In the fifth inning, a pitch skipped off Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Chris Stewart's glove, and he immediately went into panic mode. “‘Oh no,’ that was my first thought,” Stewart said. If Stewart couldn't react quickly, Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner would score. Immediately, Stewart scrambled to the wall, correctly read the bounce and dove. As this was going on, Pirates starting pitcher Chad Kuhl made a beeline for home plate, and Stewart threw a ball right at his ... Read More
Kuhl, Pirates prepared for big test against Dodgers
Tonight, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pittsburgh Pirates are attempting to win a series after dropping four straight. Pitcher Chad Kuhl will make his Major League debut, and on the other side of the mound will be none other than one of the best pitchers in the game, Clayton Kershaw (11-1, 1.57 ERA). Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said he thinks Kuhl will do well tonight on the biggest stage of the 23-year-old's career. “(Kuhl's) electric early, and we’re trying to fine-tune ... Read More
Locke, McCutchen lead charge in Pirates win
Following the Pittsburgh Pirates' 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jeff Locke had one more batter to face: 3-year-old Maverick Mercer, Jordy Mercer's son, in the clubhouse. Locke had thrown seven innings of one-run baseball but finally met his match as Maverick got several hits, which he followed with bat flips. Locke could smile, and the players were able to eat up the scene because the Pirates have now won two in a row after a dreadful, 6-20 stretch that dates back to May ... Read More
Nicasio fills bullpen role, Cervelli gets closer to recovery
After ending a three-game losing streak Friday night with an 8-6 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pirates will look to extend their winning streak to two games tonight as Jeff Locke (6-5, 5.44 ERA) takes on Kenta Maeda (6-4, 2.64 ERA). Locke earned a win in his last start, which came Monday against the San Francisco Giants. Locke pitched 6.2 shutout innings while allowing three hits. The left-handed pitcher owns a 1-3 career record and 4.07 ERA in five games (four starts) against ... Read More
Backend relievers provide needed stability in Pirates’ 8-6 win over Dodgers
It's approaching five years since the infamous game that gave baseball fans the phrase, “Jerry Meals says it's safe.” The play happened in the 19th inning where it appeared that then-Pirates catcher Michael McKenry clearly tagged the Atlanta Braves' runner out. But Meals, the umpire, disagreed. Ever since, Meals hasn't been a welcome name to Pirates fans, who boo him each time public address announcer Tim DeBacco says Meals' name.But, Friday night, those same Pirates fans couldn't help but ... Read More
Column: It’s time for Pirates’ excuses, cliches to stop
If there is a team which needs a break more than the Pittsburgh Pirates, I would love to hear who. That's because there is no one who needs a break more desperately then them, especially after playing uninspired baseball in an 8-3 loss Sunday to the St. Louis Cardinals. It was a team which looked tired in every way and played like it, too. Sure there can be many excuses made for the loss but flat out the Pirates just need a day to get right again. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle only ... Read More
Catcher Erik Kratz returns to Pirates after Cervelli placed on DL
It happened innocently enough. Erik Kratz was standing in the on-deck circle at 7:30 PST Friday night in Fresno, CA, prepared to take his first at-bat. What wasn't normal was what came next: The catcher got called back into the dugout. He wasn't injured — far from it. He had just been acquired from the Los Angeles Angels by the Pittsburgh Pirates for $20,000. The mad dash began. He boarded three flights — one from Fresno to Salt Lake City, another from Salt Lake City to Minneapolis and ... Read More
Short bullpen costs Pirates extra-inning game vs. Mets
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitchers Mark Melancon and Neftali Feliz have had great seasons, but their success in Tuesday's doubleheader came at a cost: Neither was available for Wednesday's game against the New York Mets. The Pirates' short-handed bullpen flinched, resulting in a 6-5 Mets victory in 10 innings. Cory Luebke (0-1) came in for the 10th inning and needed 21 pitches to get through it, but he allowed the game-winning run. To start, he allowed Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker to ... Read More
Pirates’ pitcher Jonathon Niese continues good form in win
With Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jonathon Niese throwing well lately, people wondered whether his good form could continue at the Texas Rangers' hitter-friendly Globe Life Park. On Friday night, the answer was a resounding "yes," as Niese (5-2) allowed just one run on seven hits in six innings of work and helped the Pirates resoundingly beat the Rangers, 9-1. Lately, Niese has been able to get ground ball outs with more regularity, and this was once again the case Friday — he had 10 ground ... Read More
Column: Patient approach leads to another Pirates win
Sometimes it is not what about what is done when a team fails to score a run in any given inning, but there are occasions in which that does not tell the full story. While David Freese's three-run home run will be the talk of this game, perhaps more eyes should be turned to the opening three innings of the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 victory Wednesday night over the Arizona Diamondbacks. In those first three innings, the Pirates came away with three hits. No big deal, right? Wrong. The ... Read More