Esmerlyn Valdez hits first career home run as Pirates beat Blue Jays 4-1 to avoid sweep
AND WHEN WE WILL SEE THAT SUNSHINE RETURN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MARY ELLEN. STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A HOMICIDE IN LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP, DAUPHIN COUNTY. THEY SAY A MAN WAS FOUND UNDER A BLANKET ALONG STATE ROUTE 441 AROUND TEN YESTERDAY MORNING. TROOPERS SAY THEY NEED HELP IDENTIFYING THE VICTIM. HE WAS DESCRIBED AS A WHITE MAN BELIEVED TO BE IN HIS 30S TO 40S. THEY SAY HE HAD DARK BROWN HAIR, FACIAL HAIR AND BROWN EYES AND WAS WEARING BLACK SHORTS AND A BLACK. OAKLAND RAIDER SHIRT. A CHILD WAS HURT AFTER A CRASH ALONG I-78 IN SWATARA TOWNSHIP, LEBANON COUNTY. STATE POLICE SAY THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, SWERVED OFF THE ROAD AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT AND TWO TREES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. TROOPERS SAY IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THAT CRASH. TROOPERS SAY AN 11 YEAR OLD BOY IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A HEAD INJURY IN LANCASTER COUNTY. MANHEIM TOWNSHIP POLICE MADE AN ARREST IN WHAT THEY CALL A ROAD RAGE SHOOTING. MAURICE THOMAS OF YORK FACES AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND GUN CHARGES. OFFICERS SAY HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY YESTERDAY. POLICE SAY THAT SHOOTING HAPPENED JUST BEFORE FIVE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. OFFICERS SAY THE DRIVER OF A RED JEEP HONKED AT A DRIVER IN A WHITE SUV, WHO THEY THOUGHT WAS DRIVING UNSAFELY ON DALE ROAD. THEY SAY THE SUV THEN FOLLOWED THE JEEP TO BLOOMINGDALE AVENUE AND STERLING PLACE, WHERE OFFICERS SAY THE SUV DRIVER FIRED A GUNSHOT AT THE JEEP. THE SHOT WENT INTO THE CAR, BUT NO ONE WAS HURT. A DAUPHIN COUNTY COMMUNITY HELD A FUNDRAISER FOR A TEACHER WHO WAS KILLED EARLIER THIS WEEK. THE GREENHOUSE SALE AT THE UPPER DAUPHIN AREA HIGH SCHOOL HONORED TARYN MORGAN YESTERDAY. SHE HAD BEEN AN AGRICULTURE TEACHER AT THAT SCHOOL SINCE 2024. STATE POLICE SAY HER HUSBAND, DENNIS MORGAN, SHOT AND KILLED HER THURSDAY AFTERNOON IN JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP. THEY SAY HE THEN TRIED TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE. DENNIS WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT STATE POLICE SAY HE IS NOT EXPECTED TO SURVIVE. WE DID REACH OUT FOR AN UPDATE ON HIS CONDITION, BUT TROOPERS TELL US THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN ONE. ALL NEW THIS MORNING. COLUMBIA BOROUGH COUNCIL IN LANCASTER COUNTY IS MOVING ITS MEETING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THIS WEEK. IT SAYS IT’S EXPECTING A LARGER TURNOUT BECAUSE OF PLANS TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF THE FORMER MCGINNIS AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE BOROUGH STARTED LOOKING FOR A DEVELOPER TO TRANSFORM THE 41 ACRE PROPERTY OFF OF MANOR STREET BACK IN FEBRUARY. NOW THE COUNCIL IS SET TO CONSIDER MORE THAN $6.3 MILLION BID FROM SADA HOLDINGS, WHICH OWNS SEVERAL RETAIL AND APPAREL BRANDS. AN AI DATA CENTER WAS AMONG THE OPTIONS FOR THE SPACE, ALTHOUGH BOROUGH COUNCIL MEMBERS PREVIOUSLY SAID A DATA CENTER WOULD PROBABLY NOT GET THEIR VOTE. INSTEAD, THEY WERE LOOKING AT TURNING IT INTO RESTAURANTS AND SMALL SHOPS THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED QUICKLY. THAT MEETING IS SET FOR TUESDAY NIGHT AT SEVEN AT THE FIRE STATION ON MANOR STREET. THE SECRET SERVICE SAYS AGENTS SHOT AND KILLED A MAN AFTER HE STARTED SHOOTING NEAR A WHITE HOUSE SECURITY CHECKPOINT. THE SOUND OF THE EXCHANGE OF GUNFIRE WAS CAUGHT BY A CAMERA. TAKE A LISTEN. WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT JACKIE DEFUSCO JOINS US LIVE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO BREAK DOWN WHAT WE’RE LEARNING ABOUT THE SUSPECT AND WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED LAST NIGHT. JACKIE. BAILEY. GOOD MORNING. THE WHITE HOUSE WENT INTO LOCKDOWN ON SATURDAY WITH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAFELY INSIDE AFTER THAT SHOOTING. AS YOU JUST HEARD, THAT HAPPENED NEAR A SECURITY CHECKPOINT JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM WHERE I AM STANDING RIGHT NOW. WE DID HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT OVERNIGHT IN A SOCIAL MEDIA POST, WHO WROTE THAT THE ALLEGED GUNMAN IS, QUOTE, HAD A VIOLENT HISTORY AND POSSIBLE OBSESSION WITH OUR COUNTRY’S MOST CHERISHED STRUCTURE. