After beating the Reds, the Pirates  have the day off today  before opening a weekend series against the Cubs.  The first place  cubs lost a day-night double header 7-4 and  1-0 to the San Diego Padres yesterday.  Friday’s starting pitchers are Francisco Lirianno for the Pirates.   Jason Hammel will be on the mound for Chicago.

The Penguins take a 3-2 lead into game six of their Eastern Conference Semi-Final against the Washington Capitals tonight at the Console  Energy Center.  Two announcements were made by  coach Mike Sullivan after Monday’s practice.  Matt Murray will start in goal tonight.  Marc-Andre Fleury will be his back-up.  Fluery hasn’t played since the end of March due to a concussion.  Defenseman  Ollie Matta will return to action tonight.   He has been sidelined since a head shot from Capitals Brooks Orpik in game two.  Orpik will be on defense tonight for the Capials after serving a three game suspension for the Matta hit.  Air time for tonight’s game is 7:30.  The faceoff is scheduled at 8:08.

The Beaver Bobcats girls had a double victory Monday.  The softball team clinched their section with a 15-0 win over Blackhawk.  For the second year in a row the Lady Bobcats have won the WPIAL Class double A  track championship.   It was accomplished at the 43rd Annual Baldwin Invitational.

There will a new voice for ESPN’s Monday Football.  Mike Tirco has been the play by play man for the sports network since 2006.  Last week he announced that he was leaving the network to join NBC.  He will work on special events, Sunday Night Football, and will be part of the networks coverage of the RIO Summer Olympics. ESPN is hiring from within. Sean McDonough has been with the network since 2000. He has covered college football-basketball and is the main announcer for Major League Baseball.  McDonough will join analyst Jon Gruden and reporter Lisa Saunders at the Hall Of Fame Game on August 7th.