First Call: Ike Taylor’s new Steelers job; ex-Pirate almost makes MLB history; Duquesne-Florida St. point spread
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Former Pittsburgh Steeler Ike Taylor said he is getting a job with the franchise. A former Pirate almost made history at the plate, while a few others have been busy on the mound.
And Duquesne’s athletic department celebrated a landmark win in soccer as it hopes for something similar in football Saturday.
All that and more — including a big soccer win for Pitt too — in Friday’s “First Call.”
Ike’s eyes
Retired Steeler Ike Taylor was on Pat McAfee’s show Thursday. The former cornerback broke some news.
The two-time Super Bowl champion announced that he is joining the franchise’s football operation’s staff as a scout.
"I'm gonna be a scout for the Pittsburgh Steelers" ~@Ike_SwagginU
LET'S GOOOO IKE #PMSLive #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/4yhtEXr9h0
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 25, 2022
The team hasn’t confirmed the news yet. But Taylor said it is happening, and he insisted he has “an eye for” the business.
Taylor said, while he was a Steeler, he was allowed in the team meeting rooms during the draft at times because he knew he wanted to get in the business. That is unless the club was about to draft a corner. Then he was asked to leave.
Familiar faces
Friday is another ex-Pirates pitcher day in Major League Baseball. Gerrit Cole, Jose Quintana and Tyler Anderson are all pitching.
Anderson is 13-2 with a 2.73 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers this year. He’ll pitch against the Marlins in Miami at 6:40 p.m.
Quintana is making his third start for the Cardinals since being traded to St. Louis from Pittsburgh before the deadline. He’ll face the Braves in St. Louis. The first two outings were good for Quintana, allowing just four earned runs over 11 innings pitched.
But in his most recent start at Arizona, Quintana was yanked before the third inning was over, as he allowed 10 men to reach base, giving up two more runs along the way. St. Louis has managed to win all three games he has pitched.
As for Cole and the New York Yankees, they are in Oakland. The Yankees are in first place atop the American League East. The A’s are in last place of the American League West.
Three former Pirates pitchers started games Thursday night as well. Minnesota Twins starter Chris Archer absorbed another loss during a 6-3 defeat in Houston. He falls to 2-7 while allowing five earned runs over four innings pitched.
Jordan Lyles got a no-decision as his Baltimore Orioles won a 4-3 game in 11 innings over the Chicago White Sox. Lyles danced through nine hits allowed, yielding just one run in seven innings. That dropped his ERA to 4.45.
And Jameson Taillon got a win for the Yankees as they posted a 13-4 victory over the Oakland A’s. Taillon is now 12-4 on the season.
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Near history
Former Pirate Corey Dickerson almost made history Thursday.
The St. Louis Cardinals outfielder hit into a fielder’s choice in the fourth inning of his team’s 8-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. That ended a streak of 10 straight at-bats with a hit.
Via ESPN Stats and Info, Dickerson was one shy of Boston’s Dustin Pedroia and Bernie Williams of the New York Yankees for the most consecutive at-bats with a hit in the Expansion Era (since 1961).
Corey Dickerson's streak of 10 straight at-bats with a hit ended on a fielder's choice in the 4th inning today.
Dickerson was one shy of Dustin Pedroia and Bernie Williams for the most consecutive ABs with a hit in the Expansion Era (since 1961). pic.twitter.com/aSXiYoCYb2
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 25, 2022
After making an out in his first at-bat Tuesday against the Cubs, Dickson went 4 for 5, getting hits in his next four plate appearances. He went 4 for 4 against the Cubs on Wednesday. Then he got hits in his first two at-bats at Wrigley Field on Thursday as well, before the fielders’ choice. Three of the hits were doubles. The rest were singles.
Dickerson finished 3 for 5 on Thursday, raising his average to .278.
Soccer success
The Duquesne men’s soccer team pulled off a rare accomplishment Thursday during its regular season debut. The Dukes beat Michigan 1-0 in Ann Arbor. Torge Witteborg’s goal in the 37th minute was the difference maker.
The win was Duquesne’s first against a Power-5 soccer school since 2003. The most recent was a 1-0 victory at Ohio State on Sept. 3, 2003. Those are the only two wins in school history against Big Ten teams.
The Dukes have road games at Canisius on Aug. 28 and Robert Morris on Aug 31. Their regular season home opener is Sept. 6 against James Madison.
Also, the seventh-ranked Pitt men’s soccer team opened its season with a big 2-1 win over No. 2 Georgetown.
Can it be done?
The much-anticipated point spread is out for Saturday’s Duquesne football game at Florida State.
And you probably won’t be shocked to learn that the FCS Dukes are underdogs on the road at Tallahassee — by 39.5 points.
That’s lower than some were suggesting, actually. It honestly looks like Duquesne is getting a little respect after going on the road and beating an FBS school (Ohio University) last year.
Also, the Dukes stayed within roughly that margin (45-3) when they opened 2021 at TCU last year. Keep in mind, coach Jerry Schmitt’s team lost starting quarterback Joe Mischler early in that game to an ACL/meniscus injury. He should be back for this game against the Seminoles.
Like TCU, Florida State finished 5-7 last year. Duquesne ended up 7-3 in NEC play.
The over-under in the game is 56.5 points. The money line spread on Duquesne is +1600 to upset FSU outright. That means if you bet $100 on the Dukes to win straight, without the 39.5-point spread, you win $1,600.