Category: Sports

Turner, Zimmerman HR, Nats beat Pirates 3-1 for 4-game sweep

Turner, Zimmerman HR, Nats beat Pirates 3-1 for 4-game sweep
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trea Turner and Ryan Zimmerman homered in the sixth inning and the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 Thursday to complete a four-game sweep.
Jeremy Hellickson and four relievers combined on a five-hitter for Washington, which has won a season-high five in a row. The Nationals won with just four hits.
Sammy Solis (1-1) retired the only batter he faced, ending the sixth to keep the game scoreless. Sean Doolittle recorded the last five outs for his sixth save in as many attempts.
Trevor Williams (4-2) allowed only two runners over the first five innings. Wilmer Difo led off with a single, and after Bryce Harper flied out, Turner hit his second home run of the season.
Two batters later, Zimmerman connected for his fifth homer.
Pittsburgh loaded the bases in the eighth against Ryan Madson on a hit batter, a single and an error. Doolittle entered and got Gregory Polanco on an RBI grounder and retired Starling Marte on a flyball.
Hellickson pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, retiring 13 in a row before yielding a two-out single in the sixth to Adam Frazier. That ended the right-hander’s day, as manager Martinez was unwilling to permit Hellickson to venture too deep into Pittsburgh’s lineup for a third time.
Hellickson struck out four and allowed three hits. He has not earned a victory since Aug. 25 when he was with Baltimore, a span of nine starts.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: 3B Anthony Rendon (bruised toe) will serve as the designated hitter Thursday night as he starts a rehabilitation assignment at Class A Potomac.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Nick Kingham (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who took a perfect game into the seventh inning of his major league debut Sunday against St. Louis, gets another turn in the rotation Friday as Pittsburgh begins a three-game series in Milwaukee.
Nationals: Washington’s homestand continues as Philadelphia arrives for a three-game series. LHP Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 2.67) starts Friday and is 10-7 with a 2.69 ERA in 23 career starts against the Phillies.

Capital’s Wilson suspended 3 games for breaking Aston-Reese jaw!!!

Capitals forward Tom Wilson suspended 3 games
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL has suspended Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson three games for an illegal hit on Pittsburgh’s Zach Aston-Reese.
The league announced the suspension on Wednesday night, a day after Wilson broke Aston-Reese’s jaw with a violent collision near the Washington bench in the second period of Washington’s 4-3 Game 3 victory over the Penguins.
Aston-Reese was stickhandling near the Capitals bench when Wilson drilled the rookie with his left shoulder. The force propelled Wilson up into the Washington bench while Aston-Reese lay on the ice for several moments before skating off. He was later diagnosed with a concussion and a broken jaw.
While Wilson was not penalized during the game, the league’s Department of Player Safety called for a hearing. The league noted that Aston-Reese’s head was the main point of contact and that the hit was avoidable in announcing the suspension.
Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
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Pro Sports Scores & Schedule: May 2, 2018

NHL

Tuesday’s Scores
Washington 4, Pittsburgh 3 (WBVP/WMBA)
[Capitals lead series 2-1]
Winnipeg 7, Nashville 4
[Jets lead series 2-1]

7:00pm
Tampa Bay at Boston
[Series tied 1-1]

10:00pm
Vegas at San Jose
[Golden Knights lead series 2-1]

MLB

Tuesday’s Scores
Washington 12, Pittsburgh 4
Texas 8, Cleveland 6 (F/12)
Atlanta 3, NY Mets 2
Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 6
Detroit 2, Tampa Bay 1
Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (F/10)
Colorado 3, Chi. Cubs 1
NY Yankees 4, Houston 0
Kansas City 7, Boston 6 (F/13)
St. Louis 3, Chi. White Sox 2
Toronto 7, Minnesota 4 (F/10)
Arizona 4, LA Dodgers 3
LA Angels 3, Baltimore 2
San Diego 3, San Francisco 2
Seattle 6, Oakland 3

1:05pm
Kansas City at Boston

1:10pm
Texas at Cleveland
Toronto at Minnesota
Tampa Bay at Detroit

1:15pm
Chi. White Sox at St. Louis

2:20pm
Colorado at Chi. Cubs

3:45pm
San Diego at San Francisco

7:05pm
Pittsburgh at Washington (WBVP/WMBA pregame 6:40)

7:10pm
Philadelphia at Miami
Milwaukee at Cincinnati
Atlanta at NY Mets

8:00pm
NY Yankees at Houston

9:40pm
LA Dodgers at Arizona

10:07pm
Baltimore at LA Angels

10:10pm
Oakland at Seattle

NBA

Tuesday’s Scores
Cleveland 113, Toronto 112 (OT)
[Cavaliers lead series 1-0]
Golden State 121, New Orleans 116
[Warriors lead series 2-0]