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NOW REPORTING THAT THAT SUSPECT WAS 21 YEAR OLD NASSIR BEST, D.C. COURT RECORDS SHOW THAT BEST WAS ARRESTED IN JULY OF 2025 AFTER ATTEMPTING TO ENTER A WHITE HOUSE CHECKPOINT WITHOUT PERMISSION, WHILE APPARENTLY CLAIMING THAT HE WAS JESUS CHRIST. SECRET SERVICE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY NAME THE SUSPECT, BUT SAID THAT AN INDIVIDUAL OPENED FIRE AT OFFICERS LAST NIGHT, JUST AFTER 6 P.M., OFFICERS SHOT BACK AND THE SUSPECT LATER DIED AT THE HOSPITAL. OFFICIALS SAY SECRET SERVICE AGENTS WERE NOT INJURED DURING THIS INCIDENT. A BYSTANDER WAS HURT BUT NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR EXACTLY HOW. NOW FOR THE CONTEXT YOU CAN SEE ON THIS MAP, THIS HAPPENED REALLY JUST A FEW MINUTES ON FOOT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING, AT A PRETTY MAJOR INTERSECTION ON A PUBLIC STREET. THIS ACTUALLY MARKS THE THIRD TIME IN THE PAST MONTH THAT SHOTS WERE FIRED SOMEWHERE NEAR PRESIDENT TRUMP, BAILEY AND JACKIE. AS WE SAW AFTER THAT SHOOTING AT THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS DINNER, PRESIDENT TRUMP USED SATURDAY’S INCIDENT TO ADVOCATE FOR HIS SECURE BALLROOM PROJECT. WHERE DOES THAT FUNDING FOR THAT STAND ON CAPITOL HILL NOW? YEAH. BAILEY. SO THERE HAD BEEN A PUSH TO TALK $1 BILLION FOR WHITE HOUSE SECURITY IN THE BALLROOM INTO AN IMMIGRATION BILL. HOWEVER, IT ENDED UP FACING PROCEDURAL ROADBLOCKS AND THEN WAS ULTIMATELY EFFECTIVELY ABANDONED AFTER SEVERAL REPUBLICANS HAD SPOKEN OUT AGAINST THE IDEA. YOU KNOW, EVEN SOME OF THESE REPUBLICANS, THEY SUPPORT THE BALLROOM ITSELF, BUT THEY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA OF USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO THIS EXTENT ON A PROJECT THAT ORIGINALLY WAS PITCHED AS A PRIVATELY FUNDED PROJECT, SOME SAYING THAT THEY JUST FELT THAT THERE WASN’T ENOUGH DETAILS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON HOW EXACTLY THAT MONEY WILL BE USED. BUT OF COURSE, CONSTRUCTION IS MOVING FORWARD ON THAT PROJECT HERE. BAILEY. ALL RIGHT. JACKIE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAPPENING TODAY IN DAUPHIN COUNTY, THE 2026 AIR SHOW IS TAKING OFF. THAT’S SET TO START AT NOON AND THEN GO UNTIL ABOUT 4:00 AT HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE SHOW WAS RESCHEDULED YESTERDAY DUE TO THE WEATHER. THOSE TICKET HOLDERS CAN EXCHANGE THEIR TICKETS FOR TOMORROW’S SHOW. IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THE SHOW FROM THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, MIDDLETOWN BOROUGH SAYS THE PA FISH AND BOAT LAUNCH ON UNION STREET WILL BE OPEN. THE FISH AND BOAT COMMISSION WILL HAVE BOYS OUT TO CLOSE PART OF THE WATER NEAR THE RUNWAY AT HIA. THE BOROUGH SAYS. YOU CAN ALSO WATCH FROM THE GRASS ALONG SUSQUEHANNA STREET PARK. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE SOUNDS OF THE NAVY BAND WOODWIND QUINTET PERFORMING AT THE WEST SHORE FARMERS MARKET. THIS IS PART OF THE BAND’S ROAD TRIP TO 250 TOUR, MAKING SYMBOLIC STOPS ACROSS THE U.S. THE GROUP WILL STAY IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY FOR MORE STOPS THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, INCLUDING THE AIR DOT SHOW AND BIG 33 FOOTBALL GAME IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY. THE HAMPTON TOWNSHIP VETERANS RECOGNITION COMMITTEE HOSTED A MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE. RETIRED COLONEL SUE MYERS GAVE THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND TALKED ABOUT THE SACRIFICES MADE BY MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR ARMED FORCES. SHE’S A GOLD STAR SPOUSE AND WAS MARRIED TO MAJOR GENERAL HAROLD GREENE, WHO DIED IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2014. RED ROSE TRANSIT, LEBANON TRANSIT AND RAPID TRANSIT WILL ALL BE CLOSED FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY TOMORROW. THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION.
