Opponents bail on Ursuline

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown Ursuline’s football season appears to be on thin ice.

On Thursday, Austintown Fitch canceled its Sept. 26 game with the Irish that was supposed to be played in Austintown. Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary followed suit on Thursday by canceling its home game against Ursuline scheduled for Oct. 3.

Ursuline’s remaining games are with Walsh Jesuit on Oct. 10 at Youngstown State, Youngstown Chaney on Oct. 17 at Youngstown State and rival Cardinal Mooney on Oct. 24 at Youngstown State.

Earlier in the week Warren Harding canceled its Sept. 19 game with Ursuline due to a second federal lawsuit being filed against players, staff and the diocese.

Big ratings for NFL

The NFL averaged 22.3 million viewers per game during the league’s opening week, making it the most-watched Week 1 on record for the second straight year.

The per-game average on TV and digital platforms was a 5% increase from the 21 million Week 1 average of last season, according to the league and Nielsen.

Some of the increase can be attributed to a change in the way viewers are counted. Nielsen began using its Big Data + Panel methodology for all events beginning on Sept. 1 and coinciding with the upcoming start of the new television season.

Earlier this year, Nielsen began measuring out-of-home viewers for all states but Hawaii and Alaska, along with including data from smart TVs along with cable and satellite set-top boxes.

Nielsen previously measured just the top 44 media markets, which covered 65% of the country.

This was the third straight season where at least four of the 16 games averaged at least 20 million.

NBC had the two most-watched games.

Defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia’s 24-20 victory over Dallas in last Thursday’s opener averaged 28.3 million on TV and digital, making it the second-most watched NFL Kickoff game on record. The game was averaging 31.6 million, and would have topped last year’s record 29.2 million mark for Baltimore versus Kansas City before a weather delay in the third quarter stopped the game for more than an hour.

Buffalo’s 41-40 victory over Baltimore on Sunday night averaged 24.7 million, the most watched SNF opener since 2022.

NBC and Peacock’s 26.5 million average for the two games is its second-highest opening week average. The 2015 slate of Steelers-Patriots and Cowboys-Giants averaged 27.2 million.

The late afternoon contest between Detroit and Green Bay averaged 24 million on CBS, the network’s most-watched Week 1 game since it reacquired NFL rights in 1998. The Packers posted a 27-13 win over the Lions in Micah Parsons’ debut with Green Bay.

CBS averaged 20.4 million for its doubleheader package of six games. The four-game early window — headlined by Pittsburgh’s 34-32 win over the New York Jets — averaged 17.1 million.

Minnesota’s 27-24 comeback victory over Chicago on Monday night averaged 22.1 million on ESPN, ABC and ESPN2, the second-most watched MNF game since ESPN took over as the main broadcaster in 2006 and an 8% increase over last year.

Led by Washington’s 21-6 win over the New York Giants, Fox’s early Sunday singleheader of six games averaged 17.9 million.

Last Friday’s game in Brazil between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs on YouTube TV and NFL digital platforms averaged 17.3 million globally. The U.S. average for the Chargers 27-21 victory was 16.2 million, which included over-the-air broadcasts in Los Angeles and Kansas City.

Guardians trip up Royals

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie C.J. Kayfus hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Cleveland Guardians rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.

Cleveland (75-71) has won six of seven and took three of four in the series against its AL Central rival as it tries to stay in contention for the final AL wild card spot.

The Guardians trail Seattle by three games with 15 games remaining.

Kansas City’s Vinnie Pasquantino became the fourth left-handed batter in Royals history to record 30 home runs in a season with a two-run drive in the first inning. The last Royals lefty batter to reach the mark was Mike Moustakas with 38 in 2017. The others were John Mayberry (34 in 1975) and Hall of Famer George Brett (30 in 1985).

The Royals (74-73) have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games and are 4 1/2 games back for the final wild card.

Guardians’ catcher Bo Naylor led off the eighth with a base hit to right field. Kayfus followed with a towering 425-foot drive to right-center on a low fastball on a 1-0 count from John Schreiber (3-3) for his third homer of the season.

Matt Festa (4-3) got the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Cade Smith hit Jonathan India with a fastball to lead off the ninth and then retired the next three batters for his 13th save.

Key moment

The Royals were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. They had runners at the corners with two outs in the sixth, but Guardians starter Gavin Williams struck out India with a sweeper on a full count to end the frame.

Key stat

In 30 games since Aug. 10, Pasquatino leads the majors with 33 RBIs and is tied with the Mets’ Juan Soto at 11 home runs.

Up next

Royals: Open a three-game series at Philadelphia on Friday with RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-10, 4.63 ERA) on the mound.

Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (9-11, 4.69 ERA) gets the call on Friday for the start of a three-game set against the Chicago White Sox.

Pirates fall to Orioles

BALTIMORE (AP) — Rookie Dylan Beavers drove in the winning run for a second straight day, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Pirates 3-2 on Thursday to finish a three-game sweep and hand Pittsburgh its sixth straight loss.

Jackson Holliday singled and stole his 16th base to lead off the seventh against Colin Holderman (0-2). Gunnar Henderson was walked intentionally with one out and Holderman left after striking out Emmanuel Rivera.

Evan Sisk entered and Beavers singled on a 3-2 pitch for a 3-2 lead. Beavers singled in the winning run in the 10th inning for a 2-1 victory on Wednesday.

Jared Triolo singled to lead off the first against Cade Povich before scoring on a two-out base hit by Nick Gonzales to put the Pirates up 1-0.

Jeremiah Jackson had a one-out single off Johan Oviedo in the Orioles’ first and Henderson followed with his career-high 31st double. Rivera tied it 1-1 with a groundout.

Colton Cowser drew a leadoff walk in the second, stole his 10th base and scored on a two-out single by Coby Mayo to put the Orioles up 2-1.

Alexander Canario led off the third with his sixth home run — a 409-foot shot to left field — to pull the Pirates even.

Povich allowed two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Rookie Grant Wolfram (3-0) pitched a scoreless seventh for the win and Keegan Akin pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Oviedo allowed two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Baltimore (69-77) has won three straight and eight of nine.

Key moment

Alex Jackson threw out NL stolen base leader Oneil Cruz at second to end the game.

Key stat

Baltimore entered with four walk-off wins in a five-game span for the second time in franchise history. The Orioles also did it June 23-27, 1954.

Up next

The Pirates travel to play the Nationals on Friday. Neither team has named a starting pitcher.

Orioles LHP Trevor Rogers (8-2, 1.51) starts Friday in Toronto opposite Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (11-8, 3.97).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb