(File Photo: Source for Photo: San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth, left, is greeted by Nick Castellanos (21) after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Justin Lawrence during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Castellanos hit a two-run double, Jake Cronenworth added a two-run homer and the San Diego Padres beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 on Wednesday.

Castellanos’ double began a four-run seventh inning that broke open a scoreless game and helped San Diego clinch the three-game series.

Michael King (1-1) allowed two runs on four hits over six innings while striking out four and walking three for San Diego. Justin Lawrence (0-1) took the loss after giving up four runs on three hits in one inning for Pittsburgh.

The game remained scoreless through six innings as Mitch Keller and King matched each other early. Keller worked six scoreless frames, allowing three hits and striking out four, while King limited Pittsburgh to two hits through the first six innings.

San Diego broke through in the seventh after Xander Bogaerts reached on a throwing error and Miguel Andujar doubled to put runners at second and third. Castellanos followed with a double to left field that scored both runners and gave the Padres a 2-0 lead.

Luis Campusano grounded out before Cronenworth lined a two-run homer to right-center field, stretching the lead to 4-0.

Pittsburgh answered in the bottom half. Nick Yorke singled and Nick Gonzales doubled to start the inning before Konnor Griffin hit a sacrifice fly to score Yorke. Joey Bart later added an RBI single that cut the deficit to 4-2.

The Padres pulled away in the ninth, though, as Campusano doubled home Bryce Johnson. Fernando Tatis Jr. added an RBI single and Jackson Merrill drove in a run on a fielder’s choice before Merrill stole second and Tatis stole home to make it 8-2.

Kyle Hart and Jeremiah Estrada each worked scoreless relief innings before Mason Miller struck out two in a perfect ninth. Miller extended the longest active scoreless streak in the majors to 26 2/3 innings.

Earlier Wednesday, the Pirates announced they signed Griffin to a nine-year contract worth at least $140 million.

Up next

RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (0-0, 4.00 ERA) opens the series against the Cubs on Friday for the Pirates, while RHP Randy Vásquez (1-0, 0.75 ERA) takes the mound for the Padres against the Rockies.

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin takes infield practice before making his Major League Baseball debut in the Pirates’ home-opener against the Baltimore Orioles in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Konnor Griffin is with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the long haul.

The 19-year-old shortstop agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract with the Pirates early Wednesday, less than a week after the former first-round pick made his major league debut.

The deal, the largest in club history, includes escalators that could raise the total value to $150 million.

Griffin’s Pittsburgh teammates attended Wednesday’s news conference to announce the deal hours before the team lost to the San Diego Padres 8-2.

“This week has been amazing, debut week, and then sitting here signing a contract, it’s been amazing,” Griffin said. “It’s one of the best weeks of my life. … But it’ll be even better if we can get a win today.”

In Wednesday’s game, Griffin entered as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh and hit a sacrifice fly to score Nick Yorke for the Pirates’ first run.

Pirates owner Bob Nutting said the nine-year contract reflects the team’s commitment in winning this season and in the future.

“This is an important step for 2026 as we look at it right now, but obviously this is a long-term commitment,” Nutting said. “It’s a long-term statement of where we’re headed as an organization, where we are headed with this team. … This obviously is an unusual and dramatic step for the Pittsburgh Pirates. So I’m excited, I hope our fans are excited, I hope the city is excited, I know the organization is excited.”

When asked why it was important to sign for nine years, Griffin said he sees the Pirates as a winning organization.

“I’m pumped to be a Pirate and be a part of this wonderful clubhouse,” Griffin said, looking at his teammates at the back of the room. “A lot of great talent back there and coaches and staff. Thank you all for being here to support me. Y’all made this transition to the big leagues super easy. And I’m just pumped to go compete. The goal is to win. The goal is to win a World Series. And I think we’ve got a great clubhouse to go do that. I’m pump to be part of it.”

The agreement comes less than 24 hours after general manager Ben Cherington said the “ingredients” were in place for a long-term pact.

The Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft. He sprinted through the team’s farm system, hitting .333 with 21 home runs, 94 RBIs and 65 stolen bases. He was one of the final cuts during spring training last month, and his stay at Triple-A Indianapolis was brief.

Pittsburgh called Griffin to the majors after just a week, and he has played well through his first handful of games. Griffin laced an RBI-double in his first big-league at bat against Baltimore last Friday, and added a pair of hits, including a two-run single, in a 7-1 win over San Diego on Tuesday night that helped the Pirates to their sixth win in seven games.

Griffin, who has said repeatedly he wants to stay in Pittsburgh for as long as possible, has impressed teammates with his maturity and his unique skillset.

Reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes called Griffin “a big leaguer through and through,” though Griffin is doing his best to ignore the attention that has surrounded his arrival for a team that is trying to return to relevance and end a playoff drought that’s now over a decade old.

“Just sticking to being myself, not trying to do too much,” Griffin said Tuesday night. “Just let the game tell me the situation. Compete one pitch at a time and let it all happen.”

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes put together his second straight solid start, keeping San Diego hitless until the sixth inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 7-1 win over the Padres on Tuesday night.

Skenes (2-1), who was rocked during an opening day loss to the New York Mets, struck out six and walked two in 6 1/3 innings while lowering his ERA to 5.54. The Padres’ first of two hits against the 23-year-old was a clean single to left by Fernando Tatis Jr. with one out in the sixth.

Xander Bogaerts homered off Skenes — the first round-tripper given up by a Pittsburgh starter this season — with one out in the seventh. Skenes exited to a loud ovation from the announced crowd of 9,061 on a chilly night as the Pirates won for the sixth time in seven games.

