The Liverpool squad's acclimatisation to the USA began with a gentle walk around Pittsburgh on Tuesday evening.
Shortly after touching down in Pennsylvania for the first leg of their pre-season tour, the Reds underwent a stretching session at their hotel and a brief stroll around its surroundings.
View the team's opening activities in the photo gallery below…
Photos by Nikki Dyer
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| AP Photo |
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The NFL's longest-tenured head coach isn't leaving Pittsburgh anytime soon.
The Steelers signed Mike Tomlin to a three-year extension on Monday that will carry through at least the 2027 season. Tomlin was about to enter the final year of the deal he agreed to in April 2021.
The 52-year-old Tomlin is 173-100-2 since taking over for Hall of Famer Bill Cowher in 2007. Tomlin has yet to endure a losing season and despite speculation late last season that he was considering taking some time off, he remains intent on trying to help the Steelers stay in the mix in a highly competitive AFC.
“I am appreciative for this contract extension and thankful for Art Rooney II for his support during my first 17 years in Pittsburgh,” Tomlin said in a statement. “We are continuing to work diligently to get back to where we belong — sustained playoff success with the ultimate goal of winning the franchise’s seventh Lombardi Trophy.”
Pittsburgh is coming off an eventful 10-7 season that ended with a first-round playoff loss to Buffalo. Tomlin was asked in the immediate aftermath about his future status and rather than answer he abruptly stormed off the podium.
A few days later the relentlessly energetic Tomlin hardly sounded like someone on the verge of burnout, stressing he was “on go” as he looked to 2024 and beyond.
“I coach football, that’s what I do,” Tomlin said in January. “I’m respectful of the position that I hold. I have no sense of entitlement in terms of what I do. I just got a high level of respect for what we all do in this space, and I try to earn it daily.”
While Pittsburgh has been consistently competitive under Tomlin, the franchise also hasn't won a postseason game since the divisional round of the 2016 playoffs, an eight-year drought that marks the club's longest since the “Immaculate Reception” in 1972.
Tomlin's decision to stick around extends an unmatched level of continuity atop an organization that's had just three head coaches since 1969. Yet the Steelers have also made a series of moves of late that suggest the team is no longer content on merely being in the mix in mid-January.
In the past year alone Tomlin fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada in midseason, the team's first in-season dismissal of a high-level coach since World War II.
Pittsburgh spent the offseason completely overhauling its quarterback room, signing Russell Wilson in free agency, trading away Kenny Pickett and acquiring Justin Fields from Chicago.
Tomlin has used the word “excited” in recent months to talk about Pittsburgh's immediate future. The new contract indicates owner Art Rooney II's commitment to letting Tomlin try and find a difference-maker at quarterback, something that's been an issue since Ben Roethlisberger's retirement following the 2021 season.
“Mike Tomlin’s leadership and commitment to the Steelers have been pivotal to our success during his first 17 years as head coach,” Rooney said in a statement. “Extending his contract for three more years reflects our confidence in his ability to guide the team back to winning playoff games and championships, while continuing our tradition of success.”
The Steelers have mandatory minicamp this week then take a break before reporting for training camp at Saint Vincent College on July 24.
- WILL GRAVES
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| USA TODAY Sports |
Nick Gonzales hit a walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning after Pittsburgh tied the score with four runs in the ninth, lifting the Pirates to a 7-6 victory over the visiting San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.
Gonzales singled up the middle on the first pitch of the inning from Erik Miller (0-2), scoring automatic runner Michael A. Taylor from second base.
Thairo Estrada and Matt Chapman hit home runs for San Francisco, which saw a four-game winning streak come to an end. The Giants led 6-2 before Pittsburgh forced extras with its late four-run rally.
With one out and the bases loaded in the ninth, the Pirates' Ji Hwan Bae singled in a run against Camilo Doval. Andrew McCutchen followed with a ground ball that was mishandled by shortstop Marco Luciano, allowing Yasmani Grandal to score from third base.
