Brad Hand departed the game for the Miami Marlins in the ninth inning, however by then it was too little too late for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hand [4-3] just missed his first ever complete game but threw a career-high eight-plus innings in a 5-2 victory Tuesday night against the Pirates which evened the four-game series at one victory apiece. Prior to the ninth inning, the top half of the first presented the Pirates high point against Hand. With two outs in the first inning, Andrew ... Read More
Pirates shutout Giants in series opener
Charlie Morton came into Thursday night's game against the San Francisco Giants having not lost a game since July 22, and after a 4-0 victory, that streak continued. “I think we’re watching Charlie develop into more of a complete pitcher with a sinker ball rather than a single ball pitcher," manager Clint Hurdle said. The Pirates are now a season-high 25 games over .500. Morton [8-4] used his off-speed pitches to overwhelm the Giants offense. Unlike previous games, this start was not so ... Read More
Pirates pregame 8/20: Morton works on confidence
Earlier in the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates swept a road series against the San Francisco Giants. The Pirates hope to do the same in a four-game series that begins tonight. In tonight’s game, Charlie Morton [7-4 4.36 ERA] takes on Jake Peavy [3-5 4.18 ERA]. Morton is 3-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 11 career starts against the Giants. In his last start Morton earned a no-decision allowing three runs [two earned] on four hits in 6.4 innings against the New York Mets. Morton's journey this ... Read More
Pirates pregame 8/19: Wall joins bullpen; Florimon DFA’d
Many fans may have already been asleep, however the Pittsburgh Pirates were not and won 9-8 in 15 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In tonight's game J.A. Happ [0-1 4.66 ERA] will face Robbie Ray [3-8 3.29 ERA]. Happ is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in four career appearances [three starts] against the Diamondbacks. He earned a no-decision in his last start against the New York Mets he allowed one run on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work. Ray is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in one career start ... Read More
Bucs start series with D-Backs; Mercer and Harrison progressing
The Pittsburgh Pirates come into tonight's home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on a four-game winning streak thanks in part to a sweep of the New York Mets, earning the team's first ever season series sweep against them. In tonight's game, Gerrit Cole takes on Jeremy Hellickson. Cole is 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in two career starts against the Diamondbacks. Cole lost his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals allowing four runs [three earned] on seven hits in 5.1 innings. He has lost ... Read More
Pirates earn first season series sweep against Mets in franchise history
Many saw the Pittsburgh Pirates rotation and thought that the team would be swept by the New York Mets. Instead it was the other way around, as the Pirates won 8-1 Sunday afternoon, securing their major league-leading 13th sweep of the season. The Mets came into the series losing just twice since acquiring Yoenis Cespedes. The starting pitcher trio of J.A. Happ, Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke allowed four earned runs in 17 innings while striking out 21 batters. Arquimedes Caminero [4-1] won ... Read More
Pirates cook up some Stew in a pinch to earn extra inning victory
It was not a home game for the Pittsburgh Pirates, however you could not tell in the 14th inning. Fans celebrated Chris Stewart's pinch-hit single and started a Let's Go Bucs chant after a Sean Rodriguez RBI. When the umpires departed by the tunnel, the Pirates defeated the New York Mets by a 5-3 score in 14 innings Saturday night. This is the seventh consecutive extra innings win for the Pirates who are also 5-0 against the Mets this season. It was not an easy victory for the Pirates who ... Read More
Pirates avoid sweep with big first inning
The past eight meetings between the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium all had one thing in common; a loss for the visitors. Thursday night, however, the Pirates changed that with a 10-5 victory, their first on the road against the Cardinals in 2015. The Pirates were aided by a seven-run first inning in which they batted around. Neil Walker got a hit from both sides of the place, the first Pirates player to do that in the same inning since at least 1961. Cardinals ... Read More
Pirates lose series, ground in NL Central to Cardinals
Defensive lapses once again reared their head as the Pittsburgh Pirates fell by a 4-2 score Wednesday night to the St. Louis Cardinals. The big blow came in the sixth inning when Gregory Polanco tried to run down a ball in shallow right field. He misjudged it and the ball rolled to the wall. After the dust had cleared, Randal Grichuk scored what proved to be the game-winning run and Yadier Molina was on third base with his second triple of the season. In addition to that miscue, the Pirates ... Read More
Bucs big inning sparks comeback, sweep of Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers were looking to hold onto a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, but instead left down seven runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Reliever Jim Johnson [2-5] allowed eight runs on six hits in two-thirds of an inning. He would call it one of his worst outings in his professional career after the game. The Pirates won the game 12-6 and earned their first sweep of the Dodgers in Pittsburgh since 1999. “Wow," manager Clint Hurdle said. "It’s a testament that these ... Read More