96, 96, 99, strikeout, a giant applause. That's the first impression that Gerrit Cole left on the city of Pittsburgh in his Major League debut. The Pirates won the game 8-2 but this game was about Cole and Cole alone. "I really couldn't feel my legs after that," Cole said. "The crowd kind of went crazy and I didn't really expect that." The 2011 No. 1 overall pick out of UCLA pounded the zone early and often as he had a 20/5 strike-to-ball ratio after the second inning and a nine-pitch, ... Read More
You won’t forget your first time
There's nothing like the first time. There really isn't. Wait, I guess that was phrased poorly. There's nothing like making your Major League debut. Yeah, that's better. It's nothing that I or any of you reading this can relate to. It's an honor that the elite athletes get to experience in their respective sports. For the Pirates, there have been some memorable debuts lately. Andrew McCutchen performed well in his in 2009. Pedro Alvarez showcased his power when he arrived on the scene in 2010. ... Read More
Tale of two games as Pirates lose finale to Cubs
CHICAGO — Pirates rookie reliever Justin Wilson was due to take a loss eventually, but against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday was an odd time to do it. Over his first 22 outings, Wilson ran off five consecutive victories and led all National League relievers with 35 innings pitched. He took over in a tie game Sunday after starter Jeff Locke allowed just one hit in 52⁄3 innings. At that point, it already had been a wild ride. The Cubs scored a run before they got their first hit. Locke ... Read More
Straight from the stands: Being a Pirates fan
At Pittsburgh Sporting News, we want to bring you the latest happenings around the Pittsburgh sports scene. While you can choose any other place to get the basic info, we want to give you a different look at the sports that are going on. One of the ways we want to do that is to connect the fans to the sports. We want your take on what is going on. At the most recent Pirates homestand, I interviewed fans before the game to find out their thoughts on the Pittsburgh Pirates. The past two years, ... Read More
Passion finish regular season with 31-0 win
PITTSBURGH – The Passion wrap up their regular season with a win against the Detroit Dark Angels, for the defense’s fourth shut-out of the season 31-0; the Passion finish with a 6-2 record in the Women’s Football Alliance. Pittsburgh Passion Defensive Back, Sharon Vasquez, lead the defense with five tackles and an interception in the first quarter, returning the ball for a 51-yd touchdown. This ties the Passion record with three career interceptions returned for touchdowns. Vazquez will ... Read More
Complete list of Pirates draft selections
While you may know about Austin Meadows and Reese McGuire, you may have missed the other 38 players that the Pirates selected in the 2013 MLB Draft. Here is a complete list of the selections. ... Read More
Oakland Athletics select SRU pitcher Trivino
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Oakland Athletics on Saturday made Slippery Rock University junior pitcher Lou Trivino their 11th-round pick in the 2013 amateur baseball draft. Trivino, the 341st player selected in this year’s draft, was the first Rock baseball player drafted since catcher-first baseman Matt Adams was selected in the 23rd round (699th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2009 draft. Adams is currently a member of the Cardinals’ Major League Baseball team. Trivino was the ... Read More
Burnett shines in Pirates 6-2 win over Cubs
There's always that one pitcher that fans of a team hate to see. For the Pirates, it isn't Clayton Kershaw, Matt Cain or any other elite pitcher; it's Jeff Samardzija. In two starts against the Pirates this season, Samardzija allowed just one run in 15 innings. In a rematch of opening day, Samardzija and A.J. Burnett squared off in the windy city Thursday afternoon. Finally, the Pirates were able to figure Samardzija out as they knocked him around for four runs en route to a 6-2 victory. The ... Read More
Frank the Tank leads Pirates to 2-0 win
With the MLB Draft and the news of top prospect Gerrit Cole likely making his Pirates debut on Tuesday making the headlines today, the Pirates had to get back to business after a much needed off day. While the city is buzzing about seeing the pitching phenom in a few days, it was another relatively new Pirates that impressed again and stopped the Pirates three-game losing skid with a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Francisco Liriano has been excellent in all but one start since coming off ... Read More
Gerrit Cole “very likely to make debut on Tuesday”
With Jeanmar Gomez on the 15-day DL and Wandy Rodriguez leaving his last start early because of inflammation in his forearm, the Pirates have an opening for next Tuesday's start. While Charlie Morton and James McDonald were both thought to be possibilities, it looks as if the Pirates will go another route against the defending World Series champs. According to Michael Sanserino of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates top prospect Gerrit Cole "will very likely make his debut on Tuesday ... Read More