The Pirates pulled within 6-5 when Jared Triolo scored on Bryan Reynolds' groundout, and then they tied the score on Oneil Cruz's RBI double to right field. David Bednar (3-3) pitched a scoreless 10th inning for Pittsburgh.
Astros 6, Angels 5 (10 innings)
Kyle Tucker posted his second multi-homer game in three days and scored the winning run when Jeremy Pena delivered a walk-off single in the 10th inning as Houston topped visiting Los Angeles.
Pena plated Tucker with a single to right field off Angels closer Carlos Estevez (0-3). Josh Hader (3-3) earned the win in relief for Houston, striking out four over two perfect innings.
Angels starter Griffin Canning worked five solid innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks to go along with two strikeouts. Astros starter Cristian Javier labored over four innings and 71 pitches, getting tagged for four runs and eight hits. He walked three and fanned one.
Phillies 5, Rangers 2
Bryce Harper hit a solo home run and a double, Ranger Suarez improved to 9-0 with seven strong innings and host Philadelphia defeated Texas.
Alec Bohm, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto each had two hits as the Phillies won their fourth in a row. Bohm drove in two runs.
Corey Seager hit a solo home run while Derek Hill and Jonah Heim added two hits apiece for the Rangers. Marcus Semien contributed an RBI double.
Guardians 7, Mets 6
Jose Ramirez and David Fry each hit a two-run homer and Cleveland held on to beat visiting New York for its fifth straight win.
Emmanuel Clase worked around a one-out single in the ninth for his 15th save. Nick Sandlin (4-0) got the win with two-thirds of an inning out of the bullpen for the Guardians.
Mark Vientos homered for the Mets, who have dropped the first two games of the three-game set and are 9-19 in their past 28 contests.
Reds 2, Padres 0
Andrew Abbott tossed seven scoreless innings and Cincinnati took advantage of two key errors in a two-run second inning to earn a much-needed shutout victory over visiting San Diego.
Abbott (3-4) allowed just four singles and didn't allow a baserunner to reach third base in winning for the second time in his past seven starts. Fernando Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth and Alexis Diaz pitched the ninth for his eighth save. Elly De La Cruz doubled home one of the two unearned runs in the second inning for the Reds.
The Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. singled in the first inning for his 500th career hit. San Diego right-hander Joe Musgrove gave up two unearned runs on three hits over three innings while throwing 66 pitches in his return from the injured list.
Brewers 7, Marlins 5
Former Miami star Christian Yelich slugged a go-ahead, two-run triple in the eighth inning, leading visiting Milwaukee to a win over the Marlins.
William Contreras went 2-for-4 with three RBIs in the win. He also walked and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth. Brewers rookie reliever Tobias Myers (1-2) pitched one scoreless inning to earn his first major league win.
Miami shortstop Tim Anderson, who hadn't played since May 10 due to a back injury, went 2-for-4 with a run. A.J. Puk (0-5) took the loss, allowing three runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Twins 10, Nationals 0
Joe Ryan pitched seven shutout innings, Byron Buxton hit two of Minnesota's four home runs and the visiting Twins routed Washington to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Jose Miranda and Willi Castro also homered for the Twins, who ended their longest losing streak since an eight-game skid in April 2018. Ryan (3-3) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out six as he bounced back from a loss to the Yankees last Thursday.
Washington starter Patrick Corbin (1-5) gave up eight runs on nine hits -- three of them home runs -- and three walks over six innings. He struck out three and saw his ERA climb to 6.29.
Red Sox 5, Rays 2
Boston scored three runs over the eighth and ninth innings en route to a victory against Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Jarren Duran and Reese McGuire both homered as Boston took the first two games of the three-game series, giving the Red Sox their first series win at Tropicana Field since 2019.
Isaac Paredes went 3-for-4 and drove in both Tampa Bay runs. The Rays recorded just three hits after the first inning.
