad and Jake Guentzel scored for the Penguins, who earned a point to secure third-place in the Metropolitan Division and a matchup with the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. Matt Murray finished with 26 saves while starting g20 of Pittsburgh’s last 21 games.
Skjei and Namestnikov scored 1:16 apart to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead with 6:10 remaining in regulation. Namestnikov’s go-ahead goal was the 15th short-handed score allowed by Pittsburgh, tied for worst in the league.
However, Guentzel tied it with his 40th of the season with 2:35 to play, becoming the 20th player in franchise history to reach the mark. Crosby, who scored his 35th earlier in the game, had an assist on the play for his 100th point. Crosby reached the mark for the sixth time in his career, and first time since 2013-14.
Crosby opened the scoring at 6:36 of the first period when he converted a one-timer from Guentzel during a 2-on-1.
Smith tied it with 7:11 left in the opening period as he beat Murray on a partial breakaway following a turnover by Garrett Wilson at center ice.
Bjugstad put Pittsburgh in front 2-1 at 2:28 of the third. Marcus Pettersson’s point shot deflected off the stick of Patric Hornqvist and went to Bjugstad, who put the puck in near the left post for his 14th.
Skjei tied it with 7:26 to play when he beat Murray with a wrist shot from the slot during a 3-on-2 for his eighth.
NOTES: Pittsburgh recorded 100 points for the 10th time in the last 12 full seasons. … Penguins D Brian Dumoulin missed his third straight game, but he skated Saturday morning. … Guentzel joined Chris Kunitz as the only players other than Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to lead the team in goals during the Crosby and Malkin era. … Guentzel, Phil Kessel, and Jack Johnson played all 82 games for Pittsburgh. Kessel played in every game for the ninth consecutive year, a total of 774 straight games. Pettersson, who spent time in Anaheim this season, led the league in games played with 84 this season. Mika Zibanejad played in every game for New York.
UP NEXT
Rangers: End of season
Penguins: Open the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the New York Islanders.
Scoring Updates: Penguins vs. Rangers Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 7:00 pm.
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Bucs walk it off on a Newman doubles in 10th, Pirates beat Reds 6-5
Newman doubles in 10th, Pirates beat Reds 6-5
By ALAN SAUNDERS Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kevin Newman hit a game-ending double in the 10th inning, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 Saturday for their third straight win.
With one out in the 10th, Francisco Cervelli singled off Reds reliever Raisel Iglesias (0-2). Newman drove the first pitch he saw to the 410-foot left-center notch at PNC Park, and Cervelli easily beat the relay home. It was the first walkoff hit of Newman’s career.
Francisco Liriano (1-0) struck out two in the top half of the inning.
Joey Votto tied it in the eighth with his first home run of the year, a solo shot off Keone Kela. It was Kela’s second blown save in five appearances.
The Reds snapped a 30-inning scoreless streak, the team’s longest since 2015, when Kyle Farmer hit a two-run home run in the third. The blast was his first homer in his 64th career game.
Pirates starter Trevor Williams allowed four runs, three earned, and seven hits in six innings. Pirates starters had allowed just five earned runs in their first six games.
Starling Marte gave the Pirates the lead with his two-run double in the sixth inning.
Josh Bell had three extra-base hits for the first time in his career: an RBI double in the first, a double in the third and a solo home run in the fourth.
Pirates outfielder Jason Martin made his major league debut and got his first hit, first stolen base and scored his first run when Bell drove him in in the first inning. Martin finished 1 for 2 with a walk out of the leadoff spot.
Cincinnati starter Tanner Roark pitched five innings and allowed three runs and seven hits while striking out four.
SQUEEZED OUT
Newman attempted to score on Williams’ squeeze bunt in the second inning but was called out via replay. Roark barehanded the bunt, spun awkwardly and threw high to catcher Curt Casali. Newman was originally called safe, but video showed his front foot skipped over home plate, leaving Casali time to apply the tag.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: RF Gregory Polanco (left shoulder surgery) and RHP Dovydas Neverauskas (left oblique strain) will both begin rehab assignments with Class A Bradenton on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafini (0-0, 1.80 ERA) will start the series finale Sunday. He allowed one run and struck out eight in five innings in his season debut against Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Pirates: Chris Archer (0-0, 0.00) had eight strikeouts in his first 2019 start against St. Louis on Monday, but it took him 99 pitches to get through five innings.
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Musgrove outduels Gray, Pirates hand Reds 3rd shutout in row
Musgrove outduels Gray, Pirates hand Reds 3rd shutout in row
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joe Musgrove allowed three hits in seven efficient innings to outduel Sonny Gray and the Pittsburgh Pirates handed the Cincinnati Reds their third straight shutout, 2-0 on Friday night.
Musgrove (1-0) struck out eight and walked one in his first start as Pittsburgh sent Cincinnati its sixth los in a row.
Cincinnati’s scoreless streak reached 28 innings when Felipe Vazquez retired Yaisel Puig to end it, the longest drought by the Reds since they went 30 innings without crossing the plate from Aug. 5-8, 2015. The Reds are hitting just .157 as a team.
Jung Ho Kang broke a scoreless tie in the seventh when he lined a double into the left-field corner, allowing Josh Bell to score from first. Adam Frazier added an RBI double in the eighth off Reds reliever Zach Duke.
Vazquez worked a perfect ninth for his second save.
Gray (0-2) dazzled in his second start for Cincinnati, retiring 16 straight at one point. Two of the three hits he allowed came in the seventh. Gray struck out seven without a walk in 6 2/3 innings.
Cincinnati is off to a 1-6 start, but pitching is not the issue. Gray’s performance dropped the Reds’ starters ERA to 2.16.
Gray arrived in January as part of Cincinnati’s offseason overhaul, an effort by the club to climb back into contention in the NL Central after four straight last-place finishes. His initial start for the Reds was forgettable. He lasted just 2 2/3 innings in a loss to the Pirates, needing 71 pitches to record eight outs.
Things were far different five days later at chilly PNC Park. Mixing speed and location effectively, Gray allowed a single to Francisco Cervelli with two outs in the first but Pittsburgh didn’t get another runner on base until Starling Marte led off the seventh with a single.
Marte advanced to third on a wild pitch and a groundout but was nailed at the plate when he hesitated running home on Bell’s sharp grounder to draw-in second baseman Jose Peraza.
Gray couldn’t take advantage of the reprieve. Kang laced a double to the left-field corner and Bell chugged all the way around to score from first without a throw.
Considering the state of Cincinnati’s offense and Pittsburgh’s starting pitching, it was enough.
Musgrove continued a string of dominant efforts by Pirates starters. The Reds never reached third base, their best chance coming in the first when Joey Votto doubled with one out. Puig followed with a liner to second baseman Adam Frazier. Votto, who ran at the crack of the bat, was easily doubled off to end the inning.
Musgrove cruised from there as the ERA by Pittsburgh’s starters dropped to 1.25.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: RHP Kyle Crick was placed on the 10-day injured list with tightness in his right triceps. Pittsburgh called up OF Jason Martin to take Crick’s roster spot.
UP NEXT
Reds: Tanner Roark (0-1, 6.23 ERA) makes his second start for the Reds on Saturday. Roark, acquired in an offseason trade with Washington, allowed three runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to Milwaukee last Monday.
Pirates: Trevor Williams (1-0, 0.00) will look to back up the six shutout innings he tossed last Sunday against Cincinnati when he makes his second start of the season.
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