8:00pm
Utah at Houston
[Rockets lead series 1-0]

Pro Sports Scores & Schedule: May 1, 2018

NHL

Monday’s Scores
Tampa Bay 4, Boston 2
[Series tied 1-1]
Vegas 4, San Jose 3 (OT)
[Golden Knights lead series 2-1]

7:30pm
Washington at Pittsburgh {WBVP/WMBA pregame 6:30}
[Series tied 1-1]

8:00pm
Nashville at Winnipeg
[Series tied 1-1]

MLB

Monday’s Scores
Washington 3, Pittsburgh 2
Cleveland 7, Texas 5
Tampa Bay 3, Detroit 2
Milwaukee 6, Cincinnati 5
Chi. Cubs 3, Colorado 2
Miami 8, Philadelphia 4
Boston 10, Kansas City 6
Toronto 7, Minnesota 5
Houston 2, NY Yankees 1
San Francisco 6, San Diego 5
Arizona 8, LA Dodgers 5

6:10pm
Texas at Cleveland

7:05pm
Pittsburgh at Washington

7:10pm
Atlanta at NY Mets
Tampa Bay at Detroit
Kansas City at Boston
Milwaukee at Cincinnati
Philadelphia at Miami

8:05pm
Colorado at Chi. Cubs

8:10pm
NY Yankees at Houston
Toronto at Minnesota

8:15pm
Chi. White Sox at St. Louis

9:40pm
LA Dodgers at Arizona

10:07pm
Baltimore at LA Angels

10:10pm
Oakland at Seattle

10:15pm
San Diego at San Francisco

NBA

Monday’s Scores
Boston 117, Philadelphia 101
[Celtics lead series 1-0]

8:00pm
Cleveland at Toronto
[Game 1]

10:30pm
New Orleans at Golden State
[Warriors lead series 1-0]

Bucs fall to the Nationals 3-2!! Costly errors ends Bucs winning streak!!!

Roark goes 7 innings, gets rare RBI as Nats beat Pirates 3-2
By BEN NUCKOLS, AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tanner Roark pitched seven efficient innings and drove in his first run since 2016, and the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Monday night.
Roark (2-2) allowed two runs on six hits, struck out four and induced two double-play grounders for his first win since April 2 as the Nationals ended a disappointing April with their second straight victory.
Starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (2-3) drove in the first run for the Pirates with a two-out double to deep left-center in the fifth. He worked six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, as NL Central-leading Pittsburgh lost for the first time since his previous start. The Pirates had won five straight.
Bryce Harper drew two intentional walks and struck out twice in four plate appearances. The former MVP now has 38 walks and eight intentional passes this season, both tops in the majors, as the injury-depleted Nationals have struggled to protect him in the lineup.
Harper’s first intentional walk came in the third after he had worked the count to 2-1 with Trea Turner on second base. Taillon then struck out Howie Kendrick — who went 0-for-4 while batting cleanup for the third time this season — and Matt Adams to end the threat.
Batting in the fourth with runners on first and second, Roark bunted the first pitch foul. Then he pulled the bat back as Taillon threw a wild pitch, allowing the runners to advance. Roark hit the next pitch up the middle to score Matt Wieters and put the Nationals ahead 2-1, his second hit this season and his fifth career RBI. Turner followed with a run-scoring single, one of his three hits on the night.
Corey Dickerson homered to deep left leading off the seventh to pull the Pirates within one. Roark then retired the next three batters, fanning the final two.
Ryan Madson retired the side in the eighth and Brandon Kintzler worked the ninth for his first save in place of regular closer Sean Doolittle, who had pitched in the previous three games.
Wilmer Difo had two hits and drove in Washington’s first run with a second-inning single.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: 2B Daniel Murphy (offseason knee surgery) was back with the team after spending two weeks at extended spring training in West Palm Beach, Florida, and was scheduled to be re-evaluated by team doctors. He has been hitting, running and taking ground balls, Martinez said. There is still no timetable for his return. … 3B Anthony Rendon (left toe contusion) became eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list on Sunday, and no decision has been made on whether he will have a minor league rehab assignment.
Pirates: CF Starling Marte was out of the starting lineup for the first time this season but popped out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. … LHP Enny Romero said he had been trying to pitch through pain in his throwing shoulder before he told team trainers about the injury on Sunday. Pittsburgh had planned to designate him for assignment but instead placed him on the 10-day DL, retroactive to Thursday. “It’s a new organization. He didn’t want to come in and say he wasn’t ready to pitch or that he couldn’t pitch,” Hurdle said. “After we had that conversation, I guess there’s a process you go through where you contact MLB and get the verification that everything’s OK, and it’s OK now that he’s on DL.”
SHORT MAN
The Nationals shook up their bullpen again, recalling right-hander Wander Suero from Triple-A Syracuse and sending right-hander Austin Voth back to Syracuse one day after he was promoted to the big leagues. Voth has been a starter for nearly his entire minor league career, while Suero is a reliever with 30 career minor league saves.
Suero had a chance to make the team out of spring training before he suffered an oblique injury on March 9. He was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in four appearances for Syracuse but did not allow a run in his last three outings.
“I like his ability to get both lefty hitters and righty hitters out. He’s got a really good cutter and he throws strikes,” Martinez said.
UP NEXT
Last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner, Max Scherzer (5-1, 1.62 ERA), who threw his first of two career no-hitters against the Pirates on June 20, 2015, starts for Washington. Pittsburgh right-hander Chad Kuhl (3-1, 4.55) allowed six runs on 10 hits in four innings in his previous start against the Nationals last May.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Cervelli homers helps Bucs to 6-2 win and first place in the central!!!

