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PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes bounced back from the worst start of his career and teamed up with catcher Henry Davis to make a little history as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Washington Nationals 10-3 on Monday night.

Skenes and Davis became the first pitcher/catcher battery in major league history, comprising players selected No. 1 in the draft. Skenes (2-1), the top pick in 2023, gave up two runs, one earned, and struck out six in six innings as the Pirates ended a three-game losing streak.

Davis, selected No. 1 in 2021, singled after replacing injured starter Endy Rodriguez in the first inning. Rodriguez lacerated the index finger on his right hand after a Skenes pitch hit James Wood‘s foot and deflected toward Rodriguez.

It hasn’t been as smooth of a ride to the majors for Davis that it was for Skenes, but perhaps this is the year the 25-year-old, who had a standout career at Louisville, sticks with the big club. Just when it seemed he might have the inside track on the starting catcher job last season, the Pirates landed Joey Bart, who took over the club’s primary duties behind the plate.

“(Henry) can call a game,” Skenes said after the win. “He was prepared. It’s not a surprise. I’ve been with him for the better part of two years now. You want to see why he’s the type of player he is, you don’t have to look very far. For him to come into a tough situation, call the game and catch as well as he did says a lot about it.”

There might be a window now to gain additional starts at catcher. After the win, Pirates manager Derek Shelton told reporters that Rodriguez needed four stitches for a laceration on his right index finger, and that a trip to the injured list seemed likely.

“Just being ready to jump in, and know what (Skenes) wanted to do, and be on his page pretty quickly,” Davis said of his preparation for Monday’s moment, “that was the goal.”

The 22-year-old Skenes, who gave up a career-worst five runs in a loss to St. Louis last week, had little trouble with the Nationals. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year’s only real issue was with Pittsburgh’s defense, including his own. Skenes was tagged with a pair of errors for wayward pickoff attempts, the second of which led to an unearned run in the sixth.

By then, however, the Pirates were comfortably ahead, a rarity during an ugly opening two-plus weeks to the season filled with missteps.

Oneil Cruz had two hits and scored twice while batting leadoff. Enmanuel Valdez and Ke’Bryan Hayes both drove in three runs. Bryan Reynolds drove in a pair of runs. Andrew McCutchen added a hit and made a pretty sliding grab in right field, flinging his 38-year-old body to the PNC Park turf to rob Keibert Ruiz of a hit in the sixth.

Nasim Nunez had two of Washington’s five hits. Brad Lord (0-1) slogged through 4⅓ innings, giving up four runs, three earned, and six hits with three walks and a strikeout.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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College football spring transfer portal: Live news, rumors and analysis

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College football spring transfer portal: Live news, rumors and analysis

College football‘s spring transfer portal period opens Wednesday and runs through Friday, April 25.

More than 2,200 players have elected to transfer this offseason. This period is the last chance for underclassmen to switch teams before the start of the 2025 season and for schools to bolster their roster.

The biggest news of the spring period happened this past weekend when Tennessee parted ways with quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The former four-star recruit, who threw 19 touchdown passes in 2024, was seeking an increase in his NIL package. He is now looking for a new home.

With players officially able to enter their names in the portal, we’re tracking all the latest news and developments.

Transfer portal coverage:
Best available player rankings
What to expect

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Kent State fired Burns for violations of contract

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Kent State fired Burns for violations of contract

Kenni Burns was fired as Kent State‘s football head coach for multiple violations of his contract, including how he used a personal credit card.

Kent State did not provide details on why Burns was fired last Friday, but a copy of Burns’ dismissal letter was obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.

University president Todd A. Diacon outlined five reasons for cause for Burns’ firing, with the first being “significant, repetitive, and intentional violation (or a pattern of conduct which may constitute or lead to a major violation), as determined by Kent State University after appropriate investigation, of the University’s policies and procedures regarding your P-card (personal card) expenditures.”

Burns was sued last September by Hometown Bank in Kent, Ohio, for $23,852.09 plus interest in unpaid credit card purchases, which exceeded the credit limit of $20,000. Burns did not make minimum monthly payments on the card and was 60 days past due in August, according to a Portage County Court of Common Pleas document.

The case was dismissed a couple months later when Burns made payment.

Burns was put on administrative leave with pay on March 27, a couple of days before the Golden Flashes began spring practices. Athletic director Randale Richmond said in the letter to Burns that he was being investigated for committing deliberate or serious violations of policies outlined by the university.

“My family and I are saddened by the news today,” Burns posted on social media after he was fired. “We are thankful for the relationships and connections we have made with the players, coaches, and staff over the past few years. The team bond we have is not transactional but that of a family. Kent G.R.I.T. will bind us forever, and for that I am thankful. I am proud of you all, and we will be rooting for you this season and beyond.”

Calls and emails by The Associated Press to Lee Hutton III, Burns’ attorney, have not been returned.

Burns was 1-23 in two seasons at Kent State. The team went 0-12 last season, the fifth winless season in school history. Before arriving at Kent State, Burns was the running backs coach at Minnesota.

Offensive coordinator Mark Carney will serve as the interim coach for the upcoming season with a national search taking place at the end of the year.

Kent State opens its season on Aug. 30 against Merrimack, a Football Championship Subdivision foe.

The Golden Flashes schedule gets more difficult after that, including road games against Texas Tech (Sept. 6), Florida State (Sept. 20) and Oklahoma (Oct. 4).

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Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear

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Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin offensive tackle Kevin Heywood is expected to miss all of the upcoming season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in spring practice.

Heywood, the Badgers’ projected starter at left tackle, hurt his knee in practice Thursday. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell revealed the severity of the injury on Tuesday.

“That was one that’s going to be really difficult and tough, but it’s also part of the game,” Fickell said. “We’ve been fortunate up front in the last two seasons to have those guys prepared and be able to last through the season. Now we’re going to have to figure out how we’re going to manage some of that and move some other guys around and expect some other guys to step up, whether it’s Leyton Nelson, an Emerson Mandell, guys like that have got to step in.”

Wisconsin had benefited from remarkable stability on its offensive line during the first two years of Fickell’s tenure.

The Badgers had the same starting offensive line for each of its 12 games last year, with Jack Nelson at left tackle, Joe Brunner at left guard, Jake Renfro at center, Joe Huber at right guard and Riley Mahlman at right tackle. Brunner, Renfro and Mahlman are back this year.

Wisconsin also had the same starting offensive line for all 12 of its regular-season games in 2023, with Nelson at left tackle, Huber at left guard, Tanor Bortolini at center, Michael Furtney at right guard and Mahlman at right tackle. The only change that season came in the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU, with Renfro getting to start after missing the entire regular season with an injury to his lower left leg.

Heywood was expected to take over this season for Nelson, who had started at left tackle each of the last three years. Heywood had participated in all 12 games for Wisconsin last year while playing special teams and making occasional appearances on offense.

His injury represents a setback for a Wisconsin team seeking to bounce back after its streak of 22 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances ended last year. The Badgers finished 5-7 last season and lost their final five games.

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