Following a 4-1 victory Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds, the Pittsburgh Pirates will look for a series victory as Francisco Liriano (1-1 4.64 ERA) takes on Alfredo Simon (0-2 16.39 ERA). Liriano has a 1-5 record with a 3.96 ERA in 13 regular season starts against the Reds. One of those starts came this season, and he allowed three runs on five hits in five innings. Liriano threw 90 pitches in that appearance and struggled with control all night, having to consistently battle through ... Read More
Pirates beat Reds 4-1 Friday night after long road trip
It was a long 12 days away from PNC Park for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but a 4-1 victory Friday against the Cincinnati Reds has extended the Pirates' current win-streak to a season-high five games. The Pirates now improve to 14-9 on the season, while the Reds drop to 9-14. The win had four big takeaways: Nicasio has best start of season Seven games isn't a large sample size, but it was telling enough that, coming into this game, Juan Nicasio was 0-2 with a 5.12 ERA in 19.1 innings pitched ... Read More
Pirates sightseeing: Pirates win series, leave a lot to be desired
By no means was it pretty, but the Pittsburgh Pirates did just enough to take two of three games from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Here are my takeaways from the weekend that was. This bullpen is still a mess I feel as though every series I have been critical of the bullpen, so forgive me if there is repetition, but this is getting ridiculous. All weekend the bullpen did not rise up to the task and once again clearly was the weak link. Regardless of weather, it should not take eight ... Read More
Pirates sightseeing: Three takeaways from San Diego
The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped two of three road games against the San Diego Padres. There certainly were some things to like and things that were not so favorable. Here are just a few of each. Jeff Locke does not have a finishing pitch Anytime you are a pitcher who does not have blow-it-by-you velocity, you have to paint corners and find other ways to succeed. Add that inability to inconsistent performance and a lack of confidence from fans, and you have Jeff Locke. Locke was ... Read More
Cervelli’s plate discipline becoming infectious
Francisco Cervelli is a player who came in with the Pittsburgh Pirates and made an impact that certainly exceeded fans expectations. He came in as a leader of the team and led all catchers in framing runs above average. But perhaps his patience was the biggest reason for success. "I just try to keep it simple and not do too much that way I can recognize pitches a little better," he said. It sounds very simple, especially when you can back it with a .290 batting average while playing in a ... Read More
Big win against the Brewers has the Pirates saying “finally”
Under .500 for the first time this season, the Pittsburgh Pirates needed a win to end a four-game losing streak. The response was perhaps one of the most encouraging signs this season. Following a game in which the Pirates had 10 walks, they recorded their first shutout of the season, a 5-0 victory Saturday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. Monkey off of his back "Finally, honestly." Those were the two words Andrew McCutchen had for Root Sports after the game after his first home ... Read More
Locke not at fault for Pirates’ 8-4 loss to Milwaukee
Forgive me if you have heard this script before: The Pittsburgh Pirates' offense comes together and solves a pitcher in the seventh inning, only to immediately blow the momentum. It happened against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night, just over 24 hours from when the same thing happened against the Detroit Tigers. Predictably, the outcome was similar, and the Pirates lost to the Brewers, 8-4. This defeat drops the Pirates to 5-6, their first time under .500 in 2016. The losses have ... Read More
COLUMN: Bullpen surprisingly Pirates’ weak link early on
The Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen has been rock solid under manager Clint Hurdle, but early on this season, it can be a big thing holding the team back from winning. I will preface this by saying 10 games is way too early and way too small of a sample size, but still the current body of work needs to be judged and that is where relief pitching has fallen short. This season, the normally good Pirates bullpen has a 5.11 Earned Run Average through 10 games. I know what you're thinking: What ... Read More
Saltalamacchia’s grand slam too much for Pirates
Detroit Tigers rightfielder J.D. Martinez knew the game plan when it came to facing Arquimedes Caminero, so Martinez sat on a 3-2 slider. He got his pitch and hit it hard, but it was just foul. Hard-hit contact was the difference in this game, and it was the reason why the Tigers came away with a 7-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday night at PNC Park. For what it's worth, Martinez worked a walk in that at-bat and set the table for a Jarrod Saltalamacchia grand slam. “Those ... Read More
Pirates pregame: Vogelsong will not be on set pitch count
The bizarre two game home-and-home series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers continues at PNC Park tonight. A lot has changed in the last hour, as Michael Morse was designated for assignment and A.J. Schugel was called up to join the team in the bullpen. This was a move accomplished to protect the team since Francisco Liriano no longer is starting tonight's game and Ryan Vogelsong will be on the mound in his stead. Vogelsong (1-0 4.50 ERA) will get the ball tonight ... Read More