Oviedo earns 1st major league win since 2023 as Pirates beat Blue Jays 2-1 to take the series

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Johan Oviedo earned his first major league win since 2023 and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 on Wednesday to take the three-game series.

In his second start since having Tommy John surgery in late 2023, Oviedo (1-0) struck out six, allowed two hits, one run and had a walk in five innings. His last win came with six scoreless innings in an 8-6 victory against the Cubs on Sept. 21, 2023.

Dennis Santana struck out one in a perfect ninth for his ninth save.

Toronto, first in the AL East, dropped two of three to Pittsburgh, last in the NL Central.

George Springer quickly put the Blue Jays ahead, driving the 10th pitch of his leadoff at bat to the left-field bleachers for his 21st homer.

Tommy Pham then plated a pair with a double in the bottom half. Bryan Reynolds hit a two-out double, Spencer Horwitz walked and Pham brought them in with a liner just inside the left-field line.

Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt (11-7) was tagged for two runs and six hits, tying a season-high with 10 strikeouts and walking two in 5 2/3 innings.

Bo Bichette led off the fourth with a double. Oviedo kept him at second by striking out Alejandro Kirk, getting Daulton Varsho to fly out and sending Nathan Lukes down swinging after hitting Ty France with a pitch.

The Pirates are 23-27 in a major league high 50 games decided by a single run.

Blue Jays RHP Shane Bieber (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his season debut Friday, opening a three-game series at Miami. The 2020 AL Cy Young winner was traded by Cleveland to Toronto on July 31 and has not pitched in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024.

The Pirates open a three-game home set against the Colorado Rockies on Friday.

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

Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer, left, is greeted by Addison Barger, right, after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Pittsburgh Pirates' Tommy Pham watches his RBI double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Johan Oviedo delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — John Marino scored at 4:03 of the third period to break a tie and give the Utah Mammoth a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

Marino also assisted on Nick Schmaltz's 17th goal of the season and Karel Vejmelka made 26 stops as the Mammoth won for the fifth time in six games.

Mikko Rantanen scored and Jake Oettinger had 25 saves for Dallas, which has lost nine of its last 11 games.

Schmaltz broke a scoreless deadlock with 7 seconds left in the second period, tipping in a feed from Marino. It was the fourth latest goal in any regulation period in Utah's short franchise history.

The Mammoth nearly made it 2-0 just 38 seconds into the third, but Lawson Crouse had his goal wiped off the board for high-sticking.

Rantanen leveled the score with a power-play goal at the 2:04 of the third.

Marino answered two minutes later, snapping the puck home from long distance to put the Mammoth up 2-1 with his second winning goal of the season.

Utah improved to 16-1-1 this season when leading after two periods.

Stars: host Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Mammoth: host Seattle on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Dallas Stars defenseman Kyle Capobianco, right, moves the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (55) shoots the puck against Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston, right, moves the puck against Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)

Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson, center left, fights for the puck against Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (6) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)