Starling Marte stepped into the batter's box and for a second consecutive game connected on a home run to left field as part of a Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 victory Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers. The three-run home run doubled the Pirates run total, and also provided the first runs since a 27-minute first inning. In that first inning, the Brewers which went with a different lineup sent Ryan Braun up to the plate. It was the first time Braun has ever led off in a Major League Baseball ... Read More
Sofield, baserunning key in Pirates victory
Pittsburgh Pirates third base and baserunning coach Rick Sofield saw his catcher Francisco Cervelli running toward third and had to make a decision. It was the fourth inning of Friday's game, the Pirates were down 1-0 and Gregory Polanco had singled to right while Ryan Braun cleanly fielded the ball. Sofield thought for a second and both both hands up. Cervelli stayed at third. While anxious fans had been waiting 22 innings for a Pirate to cross home plate, Sofield did not think this was the ... Read More
Pirates aggressive on base paths in win
Earlier in the day, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told the media that the team did not have many chances to be aggressive. That changed Friday. The Pirates took the extra base and the aggression helped propel them to a 6-3 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers in front of 25,664 fans. Vance Worley [1-1] got the win nearly a week after getting roughed up for six runs in a loss to these same Brewers. Worley pitched six innings allowing six hits, walking four [two of which were ... Read More
McCutchen’s bat brings Pirates series win
Pittsburgh Pirates fans have seen this script before. A pitcher with a high ERA holding the Pirates at bay and stealing a series win. That would not be the case Sunday, as one swing of the bat changed the course of the game and re-energized the Pirates bats en route to a 10-2 victory Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Andrew McCutchen's three-run home run was his second of the season and came on the first pitch of his at-bat against Kyle Lohse [0-2] which scored both Gregory Polanco and ... Read More
Reds sweep Pirates with walk-off
Gregory Polanco misplayed a Marlon Byrd line drive in the ninth inning allowing Todd Frazier to score the winning run in another Reds walk-off of the Pirates to complete a three-game sweep in Cincinnati. The dropped liner finished off a disastrous ninth inning by Pirate reliever Rob Scahill as he allowed Frazier — who hit two home runs and knocked in four RBI in the first two games of the series — to lead off the inning with a double. The Reds (3-0) then received a gift when Frazier was able ... Read More
Pirates battle fall short late against Reds
Francisco Liriano allowed two hits in seven innings but came away with a no-decision after a 5-2 Opening Day loss to the Cincinnati Reds. “It’s great for Opening Day to come and it's just as great when it gets by you," Manager Clint Hurdle said to assembled media. "We always are challenged when we see Cueto… We made him pitch that was the one upside. I thought our guys went up there and battled. We showed some resiliency to come back and get two late.” Liriano, who was starting his second ... Read More
Pirates outfield considered among the best in 2015
Many have wondered which of the Pittsburgh Pirates trio of outfielders is the fastest. It was an idea tossed around at PirateFest, the annual way the team thanks fans for their support, this question was raised and it was split right down the middle. This is a great problem to have as speed and power have led to the discussion that the Pirates outfield is the best in all of Major League Baseball. "We're all out there, speedsters, guys that can run down balls," Andrew McCutchen said to ... Read More
Locked up: Pirates set rotation, talk extension with Gregory Polanco
The Pirates took care of business today on and off the field. In Grapefruit league action, the Pirates dominated the Phillies for a 19-4 victory. After the victory, Manager Clint Hurdle announced that Jeff Locke will take the team's fourth spot in the Opening Day rotation while Vance Worley will begin the season in the bullpen for long-relief. Locke went 7-6 for the Pirates in 2014 with a 3.91 ERA in 21 starts with 89 strikeouts and 40 walks in 131 1/3 innings. After struggling through the ... Read More
Pirates win as Polanco homers for second straight game
Charlie Morton's up and down Spring Training continued with an 8-3 victory over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays Saturday at McKechnie Field. Morton [1-1] saw his ERA fall from 7.71 to 6.46 this spring after pitching six innings and allowing three runs. Morton also surrendered six hits and walked two batters. Morton's three runs came on a first inning Daric Barton home run, a second inning Munenori Kawasaki double and a fourth inning Danny Valencia homer. “I thought he showed progress as ... Read More
Pirates major league roster shaping up; team wins shortened game
Jeff Locke pitched 5.2 innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates won a rain-shortened game 4-2 Friday against the Minnesota Twins. The game was called due to rain in the bottom of the eighth inning. Locke is now 1-1 on the season and lowered his ERA from 9.00 to 6.59. He allowed: eight hits, two runs, walked three and struck out two batters. Antonio Bastardo picked up his first save and allowed a hit while striking out two batters in his inning of work. Blake Wood got the final out of the sixth ... Read More