The Pittsburgh Pirates return to the road for a three game series against the Philadelphia Phillies. This is the first time the Pirates face a National League East team this season. Tonight’s starters The Pirates will send Gerrit Cole [4-1 2.27 ERA] to the mound against Jerome Williams [2-2 5.18 ERA]. Cole is 1-1 with a 2.61 ERA in two career starts against the Phillies. Cole is coming off his first loss in nine outings after allowing three runs on eight hits as part of his five innings of ... Read More
Cubs early-inning scoring sinks Pirates
For the second time this season, the Chicago Cubs took the opening two games of its series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs won Tuesday night's game by a 6-2 score. Jeff Locke [2-1] did not make it into the fourth inning. Locke pitched 3.2 innings allowing eight hits, six runs [five earned runs], three walks and five strikeouts. Locke threw 86 pitches and had 53 strikes. The Cubs scored three runs in the third inning off Locke. Addison Russell brought home the first with his third double ... Read More
Determined Watson saves Pirates win
Tony Watson was asked to make his longest outing of the season as the Pittsburgh Pirates were trying to hold on to a 1-run lead against the Chicago Cubs. Watson ended up getting the job done earning his first save of the season and the Pirates won by a 4-3 score. “It turned into a plan B where he had to go get six outs and he went out and got them," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He’s shown grit, he’s shown ability, he’s shown skill. It was a very gritty performance to get six outs and keep ... Read More
Pirates pregame 4/22: Kang, Hughes, Melancon discussed
The Chicago Cubs have won the first two games in this series, however the Pittsburgh Pirates still have an opportunity to earn a split if it were to match the aforementioned accomplishment. In last night's contest, the lead went back and forth, however the Pirates bullpen allowed an 8-5 lead to slip away in a 9-8 loss. Mark Melancon blew his first save in a 3-run top of the ninth inning. Tonight’s starters: In tonight's game Vance Worley [1-1 5.84 ERA] will take to the mound against ... Read More
Jared Hughes embraces return to longer outings
Jared Hughes remembers when he got first got called up to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011. Hughes made 11 appearances as a September call-up and posted a 4.09 ERA in 11 innings of work. The former Long Beach State Dirtbag made the transformation from hard thrower to sinker ball pitcher while working on his pitch effectiveness. Now however, Hughes had the challenge of proving that he belonged in the major leagues. "I had a chance to prove myself going out there and struggling at first but then ... Read More
Pirates win home opener in front of largest ever regular season crowd
The 39,933 fans that sold out PNC Park already were excited to see their Pittsburgh Pirates return for the first time since a Wild Card loss, but a Josh Harrison first pitch home run in addition to Gerrit Cole's pitching provided the ingredients to a 5-4 home opener victory over the Detroit Tigers Monday. Harrison's home run came in the bottom of the first after Cole pitched a hitless 13-pitch first inning. Anibal Sanchez [1-1] gave up his first run of the season on the homer and it came on a ... Read More
Pirates earn first win in Milwaukee
In past years winning a game in Milwaukee was a very hard accomplishment, however in 2015 Miller Park was the home of the first Pittsburgh Pirates win this season. The Pirates won Friday night's game by a 6-2 score. Locke [1-0] pitched six innings allowing seven hits and two runs while walking one batter and striking out two. Locke also helped his cause with an RBI double in the second inning as part of a three-run second inning. Locke threw 90 pitches in this game with 62 ending up as ... Read More
Pirates relief continues to be a strength
With the recalling of Rob Scahill, the Pittsburgh Pirates completed its bullpen. The bullpen has been a source of strength under the watchful eyes of pitching coach Ray Searage, bullpen coach Euclides Rojas and bullpen catcher Herbie Andrade. Here is a rundown of who will come out of the bullpen to start the season: Antonio Bastardo- The Pirates made what they felt was a low-risk acquisition with Antonio Bastardo from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Joely Rodriguez. Manager Clint ... Read More
Morton to DL; Worley a part of starting rotation
Following Saturday's 6-4 exhibition game loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Pirates placed Charlie Morton on the disabled list with a hip injury. Morton had hip surgery for the second time ending his 2014 season prematurely. He had hip surgery to fix a torn labrum in Oct. 2011. Morton's last appearance in an official major league game was Sep. 16 against the Boston Red Sox. Morton had an 8.47 ERA this spring and in the loss to the Phillies threw 1.2 innings allowing: four hits, six ... Read More
Pirates 11 hits not enough in Spring Training loss
The Pittsburgh Pirates fell to 10-9-3 in Spring Training play with a loss Tuesday to the Baltimore Orioles. Jared Hughes allowed six hits and five earned runs in one-third of an inning losing his first Spring Training game. Radhames Liz started the contest for the Pirates and pitched three innings allowing four hits however kept the Orioles off the scoreboard. Liz, a former Oriole, is in the running for a potential bullpen spot. It was not until the fourth inning that the Orioles ... Read More