Brandon Cumpton gave another solid spot start for the Pirates allowing only two runs in seven innings of work, but the run support wasn't there yet again in a Bucs 2-1 loss to the Reds on Thursday afternoon. Cumpton experienced trouble in the first by walking Joey Votto and allowing a hit to Brandon Phillips. However, he would get out of the inning clean by striking out Jay Bruce and getting Todd Frazier to fly out. Cumpton would then retire 12 of the next 15 batters he faced until the sixth ... Read More
Pirates Position Preview: Third Base
We continue our spring preview of the Pirates with the hot corner. The position filled by last years Co-NL home run champ, Pedro Alvarez. Although, this season, he may be getting some help. Pedro Alvarez: Pedro showed offensive improvement last season by hitting a league-leading 36 home runs and driving in 100 which was fifth-best in the NL and also good enough for his first silver slugger award. He still has more room to improve though, as he led the league in strikeouts (186) while ... Read More
Bucs Bounce Back Behind Burnett 4 – 2
Follow @TBerardi_OVA A.J. Burnett followed Liriano's strong start with one of his own, but this time the Pirates held on to their lead for a pivotal 4 - 2 victory over the Reds on Saturday night. For the second time in this series, the Reds struck in the first when Brandon Phillips singled and scored on a Ryan Ludwick RBI single. That single would put runners on first and second with one out, but Burnett would induce an inning-ending double play to get out of the jam. The other run he gave ... Read More
Pirates Go Back-To-Back-To-Back, But Fall 5-4
The Pirates led late, but Jason Grilli gave up a two-out, two-run homer to Anthony Rizzo to give the Cubs a 5 - 4 victory in Pittsburgh on Friday night. The Cubs jumped out to an early lead against Charlie Morton when Nate Schierholtz turned a lead-off walk in the second into the games first run, a fielders choice by Darwin Barney as he beat out a double play. They would add two more in the fourth inning when Brian Bogusevic hit a two-out, two-run homer into the bushes to push the Cubs ... Read More
Pirates Game Day: Hurdle Discusses Cole, Marte Update
The Pirates (77 - 55) look to get back into a tie for first as they face the Brewers (58 - 74) in the rubber match of the three game set. Gerrit Cole (6 - 6, 3.81 ERA) will oppose Yovani Gallardo (9 - 9, 4.61 ERA). Leading off John Buck will make his Pirates debut tonight as he will catch Cole and bat seventh. Hurdle's Quotes On the amount of players that will be brought up post-Sept. 1st -- "I think we're going to have a progression in place that we're going to have some guys added on ... Read More
Pirate Pitching Struggles In 7 – 6 Slugfest
In a game that went back-and-forth, combined for 28 total hits,10 total pitchers and involved one player on each team that went a combined 6-for-6 (Pedro went 4-for-4 with a homer and a walk) in 10 plate appearances, the Brewers were able to survive with a 7 - 6 victory over the Pirates on Tuesday night. Neil Walker was able to sum the whole thing up . "It was a strange game, it was. Back-and-forth, back-and-forth." The struggle began against Locke, who was good over the first four innings ... Read More
Pirates Extend Playoff Lead In 6-2 Victory Over Arizona
PNC Park - Gerrit Cole pitched six innings of five hit, two run ball and the top of the Pirates order continued to remain hot as the Pirates defeated the Diamondbacks 6 - 2 on Friday night extending their lead over Arizona to 9 1/2 games and their NL Central lead over the Cardinals to three. Cole went through the Arizona lineup once easily before experiencing trouble in the fourth. He would pitch around Paul Goldschmidt to start the inning before walking Aaron Hill. A wild pitch would then ... Read More
Pirates Gameday: Wandy Update, Hurdle Talks Cole’s Innings Limit
The Pirates (71 - 49) look to straight the ship after a 1 - 5 road trip that has dropped their NL Central lead to two games. Another team chasing them for a playoff spot, The Arizona Diamondbacks (62 - 57) invade PNC Park for a 3-game set starting tonight. Gerrit Cole (5 - 5, 3.95 ERA) will face Brandon McCarthy (2 - 6, 4.73 ERA). Leading Off The Diamondbacks trail the Pirates by 8 1/2 games going in to tonight's contest. A series victory by the Bucs could go a long way to locking up their ... Read More
Harrison Walk-Off Lifts Pirates to 4 – 3 Victory
(Photo Credit: Gene J. Puskar / AP) PNC Park -- Josh Harrison sent a 1 - 1 fastball from left hander, Mike Dunn into the right-center field seats for a Pirates walk-off 4 - 3 victory on Tuesday night. It completed a comeback from an early 3-run hole created by the Marlins against starter, Jeff Locke. They got on the board once in the second when they lead off the inning by loading the bases. Locke would then get Jeff Mathis to pop out to first, but Marlins starter, Henderson Alvarez would ... Read More
Cole Solid, But Offense Stalls In 4-2 Loss
(Photo Credit: Gene J. Puskar) PNC Park – Gerrit Cole pitched a solid five innings of work, but he and reliever Justin Wilson couldn’t get out of the sixth as the Rockies scored three times en-route to a 4 – 2 victory on Friday night. Cole retired ten of the first eleven batters he faced with the only hit coming from a Troy Tulowitzki solo shot in the second inning. He would then allow two batters to reach with one out in the fourth before getting the next two batters to strike out. He ... Read More