Oneil Cruz hit a two-run double off Nick Pivetta (1-2) in the fifth and Nick Gonzales added a two-run single to start a five-run eighth for the Pirates. Skenes and three relievers combined on a three-hitter.

Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin picked up the second and third hits of his major league career. The 19-year-old had an infield single in the fifth and scored from first on Cruz’s laser down the left field line. He added a line drive to center for a two-run single in the eighth, a few hours after Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said some ingredients for a long-term contract for Griffin were “in place.”

Pivetta was dominant through four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. The veteran right-hander gave up two runs on four hits with a walk and a season-high eight strikeouts.

Up next

The series wraps up on Wednesday. Michael King (0-1, 3.38 ERA) starts for the Padres against Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller (1-0, 1.50).

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Frank Franklin II, AP)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The NHL recently named Pittsburgh Penguins center Rickard Rakell as last week’s first star of the week. Rakell scored seven goals and notched eight points in five games last week. He scored two of those goals against the Florida Panthers on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins have won four of five games and are now just two points away from clinching their first playoff berth since 2022. Rakell has 11 goals, including three multi-goal games in the last ten games for the Penguins.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: San Diego Padres’ Ramón Laureano, right, doubles off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Justin Lawrence (not shown), driving in a run, during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Monday, April 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Germán Márquez combined with two relievers on a seven-hit shutout for his first win with San Diego, and the Padres ended the Pittsburgh Pirates’ five-game winning streak with a 5-0 victory Monday night.

Nick Castellanos hit the first of San Diego’s four RBI doubles. Jackson Merrill, Jake Cronenworth and Ramón Laureano each had a run-scoring double as well to help the Padres win their third straight.

Márquez (1-1) pitched five innings, allowing six hits and one walk on 92 pitches. He struck out four.

Ron Marinaccio and David Morgan each worked two innings to finish San Diego’s second shutout this season.

Manny Machado scored a run and knocked in another with a groundout. Freddy Fermin scored twice, and Xander Bogaerts had two hits and a walk.

Pirates rookie starter Bubba Chandler (0-1) threw 83 pitches over 4 1/3 innings. He gave up three runs, five hits and four walks.

Pittsburgh went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and lost at home for the first time this season.

Up next

Nick Pivetta (1-1) starts against Pirates ace Paul Skenes (1-1) on Tuesday in the middle game of the series.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jared Triolo scores on a double by Henry Davis off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates placed third baseman Jared Triolo on the injured list on Sunday and recalled outfielder/first baseman Billy Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Triolo has a right knee patellar tendon injury. He is hitting .217 in six games.

Cook made the Pirates’ opening day roster but appeared in only one game and did not have an at-bat before being sent down. In two games at Indianapolis, Cook went 3 for 9 with a home run.

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Gannon University Athletics, Posted on Facebook on April 6th, 2026)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Pace Prosser totaled 28 points and 11 rebounds and Gannon beat Lander 84-61 on Sunday to win the Division II Championship.

Prosser made 10 of 19 shots with four 3-pointers for the Golden Knights (34-3) in a battle between two teams aiming for a first national championship. Prosser added five assists and five steals. Lucas Sekasi finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Mackenzie Morgan added 12 points and seven rebounds, while his twin brother Lucas scored 11.

Dylan Canoville totaled 14 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Bearcats (30-6), who saw a 15-game winning streak end. Jacob Daniels and Greyson Pritzl both scored 11.

Second-year coach Easton Bazzoli led the third-seeded Golden Knights of Erie, Pennsylvania, to the title three years after a three-win season.

Prosser and Layne Sarver sank two straight 3-pointers in a 15-0 run that began and ended with baskets by Sekasi and the Golden Knights took a 20-9 lead. Canoville’s rebound basket ended the run as Lander scored six straight, but Prosser hit two 3-pointers in the final 1:11 for a 37-21 advantage at halftime.

Mackenzie Morgan hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the first two minutes of the second half and Gannon upped its advantage to 43-22. The Bearcats got no closer than 14 from there.

Coach Omar Wattad and No. 5 seed Lander, out of Greenwood, S.C., upset defending champion and top seed Nova Southeastern 91-81 in the semifinals.

Gannon advanced to the title game one other time — in 1987 — but it ended in a 92-74 loss to Kentucky Wesleyan.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Ryan O’Hearn celebrates on second base after driving in a run off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan O’Hearn homered and matched a career high with four RBIs as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Sunday to sweep a three-game series and extend their winning streak to five.

O’Hearn hit a two-run shot to right-center in the first inning. In the second, his two-run double highlighted a four-run outburst as the Pirates pushed their lead to 6-0.

Oneil Cruz made it 8-1 with a two-run homer to center field in the sixth. He also singled home a run in the second.

Cruz’s homer came off left-hander Cade Povich. The center fielder is 7 for 10 with three homers against lefties after going 11 for 108 with one homer last season.

That was plenty of support for Braxton Ashcraft (1-1), who allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He had a career-high eight strikeouts and no walks.

Pirates starters have given up two earned runs or fewer in each of their eight games since 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes was tagged for five runs while only getting two outs against the New York Mets on opening day.

Orioles starter Chris Bassitt (0-2) was roughed up for six runs in two innings. Signed to an $18.5 million, one-year contract as a free agent just before spring training, the right-hander has given up 10 runs over 6 1/3 innings in two starts.

Pete Alonso had an RBI double and Taylor Ward got three hits for the Orioles, who lost for the fifth time in six games.

Up next

Orioles: Were undecided on a starter for Monday night when they open a three-game road series against the Chicago White Sox and Erick Fedde (0-1, 5.40 ERA).

Pirates: Begin a three-game home series with San Diego on Monday night as rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (0-0, 0.00) faces RHP Germán Márquez (0-1, 12.00).