An eight game homestand continues for the Pittsburgh Pirates as the New York Mets come to town for a three game series. The Mets come into the series with a 24-18 overall which places them half a game behind first place in the National League East. Tonight’s starters: The Pirates will send right-handed starter Gerrit Cole to the mound against Noah Syndergaard. Cole is coming off a loss to the Chicago Cubs in which he allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings of work. Cole is 0-2 in ... Read More
Archives for May 2015
Cameron Heyward contract extension should be coming soon
With many of the veterans of the defense now long gone, there aren’t many guys left that can be considered the face of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. One of those guys who could though is defensive end Cameron Heyward. Heyward has gotten better each year in the league to the point where he looks to be a fixture on the Steelers defensive line for years to come. For that to happen though Heyward is going to need a new contract. The Ohio State product is entering the final year of his ... Read More
Sophomores Geist, Wiltrout set to make history at PIAA Championships
Over the years, the state of Pennsylvania has produced some of the greatest track and field athletes in the history of the sport. The legendary Jim Thorpe was a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and later athletes such as Kim Gallagher, Leroy Burrell and Pittsburgh's own Lauryn Williams went on to Olympic fame. That's just a few of the names among many who have dominated the sport that have called Pennsylvania home. Now there are two more athletes who are taking the sport by storm and making ... Read More
Otters shock Wild Things 5-3
Down to their final out, the Evansville Otters scored four times to shock the Wild Things 5-3 to complete a three-game sweep on Thursday night at Consol Energy Park. The comeback erased a solid start by Australian Luke Wilkins, who threw five innings of one-run ball while allowing five hits and walking two. He experienced trouble in the first and second innings allowing four hits, but he settled down both times to allow only the one run. "Wilkins did a great job," said Wild Things manager, ... Read More
Report: Sabres to interview Dan Bylsma
Just 24 hours after losing out on the NHL’s top free agent head coach, the Buffalo Sabres have set their sights on someone new, and it’s a name familiar to Penguins fans. With the ink still drying on former Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock’s eight-year $50 million deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, news broke today that the Sabres have asked for and received permission to interview former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma. Sabres moving on quickly from Babcock. Have ... Read More
Better play at nose tackle critical to Steelers improvement
From 2001 to 2012, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense was consistently among the leagues very best. The 3-4 "zone-blitz" schemes implemented by legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau made life miserable for opponents, and helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls over that span. The list of dominant players on those defenses is impressive, and though only Troy Polamalu looks to be the only surefire bet to make the Hall of Fame, you could make an argument that another player from that vaunted ... Read More
COLUMN: Pirates can’t afford more inconsistency from Charlie Morton
The last time I rode the Jack Rabbit at Kennywood, I felt a sense of anxiousness and excitement as I went up the hills, and then I questioned why I torture myself when I go down the slopes. Watching pitcher Charlie Morton’s seven-year career as a Pittsburgh Pirate has been a very similar experience for Bucs fans. And the experience is about to return, since it is probable that Morton will come off the disabled list (hip) and rejoin the rotation early next week, likely sending Vance Worley ... Read More
Highly-touted recruits could make 2015 PSAC season exciting
As the summer progresses, current players on Division II rosters will continue to improve on their own as they await summer camp. But when August arrives, a new crop of student-athletes will step foot on campus to push them even harder for playing time. The PSAC has been known for being a power conference among D2, and the rich got richer this offseason as each team has signed key players at key positions to help their program going forward. Here, we take a quick look at who you'll see in a ... Read More
Madden Curse alters Troy Polamalu’s greatness
As everyone knows, Pittsburgh Steelers great Troy Polamalu officially played his last game of pro football. Polamalu was an unbelievable playmaker on defense and was frequently described as possibly becoming the greatest safety ever. It looked like he was an unstoppable force until he became victim to a curse, not just any curse, the “Madden Curse.” Don’t believe me. Just take a look at Polamalu’s career before and after his placement on the Madden cover. Polamalu was drafted by the ... Read More
Pirates swept on Mauer home run in extra innings
Andrew McCutchen did not want to see his Pittsburgh Pirates get swept by the Minnesota Twins, so he took matters into his own hands. His eighth inning home run tied the game and eventually sent the game in to extra innings. On a night where the Pittsburgh Steelers trademark song Renegade was played in a tribute to Troy Polamalu, the Pirates pulled off their version of a fourth-quarter comeback but fell in overtime, by a 4-3 score in the 13th inning. “You keep trying to find a way to ... Read More