Wednesday afternoon featured a pitching matchup between Ivan Nova and Matt Cain, and the Pittsburgh Pirates (62-56) came away with a 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants (66-54) to ensure a series sweep. Pittsburgh's Nova (9-6, 4.83 ERA) pitched well, allowing four runs on six hits in four innings. The former Yankee who the Pirates acquired around the trade deadline threw 62 pitches — and 42 of those were strikes. On the other side, for the Giants, Cain (4-8, 5.81 ERA) looked good early ... Read More
Ryan Vogelsong wins emotional start as Pirates top Giants
Ryan Vogelsong's return to San Francisco had a happy ending as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the San Francisco Giants by an 8-5 score Monday night. Vogelsong (2-2) pitched with the Giants from 2011-15 before returning to Pittsburgh following a 2001-06 first stint with the Pirates. It was in 2000 when Vogelsong made his major league debut with the Giants. Vogelsong was recognized first pitch with a video honoring his time and accomplishments with the Giants. He received an ovation from ... Read More
Cole struggles as Dodgers top Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates tied a club record in Saturday afternoon's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers (65-51). Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, it was the record for most men left on base (18), and the Pirates (58-56) lost 8-4 to a team that's where they want to be, in the Wild Card race. Additionally, the Pirates were 1-14 with men in scoring position. It was a night to forget for starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (7-8, 3.25 ERA, 1.33 WHIP), who gave up a season-high 12 hits in 4.1 innings of ... Read More
McCutchen, Mercer help Pirates end road skid
The Pittsburgh Pirates entered this game 2-8 in its last 10 road games, but that did not matter in a 5-1 defeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday night. A three-run first inning set the Pirates on a path for victory against Dodgers starter Ross Stripling (3-4). After the Pirates successfully challenged a Josh Harrison lead-off single, Starling Marte's single set up the rest of the inning. Andrew McCutchen singled on a 1-2 Stripling pitch bringing home the first run of this game. The ... Read More
Call to the ‘pen benefits Pirates’ Jordan Comadena
Jordan Comadena was preparing for another busy day as a volunteer baseball coach at Purdue University when the phone rang one morning. Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was on the line. Comadena's major league dreams appeared to be halted in the minor leagues. However, Hurdle's call, which came on a Monday in early April, was a job offer to join the team as a bullpen catcher. “It's just kind of a wild ride with some luck and good fortune,” Comadena says of hearing about the position. ... Read More
Pirates fielding, offense go quiet in loss
A sloppy second inning caused the Pittsburgh Pirates to lose 4-0 to the San Diego Padres Wednesday night at PNC Park. The Padres have fared well at PNC Park posting a 34-16 record and winning all 14 series played at PNC Park before the Pirates swept last season's three-game series. Now the Padres have a chance for a series win of their own. With Ryan Vogelsong (1-2) on the mound, the Pirates committed two errors in the second inning. After a one-out double from Jabari Blash, Christian ... Read More
Pirates’ GM discusses trades and team’s approach
For the first time since the trade deadline, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington spoke to the media. Here are some of the highlights of that conversation. On the potential of August acquisitions: “We're certainly looking for ways to add to the club. The challenge becomes the way the system works. An American League player has to go through the entire American League and then anybody with a worse record than us to get to us. Typically, it's a rare player that does get to us from ... Read More
Hamilton dazzles as Reds avoid sweep
Prior to Sunday afternoon's Pittsburgh Pirates game against the Cincinnati Reds, manager Clint Hurdle pledged the team was trying new things, which made it so Billy Hamilton would not be as potent on the bases. The result? Four stolen bases (giving him a major league leading 43) and five total thefts from the Reds. "We weren't where we needed to be, and that's my responsibility," Hurdle said. "End it right there. It's my responsibility to take care of that and at the end of the day when ... Read More
Pirates looking for series sweep
Following two wins this weekend over the Cincinnati Reds, the Pittsburgh Pirates will look for a sweep this afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates have gone 5-0-1 in their last six series at PNC Park and will send Gerrit Cole (7-6, 2.73 ERA) to the mound against Dan Straily (6-6, 3.80 ERA). Cole has not fared well against the Reds in his career posting an 0-5 record with a 5.30 ERA in seven career starts against the Reds. This season he is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in one ... Read More
Exclusive: Locke opens up about move to Pirates bullpen
It has been a season of ups and downs for Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jeff Locke, which has culminated to this point, a return to the bullpen. Locke was given the news by Hurdle on Friday, and it became public knowledge the next day. This placement in the bullpen seems to be more long term and may last through the entire season. Locke's last start was Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves, and he allowed five runs in 4.1 innings. Since the All-Star Break, Locke is 0-2 with a 9.89 ERA ... Read More