Esmerlyn Valdez hits first career home run as Pirates beat Blue Jays 4-1 to avoid sweep
Updated: 3:44 PM EDT May 24, 2026
Esmerlyn Valdez homered for his first career hit, Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz also connected and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.Video above: Top stories, weather from WGAL News 8. Valdez was promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday and had gone 0 for 7 before hitting a two-run homer off Chase Lee in the sixth inning.Pirates reliever Dennis Santana brokered a trade with a young fan for the ball, handing over a bat signed by Valdez and a Pirates cap in exchange for Valdez’s keepsake.Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease exited after 4 2/3 innings because of a sore left hamstring.Cease (3-3) allowed two runs and four hits before departing. He walked one and struck out eight.Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left in the bottom of the fifth after being hit on the inside of his right elbow by a pitch from Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller. Lenyn Sosa came in to run for Guerrero and took over at first base.The Blue Jays said an X-ray of Guerrero’s elbow did not reveal a fracture.Keller (5-2) allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out five.Gregory Soto finished in the ninth for his fifth save in seven chances, striking out Daulton Varsho for the final out and stranding two runners.Horwitz homered on Cease’s first pitch of the game, his fifth of the season. Cruz hit a leadoff blast in the second, his 11th of the year.Infielder Ernie Clement drove in Toronto’s only run with an RBI single in the fourth.Up next Pirates: RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (4-3, 3.96 ERA) is scheduled to start against the Cubs on Monday. Chicago had not announced a starter.Blue Jays: RHP Trey Yesavage (2-1, 1.07 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday against Miami RHP Janson Junk (2-5, 5.07).
TORONTO, ON —
Esmerlyn Valdez homered for his first career hit, Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz also connected and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Video above: Top stories, weather from WGAL News 8.
Valdez was promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday and had gone 0 for 7 before hitting a two-run homer off Chase Lee in the sixth inning.
Pirates reliever Dennis Santana brokered a trade with a young fan for the ball, handing over a bat signed by Valdez and a Pirates cap in exchange for Valdez’s keepsake.
Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease exited after 4 2/3 innings because of a sore left hamstring.
Cease (3-3) allowed two runs and four hits before departing. He walked one and struck out eight.
Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left in the bottom of the fifth after being hit on the inside of his right elbow by a pitch from Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller. Lenyn Sosa came in to run for Guerrero and took over at first base.
The Blue Jays said an X-ray of Guerrero’s elbow did not reveal a fracture.
Keller (5-2) allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out five.
Gregory Soto finished in the ninth for his fifth save in seven chances, striking out Daulton Varsho for the final out and stranding two runners.
Horwitz homered on Cease’s first pitch of the game, his fifth of the season. Cruz hit a leadoff blast in the second, his 11th of the year.
Infielder Ernie Clement drove in Toronto’s only run with an RBI single in the fourth.
Up next
Pirates: RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (4-3, 3.96 ERA) is scheduled to start against the Cubs on Monday. Chicago had not announced a starter.
Blue Jays: RHP Trey Yesavage (2-1, 1.07 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday against Miami RHP Janson Junk (2-5, 5.07).