Monday, 04 June 2012 07:04

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Pirates/MLB

-The Pirates hit four home runs and beat the Brewers, 6-5, to claim a rare series win in Milwaukee.

-Highlights:

-Pedro Alvarez will get some time off to work on his swing.

-The minor league report.

-Catching prospect Tony Sanchez gets promoted from Class AA Altoona to Class AAA Indianapolis.

-What do the Pirates do with the No. 8 overall pick in today's draft?

Steelers/NFL

-With Hines Ward retired, Jerricho Cotchery (right) is the Steelers' "old" wide receiver at 29.

-Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward have a big hole to fill with Aaron Smith retired.

-Panthers offensive tackle and Pitt product Jeff Otah is dealing with a knee ailment.

-Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon, the team's first-round pick in this year's draft, was arrested on charges of drunk driving.

Penguins/NHL

-Former Penguins goaltender Jean-Sebastien Aubin has joined the Val Pusteria Wolves of Italy's Serie A league.

-“We think we have to win one game tomorrow night in order to put a different spin on this series. I know (members of the media) are going to spout out stats, that it's an impossible mountain to climb. We heard the same thing when we were down to Florida, 3-2, after Game 5. But that stuff's irrelevant. We really believe we can win a game tomorrow night. If we do, we think it's a different series.” - Devils coach Peter DeBoer.

-Via Facebook, Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas (right) confirmed he will take a year off of hockey to address family concerns. Thomas, the defending Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Award winner, went 35-19-1 with a 2.36 goals against average, .920 save percentage and five shutouts this past season. Assuming Thomas does not report to camp in September, his contract will be suspended by the Bruins but the team would still have to absorb his salary cap hit of $5 million. The Bruins have the option of tolling his contract and his cap hit to the 2013-14 season.

-According to documents compiled by his father, former Wild/Rangers forward Derek Boogaard was provided with more than 100 prescriptions for thousands of pills by doctors for both teams over his final three seasons in the NHL. Boogaard passed away at the age of 28 last summer as a result of an accidental overdose of narcotic painkillers and alcohol.

Etc.

-Tigers Woods wins The Memorial.

(Photos: Pirates-Morry Gash/Associated Press; Cotchery-Matt Sullivan/Getty Images; Thomas-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)