Arvin game set for Thursday

YOUNGSTOWN — The 39th annual Mahoning Valley Football Coaches Association Jack Arvin All-Star Football Classic will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Liberty Leopard Football Stadium.

East Palestine’s Mike Demster will serve as head coach for the Mahoning-Columbiana team.

Leetonia’s Carson Brock, East Palestine’s Owen Jurjavcic, East Palestine’s Brock Kleinkhnect, Columbiana’s Spencer Pruitt, Southern’s Timmy Potts, Southern’s Brody Brown, East Palestine’s Logan Guy, Southern’s Casey Edmiston and East Palestine’s Kyler Bourne were all on the preliminary roster for Mahoning-Columbiana.

McCullers outduels Skenes

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Lance McCullers Jr. pitched six sparkling innings for his first win since 2022, and Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes hit late home runs as the Houston Astros beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 on Tuesday night.

McCullers (1-1) won a tight duel with Pirates ace Paul Skenes, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out seven. It was his first win since Sept. 21, 2022, at Tampa Bay.

The right-hander missed the past two seasons because of injuries, then was winless in his first five starts this year after being activated from the injured list on May 4.

Skenes (4-6) was nearly as dazzling in defeat, giving up one run and three hits in eight innings. He struck out eight and walked one as the Pirates lost for the third time in four games.

Skenes’ record is two games under .500 despite a 2.05 ERA.

Walker hit a first-pitch sweeper from Skenes into the left-field bleachers with one out in the seventh to break a scoreless tie. It was the first baseman’s eighth home run this season.

Paredes added a two-run shot in the ninth, his 12th, off Dennis Santana.

Shawn Dubin, Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader worked an inning apiece to complete the four-hitter. Hader his converted all 16 of his save opportunities this season.

Houston won the opener of a three-game series for its seventh victory in nine games.

The Astros pitched their sixth shutout of the year. The Pirates have been blanked 10 times in 61 games.

Key moment

With the Pirates down 1-0 and runners on first and second with one out in the eighth, Oneil Cruz grounded into a forceout. Then he was caught stealing to end the inning.

Key stat

Skenes has pitched at least eight innings three times in his two-year career and the Pirates have lost all three games.

Up next

Ryan Gusto (3-2, 4.62 ERA) starts Wednesday night for Houston against fellow rookie right-hander Mike Burrows (0-1, 8.64).

Chisholm helps Yanks beat Guardians

NEW YORK (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a tiebreaking home run in his return from a month on the injured list, Carlos Rodón won his seventh straight decision and the New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-2 on Tuesday night for their 11th win in 14 games.

Back from a strained right oblique that caused him to miss 28 games, Chisholm pulled a fastball into the first row of the right-center seats against Tanner Bibee (4-6) for a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning. Six pitches later, Anthony Volpe drove a sweeper into the left-field stands, giving the Yankees back-to-back homers for the fifth time.

Rodón (8-3) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. He extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and retired 17 straight batters entering the seventh, when José Ramírez singled, stole second and came around when David Fry bounced a single past DJ LeMahieu at second base. Rodón stranded runners at the corners.

Devin Williams, back as closer after Luke Weaver strained a hamstring, allowed Carlos Santana’s one-out double and pinch-hitter Daniel Schneemann’s two-out RBI single in the ninth, then retired Bo Naylor on a flyout for his sixth save in seven chances.

LeMahieu’s fifth-inning single drove in Chisholm, who had blooped a single for the Yankees’ first hit.

Chisholm moved to third base from second, where LeMahieu is starting, and made a fine throw from foul territory to retire Angel Martínez in the third.

Bibee threw a season-high 107 pitches, allowing three runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Fry, whose 10th-inning homer beat the Yankees in Game 3 of last year’s American League Championship Series, went 1 for 3 as the designated hitter.

in his first start following reconstructive right elbow surgery in November. He struck out Sunday as a pinch hitter in his season debut.

Key moment

Aaron Judge twice juggled and then dropped Martínez’s two-out fly in the right-field corner in the sixth, but a video review ruled fan interference on the ball just over the concrete between the field and the stands.

Key stat

Bibee has given up 14 homers, including 11 on the road.

Up next

Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (2-2) and Guardians RHP Luis Ortiz (2-6) start Wednesday.