Mariners 6, Yankees 3
Dylan Moore homered twice and drove in four runs, Bryan Woo pitched six scoreless innings and visiting Seattle beat New York.
Moore hit a two-run homer in the third inning off Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt (5-2), smacked a solo shot in the ninth and had an RBI single in the seventh for the Mariners, who have won three of their past four games. Ty France contributed a solo homer.
Schmidt allowed two runs on four hits in five innings. The Yankees lost consecutive games for the first time since April 29-30 in Baltimore.
White Sox 5, Blue Jays 0
Starter Garrett Crochet allowed two hits across six scoreless innings, Corey Julks and Danny Mendick each had two RBIs and visiting Chicago defeated Toronto, ending an eight-game losing streak against the Blue Jays and a four-game skid overall.
Toronto starter Yusei Kikuchi (2-4) allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out six in six innings. Crochet (5-4) walked one and fanned four.
Eloy Jimenez left the game after scoring in the fifth inning. He was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain.
Royals 10, Tigers 3
Bobby Witt Jr. went 3-for-4 with two home runs and tied a career high with six RBIs to help Kansas City beat visiting Detroit for its fifth straight win.
Royals starting pitcher Alec Marsh (4-1) went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five.
Detroit starter Casey Mize (1-3) gave up six runs on nine hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. The Tigers have lost three straight and five of their past seven.
Cubs 4, Braves 3 (10 innings)
Nico Hoerner's infield single drove home the winning run with one out in the 10th inning to give Chicago a win over visiting Atlanta.
With automatic runner Cody Bellinger at third, Hoerner chopped a high grounder to Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson. Olson fielded the ball cleanly but had no play as Bellinger easily scored. Luke Little (1-0) got the win while Aaron Bummer (1-2) took the loss.
Atlanta starter Charlie Morton, who was knocked out by the Cubs after pitching only three innings last week, regained his form. The veteran righty went five innings on Tuesday and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits.
Athletics 5, Rockies 4
Abraham Toro led off the eighth inning with a tiebreaking home run to help Oakland beat visiting Colorado in the opener of a three-game series.
J.D. Davis and Seth Brown also homered for the A's, who ended an eight-game losing streak. Oakland starter Aaron Brooks allowed three runs and six hits in six innings.
Ezequiel Tovar homered twice and Ryan McMahon added another blast for the Rockies, who have lost four in a row. Colorado starter Cal Quantrill went six innings, allowing two runs and three hits.
Diamondbacks 7, Dodgers 3
Brandon Pfaadt pitched six strong innings and Joc Pederson hit a three-run home run against his former club as Arizona beat host Los Angeles.
Christian Walker hit a home run and Ketel Marte had a single to extend his career-best hitting streak to 20 games for the Diamondbacks. Pfaadt (2-3) gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Shohei Ohtani had two hits, two stolen bases, two runs and an RBI for the Dodgers. Ohtani's double was Los Angeles' only hit through the first five innings against Pfaadt. Dodgers right-hander Gavin Stone (4-2) gave up four runs on eight hits over six innings.
Orioles-Cardinals (suspended)
The game between Baltimore and host St. Louis was suspended due to rain with the score tied at 1-1 in the sixth inning. The game will resume Wednesday at 11:15 a.m. CT and will be followed by the third game of the series.
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins has resigned as Mountaineers men's basketball coach after he was arrested Friday night in Pittsburgh for driving under the influence of alcohol. Huggins, who informed the team of his impending resignation on Saturday night, intends to retire.
"My recent actions do not represent the values of the University or the leadership expected in this role," Huggins wrote. "While I have always tried to represent our University with honor, I have let all of you – and myself – down. I am solely responsible for my conduct and sincerely apologize to the University community – particularly to the student-athletes, coaches and staff in our program. I must do better, and I plan to spend the next few months focused on my health and my family so that I can be the person they deserve."
