The Pittsburgh Pirates struck first in a road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks winning 4-1. This is the first road contest following a 10-game home stand, which ties a season high. Pirates starter Gerrit Cole [3-0] earned the win pitching 7.2 innings while allowing seven hits, a run, two walks and seven strikeouts. Cole threw 108 pitches, 78 for strikes - a 72.2 percent strike rate. It was Cole's longest outing since May 7 last season. "He was crisp and his pitch count was in better ... Read More
Pirates pregame 4/21: Team faces left-hander for first time
The Pittsburgh Pirates continue its series against the Chicago Cubs tonight at 7:05 p.m. This is the second of four games. Last night the Pirates fell 5-2 due in large part to a three-run seventh inning against Arquimedes Caminero. Tonight’s starters: Starting for the Pirates in this contest is Francisco Liriano [0-1 2.08 ERA]. Liriano is 4-2 with a 2.30 ERA in nine career starts against the Cubs. Liriano went 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA in three starts last season against them. Liriano also has ... Read More
Pirates draw parallels with Bryant’s hype
Every major leaguer remembers his first call up. Kris Bryant is not different. “We were in New Orleans and we had a doubleheader and the second game got rained out," Bryant said. "Coach called me into the office, and we were just talking about the game. He [Marty Pevey] kind of just brought it up randomly in the middle of our conversation and told me I was going to the bigs. It was so random and so exciting, and a time I’ll never forget.” Bryant however is unlike many call-ups with the ... Read More
Pirates pregame 4/18: Walker hopes to continue success against Lohse
The Pittsburgh Pirates offense and baserunning reemerged in a 6-3 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Pirates have a chance to win its first home series tonight as Kyle Lohse [0-2 11.17 ERA] takes on Jeff Locke [1-0 3.00 ERA]. Tonight’s starters: Jeff Locke starts for the Pirates. The left-hander won his starting role in Spring Training and is 1-0 on the season winning 6-2 April 10 against the Brewers. In 90 pitches, Locke pitched six innings allowing seven hits, two runs, one walk ... Read More
Pirates bats silent in series-clinching loss
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Francisco Liriano threw six innings and surrendered one run. It was not enough. The Pirates offense was held to two hits in a 1-0 loss against the Detroit Tigers Wednesday and losing the three-game series, 2-1. “We’ve got some pitches to hit and get into offensive counts but we haven’t been able to get the at-bat that we need," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Right now, we’ve got work to do on the offensive end.” For the second consecutive game, former ... 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
Pirates lose in extra innings
In the second of a three game season opening series, the Pittsburgh Pirates shook off a 2-hour 34 minute rain delay but could not do the same with the Cincinnati Reds falling 5-4 early Thursday morning in 11 innings. Both starters had high pitch counts in this game with Gerrit Cole departing after five innings for the Pirates and Mike Leake 5.2 with the Reds. Both received no decisions. Cole threw 92 pitches, 56 of which were strikes while allowing five hits and three runs. Cole also ... Read More
Alvarez, defense keys in Pirates tie
The Pittsburgh Pirates saw its first two pitchers on staff have good outings in a 3-3 extra inning tie Wednesday evening against the Baltimore Orioles. Francisco Liriano was the first to pitch and threw three innings while allowing his first run of Spring Training. Liriano now has a 0.75 ERA. He allowed three hits and struck out two batters in his time on the mound. Liriano was replaced by Gerrit Cole who threw three scoreless innings allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three ... Read More
Worley continues to make starting case; Pirates lose
Vance Worley's six-inning start had some peaks and valleys in the Pirates 7-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves Thursday. Worley threw six innings allowing seven hits, five runs and striking out three batters. The vast majority of the damage came in the first inning in which the Braves scored five runs. The highlight was a Chris Johnson two-run homer, his first of the spring. Jace Peterson, Christian Bethancourt and Kelly Johnson also registered RBI in the frame. The Braves opened the game with four ... Read More
Middle-infield looks solid for Pirates
There were questions going into the 2014 season about the lack of offense at the middle-infield positions for the Pirates. At second base, Neil Walker had shown glimpses of power, but injuries plagued him forcing him to sit when things seemed to be coming around. At shortstop, there wasn't much to look forward to. Clint Barmes could barely keep his head above the Mendoza line and a young Jordy Mercer looked to be at least a full year or two away from being a solid starter. To the surprise ... Read More