Cervelli helps Pirates rally for 6-2 win over Cardinals
By ALAN SAUNDERS, Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Francisco Cervelli homered in the second inning and delivered a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the sixth, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 on Saturday night.
The Pirates scored twice in the sixth, twice in the seventh and once in the eighth while erasing a 2-1 deficit. They also rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Cardinals on Friday night.
St. Louis right-hander Jack Flaherty (0-1) started the sixth inning with back-to-back walks before being lifted for Dominic Leone. Josh Bell hit an RBI single and Cervelli’s fly ball to center scored Starling Marte to give Pittsburgh its first lead of the game.
The Pirates added on against the Cardinals’ bullpen in the seventh. Pinch-hitter David Freese had a sacrifice fly and Corey Dickerson singled in Sean Rodriguez.
Colin Moran scored on Jose Martinez’s error on a Gregory Polanco grounder in the eighth.
Cervelli got Pittsburgh on the board with his fourth homer in the second inning. He hit five all of last year.
Pirates starter Trevor Williams (4-1) pitched six innings of two-run ball. Michael Feliz, George Kontos and Edgar Santana combined for three scoreless innings in relief.
Flaherty was charged with three runs and four hits. The rookie right-hander struck out two and walked four.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: RHP Joe Musgrove (shoulder strain) will make his first rehab start with Class A Bradenton on Tuesday. He’s expected to throw three innings. Musgrove has been on the disabled list since March 30. . 2B Josh Harrison (hand fracture) took infield practice with a modified glove. He’s still expected to be about a month away from returning.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: Luke Weaver (2-1, 4.85 ERA) will start the series finale Sunday. Weaver has given up 10 runs over his last two starts after allowing four total in his first three outings of the season.
Pirates: RHP Nick Kingham is expected to be recalled from the minors for his major league debut. Kingham was 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA in four starts with Triple-A Indianapolis.

Steelers Pick QB Mason Rudolph in the Third Round

Could this be Big Ben’s replacement when he retires? The Steelers made a trade with the Seahawks to move up and pick Oklahoma State Quarterback Mason Rudolph. Tune into the Saturday Sports Slam with Greg Benedetti and Matt Drzik  Saturday morning for more on all of the Steelers draft choices at 8 a.m..

Pro Sports Scores & Schedule: April 27, 2018

NHL

Thursday’s Scores
Pittsburgh 3, Washington 2
[Penguins lead series 1-0]
Vegas 7, San Jose 0
[Golden Knights lead series 1-0]

8:00pm
Winnipeg at Nashville
[Game 1]

MLB

Thursday’s Scores
Pittsburgh 1, Detroit 0
Seattle 5, Cleveland 4
NY Yankees 4, Minnesota 3
Atlanta 7, Cincinnati 4
St. Louis 4, NY Mets 3 (F/13)
Arizona 8, Philadelphia 2
Tampa Bay 9, Baltimore 5
Chi. Cubs 1, Milwaukee 0
Boston 5, Toronto 4
Chi. White Sox 6, Kansas City 3

2:20pm
Milwaukee at Chi. Cubs

7:05pm
St. Louis at Pittsburgh
Atlanta at Philadelphia
Detroit at Baltimore
Arizona at Washington

7:07pm
Texas at Toronto

7:10pm
Seattle at Cleveland
Colorado at Miami
Tampa Bay at Boston

8:10pm
Cincinnati at Minnesota
Oakland at Houston

8:15pm
Chi. White Sox at Kansas City

10:07pm
NY Yankees at LA Angels

10:10pm
NY Mets at San Diego

10:15pm
LA Dodgers at San Francisco

NBA

Thursday’s Scores
Milwaukee 97, Boston 86
[Series tied 3-3]

7:00pm
Toronto at Washington
[Raptors lead series 3-2]

