Rays blank Guardians

CLEVELAND (AP) — Nick Martinez pitched three-hit ball into the eighth inning, Jonathan Aranda drove in a run for the third straight game and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Cleveland Guardians 1-0 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to six games.

The Rays are 13-1 against American League opponents this season, matching the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers, 1984 Detroit Tigers, 1981 Oakland Athletics and 1966 Cleveland Indians for the best start versus AL competition.

Cleveland second baseman Travis Bazzana, the top pick in the 2024 amateur draft, went 0 for 2 with two walks in his major league debut.

The Guardians have dropped four straight and five of six.

Martinez (2-1) threw only 78 pitches, 54 for strikes, and retired nine Cleveland hitters on two pitches or fewer. The right-hander struck out four and walked one. He was lifted after walking Bazzana to start the eighth.

Cleveland loaded the bases with one out on three walks — one intentional — but couldn’t score. Ian Seymour struck out Chase DeLauter, and Kevin Kelly retired José Ramírez on a flyball to deep center field.

Cole Sulser fanned two in a one-hit ninth for his 16th career save and first since 2022 with Miami. The Guardians put two runners on with two outs before Sulser struck out pinch-hitter George Valera to end it.

Taylor Walls drew a walk from Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-4) in the fifth. With two outs, Walls advanced to third on Ben Williamson’s base hit to right field and scored when Aranda lined a single just past Bazzana’s outstretched glove for his 25th RBI this season, which is second in the AL.

Bibee allowed four hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked three.

Longtime track announcer to be honored

COLUMBIANA — Thursday will be a special day for former Crestview teacher, coach and athletic director and current public address announcer Andris Baltputnis.

There were will be open house at Crestview High School’s new $1.4 million indoor athletic facility at 3:45 p.m. Thursday. There will be a ribbon cutting and a dedication of the Andris Baltputnis Athletic Center.

The Mr. B Middle School Invitational will follow at 4:30 p.m.

Seven boys and girls junior high track teams are scheduled to compete including host Crestview, Austintown, Boardman St. Charles, Canfield, Heartland Christian, Lordstown and United,.

The field events will start at 4:30 p.m. and the running events at 5:15 p.m.

Cardinals carve up Buccos

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nolan Gorman homered and drove in three runs and Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker drove in three runs apiece to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to an 11-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

JJ Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera, the top two hitters in the Cardinals’ batting order, scored three runs each. Burleson, Walker and Masyn Winn each finished with two hits.

Gorman opened the scoring with a homer leading off the second, his fourth of the season. Victor Scott II started a two-run second with his first home run of the season before Wetherholt doubled and scored a single by Walker.

The Cardinals extended their lead to 6-0 in the fifth when Burleson doubled in a run and Walker and Gorman followed with consecutive sacrifice fly balls.

Kyle Leahy (3-3) allowed three runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. The Pirates scored all three runs in the sixth on homers by Oneil Cruz and a two-run shot by Ryan O’Hearn, cutting their deficit to 6-3.

The Cardinals broke the game open with three runs in the seventh inning and two in the eighth.

The Cardinals have won the first two games of the four-game series after entering on a four-game losing streak. The Pirates have lost three in a row for the first time this season.

Braxton Ashcraft (1-2) was rocked for six runs in 4 1/3 innings after being activated from the bereavement/family medical emergency list before the game. He allowed six hits, struck out seven and walked three.

Pirates rookie Konnor Griffin hit a solo homer in the ninth inning. O’Hearn had two hits and three RBIs and Nick Gonzales had two hits and knocked in two runs.

Steelers tender former MVP

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers have left the door wide open for Aaron Rodgers to return.

Still, the club gave itself a little bit of protection in case he does not.

Pittsburgh placed the unrestricted free-agent tender on the four-time MVP on Monday, meaning the Steelers would be entitled to a compensatory draft pick if Rodgers doesn’t sign with them and instead lands elsewhere during the 2026 season.

General manager Omar Khan and first-year head coach Mike McCarthy remain very optimistic that the 42-year-old will be back after leading them to an AFC North title last winter.

The line of communication between both sides has been wide open since the end of the season, and Khan said after the NFL draft that the selection of former Penn State star Drew Allar in the third round does not affect Pittsburgh’s interest in having Rodgers back.

The tender does not preclude Rodgers from signing with another team or even give the Steelers the ability to match an offer to him if one is made before July 22.

What it does do is give them some coverage if he signs elsewhere before training camp opens in late July. After camp begins, the Steelers would have exclusive negotiating rights with Rodgers.

The tender also slots in Rodgers’ salary. Under the rules, Rodgers would be entitled to a 10% raise over his 2025 salary if he comes back for a 22nd season.

Rodgers said in January that he would make a decision “down the line.” The Steelers had expressed hope that Rodgers would be able to provide clarity before the NFL draft, but that did not happen.

Pittsburgh begins organized team activities — which are voluntary — on May 18. Mandatory minicamp is set for June 2-4.

Rodgers skipped OTAs entirely last year, signing a one-year deal with the Steelers not long after minicamp wrapped up.