John Perrotto.

FILE - Dave Parker, a member of the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates World Championship team, tips his cap during a pre-game ceremony honoring the team before a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies in Pittsburgh, Saturday, July 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Dave Parker, hard-hitting Hall of Fame outfielder nicknamed ‘the Cobra,’ dies at 74

Dave Parker, a hard-hitting outfielder who was set to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame next month, has died. He was 74. The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Parker’s death on Saturday, and no further details were immediately available. Nicknamed “the Cobra,” the 6-foot-5 Parker played 19 major league seasons, 11 for the Pirates. He was the NL MVP in 1978, won a World Series with Pittsburgh a year later and then won another championship in 1989 with the Oakland Athletics. Parker won back-to-back batting titles in 1977 and ’78. He finished his career as a .290 hitter with 339 homers and 1,493 RBIs.

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Phillies place Bryce Harper on injured list with wrist inflammation, no timetable for return

The scuffling Philadelphia Phillies suffered a blow when they placed first baseman Bryce Harper on the 10-day injured list because of right wrist inflammation before their game losing to the Pirates. Harper sat out Friday night’s 5-4 loss to the Pirates. There is no timetable for his return. The two-time National League MVP and eight-time All-Star is hitting .258 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs in 57 games. The Phillies are expected to play third baseman Alec Bohm at first while Harper is out, with utility player Edmundo Sosa taking over at third.

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Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. delivers during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Astros’ McCullers gets first win since 2022 after overcoming injuries, death threats

Lance McCullers Jr. finally got some peace of mind on Tuesday night. The Astros right-hander pitched six scoreless innings to get his first win since Sept. 21, 2022, as Houston beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0. McCullers missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons because of injuries and had not won in five starts this year since being activated from the injured list on May 4. McCullers struck out seven and walked one while outdueling Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who gave up one run — on a solo homer by Christian Walker in the seventh — in eight innings.

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