Sports

Skenes-Ohtani duel steals show; Pirates prevail

Published

12 months ago

June 6, 2024

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ESPN News Services

Jun 5, 2024, 10:07 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes struck out eight over five innings, Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest pitch in the majors this season and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-6 on Wednesday night.

Skenes (3-0) allowed three runs on six hits, including a two-run shot by Ohtani in the third. The 22-year-old rookie also struck out the Los Angeles superstar with a 100 mph fastball in the first inning, one of 28 pitches thrown by Skenes and Chapman that reached triple digits.

“His stuff that first at-bat was really good,” Ohtani said of Skenes. “I couldn’t put together good swings, but overall just really good stuff.”

Skenes came out firing against the high-powered Dodgers. He struck out Mookie Betts and Ohtani to start the game, but Los Angeles eventually settled in and put steady pressure on the 6-foot-6 right-hander.

Ohtani took a 100 mph fastball and sent it into the Los Angeles bullpen beyond the center-field wall for his 15th homer of the year in the third. He became the first player this season to homer off Skenes’ fastball, according to ESPN Stats & Information; the other two homers Skenes gave up this season were off his slider.

“I like to call that big on big because I obviously beat him a couple times earlier,” Skenes said. “I think that was the right pitch to throw there, he’s just a pretty darn good player. Stuff like that is going to happen.”

Skenes needed 91 pitches to navigate five innings even after being staked to the early lead. He showed a bit of growth in the fifth. Andy Pages homered and Los Angeles then loaded the bases with two outs. Skenes stayed in and got Teoscar Hernandez to ground out to third to end the threat and escape with a 7-3 lead.

“Good composure,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “He’s going to give up home runs, but when you have an error and you load the bases, and again, having to grind through this lineup, it’s not easy. There’s All-Stars throughout it. So very impressed with how composed he stayed.”

Skenes threw 16 pitches of at least 100 mph, one shy of matching himself for the most in a game by a starting pitcher this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

But he wasn’t the only one throwing serious heat at the Dodgers. Chapman, still throwing gas at 36, had five pitches of at least 103 mph during the seventh inning, including a 104 mph sinker to Hernandez that Hernandez managed to foul off.

“You used to know everybody that threw 100,” Shelton said. “The game’s changed, man. These guys are power arms. They’re going at it. I think you saw a really good display of power arms today.”

Nick Gonzales tied a career high with four RBIs for the Pirates. Edward Olivares and Ke’Bryan Hayes had two hits and drove in a run for Pittsburgh, which used a big second inning against James Paxton (5-1) to take control before holding on late.

Ohtani finished with two hits and Jason Heyward doubled three times, but Los Angeles lost for the 10th time in its past 15 games against Pittsburgh.

Paxton failed to get out of the second inning in his shortest start of the season. The Pirates touched him for seven runs (six earned) in the frame, highlighted by two-run singles by Gonzales and Bryan Reynolds. Paxton lasted just 1⅔ innings, while his ERA mushroomed from 3.29 to 4.19.

The teams traded runs in the late innings. Los Angeles’ last best shot came in the eighth when Ohtani stepped to the plate to face Colin Holderman with two on and two out. Ohtani flew out to the warning track in right to end the inning.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sports

Panthers handle Leafs, seal 3rd ECF trip in row

Published

6 hours ago

May 19, 2025

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Panthers handle Leafs, seal 3rd ECF trip in row

ESPN News Services

May 18, 2025, 10:22 PM ET

TORONTO — A three-goal second period broke open a tight game, quieted a raucous crowd at Scotiabank Arena, and powered the Florida Panthers past the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 of this Eastern Conference semifinal series on Sunday night.

Though it wasn’t the typical marquee names you see on the Florida scoresheet, Seth Jones, Anton Lundell and Jonah Gadjovich combined for those tallies, giving the Stanley Cup-champion Panthers a 3-0 lead headed into the third period. It was plenty of room for Florida to shut the door in the third period and seal a berth in the Eastern Conference finals for the third consecutive season. Florida will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 3 beginning Tuesday.

The Maple Leafs, 2-0 winners in Game 6 Friday night in Sunrise, Florida, could not find enough time and space to operate in the Panthers’ zone. With 10 minutes left in regulation, Toronto had just 14 shots on net, with its season on the line, as boos rained down from the capacity crowd.

Eetu Luostarinen and Sam Reinhart chipped in with third-period goals for Florida, giving the champions a 5-1 lead after Toronto’s Max Domi scored at 2:07 of the final frame to briefly give the home team hope. Florida’s Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal to conclude the scoring.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Marchand said during the game broadcast on SportsNet. “We’re having fun, enjoying the moment, that’s all you can do. You don’t get a second chance at these opportunities. You just have to embrace and enjoy it.”

Goaltender Joseph Woll, who authored the shutout in Sunrise on Friday, struggled at home, looking out of position on several Florida goals. Anthony Stolarz, Toronto’s regular starter who had been sidelined since Game 1 with an undisclosed injury, was active and on the bench as Toronto’s backup for Game 7, but he was not called upon.

Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was much sharper on the other end of the ice, allowing only Domi’s goal off a wrist shot on a clean entry into the zone. Bobrovsky, who has started every postseason game for the Panthers this season, was playing in his first Game 7 since he led the Panthers to the Stanley Cup last June with a victory over the Edmonton Oilers in the series’ last game.

Jones, in his first season with Florida and seeking his first shot at the Stanley Cup, opened the scoring with his third goal of the postseason.

“I’m just happy with the situation I’m in,” Jones said on TNT’s postgame show. “Hopefully, my game can grow, and I’m just trying to bring what I can to the table with this team. I’m playing with a lot of great players, and these guys know what it takes to win.”

The game was delayed in the second period, just before Florida’s goal-scoring spree, after referee Chris Rooney, widely considered to be one of the top officials in the NHL, was bloodied and had to leave. The longtime referee was hit by an inadvertent stick to the face.

The play happened 13 seconds into the second period, when Florida’s Niko Mikkola was jousting for the puck and his stick went into Rooney’s face. Rooney skated off with some assistance and with a towel covering much of his face as he was brought to the locker room area for further evaluation and treatment.

The NHL has stand-by officials at playoff games, and Garrett Rank took over as one of the two referees following Rooney’s injury, joining a crew that also included referee Jean Hebert and linespersons Devin Berg and Jonny Murray.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sports

Referee Rooney leaves Game 7 after stick to face

Published

6 hours ago

May 19, 2025

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Referee Rooney leaves Game 7 after stick to face

Associated Press

May 18, 2025, 09:12 PM ET

TORONTO — Referee Chris Rooney, widely considered to be one of the top officials in the NHL, was bloodied and had to leave Game 7 of the Florida Panthers–Toronto Maple Leafs playoff matchup Sunday night after taking an inadvertent stick above one of his eyes.

The play happened 13 seconds into the second period of the Panthers’ 6-1 win when Florida’s Niko Mikkola was jousting for the puck and his stick hit Rooney’s face.

The game was stopped for several minutes and a stretcher was brought onto the ice, but Rooney skated off with some assistance and with a towel covering much of his face as he was brought to the locker room area for further evaluation and treatment.

Rooney got stitches and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

The NHL has standby officials at playoff games, and Garrett Rank took over as one of the two referees following Rooney’s injury, joining a crew that also included referee Jean Hebert and linesmen Devin Berg and Jonny Murray.