8:00pm
Cleveland at Indiana
[Cavaliers lead series 3-2]

10:30pm
Oklahoma City at Utah
[Jazz lead series 3-2]

Penguins erase 2-goal deficit, beat Capitals 3-2 in Game 1

Penguins erase 2-goal deficit, beat Capitals 3-2 in Game 1
By STEPHEN WHYNO, AP Hockey Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Patric Hornqvist, Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel scored in a 4:49 span to help the Pittsburgh Penguins rally to beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Thursday night in Game 1 of the second-round series.
Down 2-0 early in the third period and playing without Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin, Pittsburgh turned it around with all three of its top-line forwards chipping in a goal. Crosby scored the tying goal when the puck bounced to him off Alex Ovechkin’s stick, and assisted on Guentzel’s go-ahead goal.
Matt Murray stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced to put the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions ahead in yet another series with Game 2 on Sunday in Washington. The Penguins have won nine in a row under coach Mike Sullivan dating to 2016, including the past two meetings against Washington.
Evgeny Kuznetsov scored 17 seconds in and Ovechkin beat Murray 28 seconds into the third period for the Capitals, who lost a game started by Braden Holtby for the first time in these playoffs. Holtby was one of the best players on the ice in the first two periods before he and his teammates blew another two-goal lead.
Holtby allowed three goals on 25 shots, including at least one he’d like to have back during the Penguins’ comeback. It was his worst game since replacing Philipp Grubauer in net during the first round against Columbus.
It also was another stellar showing by Murray, who made his best save with 2:30 left when he got his stick on a shot by Brett Connolly. Murray earlier kept the puck out against a net-crashing Devante Smith-Pelly and made a save on a point-blank chance by Michal Kempny.
Murray took a shot off the mask from Ovechkin in the third but made save after save down the stretch with the Capitals pressing.
NOTES: Kuznetsov’s goal was the second-fastest in Capitals playoff history after Mike Gartner scored 15 seconds in against the Islanders in 1987. … The Capitals have killed 18 consecutive penalties dating to Game 2 against Columbus. .., Malkin skated Thursday morning with teammates, while Hagelin did not make the trip. Malkin could be an option for Game 2 if his apparent leg injury has healed enough. … Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan opted to maintain balance in his lineup, putting Riley Sheahan with Simon and Phil Kessel and keeping Derick Brassard with Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust.
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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
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Dickerson’s disputed homer lifts Pirates over Tigers 1-0

Dickerson’s disputed homer lifts Pirates over Tigers 1-0
By ALAN SAUNDERS, Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Corey Dickerson hit the first game-ending home run of his major league career, a disputed one-out drive in the ninth inning that lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Detroit Tigers 1-0 Thursday.
Dickerson sent an 0-1 slider from Alex Wilson (0-1) just over the 21-foot-high wall in right field, at first standing at the plate and watching the drive before starting to jog up the first-base line. A fan in a black Pirates sweatshirt reached out and caught the ball, and Wilson immediately pointed to ask for a video the initial home-run call.
Dickerson rounded third base, rolled his helmet toward the plate and was mobbed by teammates, with Adam Frazier dumping a jug of Gatorade over him. Nearly two minutes later, the home-run call was upheld, and the Pirates exchanged more hugs. It was just the second home run of the season for Dickerson.
Felipe Vazquez (1-0) escaped a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the ninth created by two singles and a walk. James McCann grounded to third baseman Colin Moran, who threw home to force Francisco Cervelli, Victor Martinez popped out and Jose Iglesias bounced into a forceout.
Pirates starter Ivan Nova allowed six hits in eight innings and struck out five. Detroit’s Michael Fulmer struck out nine in six innings while giving up four hits.
Detroit’s Leonys Martin was 2 for 4 with a triple and also reached on an error and went 5 for 14 (.357) in the series with two home runs and three RBIs
MAKING MOVES
Detroit re-called RHP Johnny Barbato from Triple-A Toledo, where he had a 1.17 ERA in six games with nine strikeouts and three walks in 7 2/3 innings.
Pittsburgh traded minor league OF Todd Cunningham to the Chicago White Sox for future considerations. Cunningham hit .130 in nine games with Triple-A Indianapolis.
TRAINING ROOM
Pirates: RHP Bo Schultz (Tommy John surgery) pitched on back-to-back days Tuesday and Wednesday with Class A Bradenton and is ready to move up in his rehab. He pitched 10 2/3 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts.
UP NEXT
Tigers: RHP Mike Fiers (2-1, 3.71 ERA) is to start a three-game series at Baltimore on Friday. He beat Kansas City on Sunday despite allowing 10 hits and striking out none.
Pirates: LHP Steven Brault (2-1, 4.44 ERA) opens a three-game against visiting St. Louis on Friday.
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