The Pittsburgh Pirates have completed its first full month of regular season play and came away with a 12-10 record. Naturally with each team, there are successes and failures, however this month is a definite improvement over last season’s 9-14 mark in April. While there were some hitting inconsistencies and Mark Melancon’s velocity decline was spotlighted, there was a lot to like, and these are some moments that stuck out.
10. Andrew Lambo Opening Day pinch-hit appearance– The Pirates offense was contained by Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto on Opening Day and this is something Pirates fans have become accustomed to. Kevin Gregg entered the game and Lambo came in to pinch-hit. The at-bat turned into a 13-pitch battle. Though Gregg technically won when Lambo flew out, it was referred to later by manager Clint Hurdle as a “professional at-bat.” This set the stage for an Andrew McCutchen home run that tied the game. Though the Pirates lost the game, it was an important at-bat for the Pirates offense.
9. Pirates get first win of season April 10– Players will say each win is important, however after dropping all three games to the Reds, getting a win of any kind was important. The Pirates had not experienced much success in past years against the Milwaukee Brewers. Taking it a step further it was Jeff Locke who got the win. Many fans were unhappy that Locke was chosen over Vance Worley for a starting spot in the rotation. This was an important early outing for Locke, who also got a chance to showcase his off-speed pitches.
8. Base running April 17 in win against Brewers– This is an important addition to this list, especially when you add that the Pirates offense essentially was non-existent in the two games prior against Shane Greene and Alfredo Simon of the Tigers. The Pirates offense put together 11 hits but more important were the decisions on the base paths. Third base Coach Rick Sofield had a tough decision holding Francisco Cervelli at third base and not test the arm of Ryan Braun. The Pirates stole three bases, advanced 90 feet with productive at-bats with runners in scoring position and also Gregory Polanco went from first to third base on a rather routine ground out. Sofield probably summed it best when he said “it felt good to be free again.”
7. Pirates home opener– It is hard to replicate the atmosphere that is a home opener. The ballpark is sold out and in prior years it may be one of the few sellouts in a season. Now of course the times have changed, but the fans show their appreciation for everyone whether it is the 25th man on the roster, a coach or a player that is in the starting lineup. This is many fans first chance to see the Pirates since September or October and the term baseball hangover gets past around frequently. As for the game itself, the Pirates won 5-4 in front of the largest ever regular season crowd at PNC Park.
6. Pirates obtain five-game winning streak– For a month with so many peaks and valleys, to find success from April 22-26 both at home and one the road had to be a huge confidence boost for the Pirates. Four of the victories also resulted in saves. The Pirates outscored their opponents 23-9 during this streak.
5. Andrew McCutchen 1,000th hit– Was this the biggest at-bat of the month? No. With that being said though, it was very important for Andrew McCutchen who batted .196 for the month of April. It is the first time McCutchen has hit under .200 in a month since September 2011 when he batted .181. McCutchen said during the team’s home stand that he was working on staying healthy and that he came in behind at Spring Training. A night such as the one the final game of the month provided is one that could give him confidence heading into May. McCutchen threw out a runner attempting to take an extra base and also provided two hits.
4. Gerrit Cole becoming an ace– Cole’s progression started while on a rehab assignment last season. Following Francisco Liriano going on the bereavement list, Cole was placed in the first spot of the rotation with Liriano going behind A.J. Burnett in the third position. Cole this season has a 4-0 record with a 1.76 ERA and 0.98 WHIP. Cole has pitched 30.2 innings this season and among top-10 starters in ERA, Cole ranks second with 35 strikeouts. Cole’s fastball velocity is 95.1 miles-per-hour which ranks second among starters. Cole has thrown at least five innings and struck out six batters in each of his first five outings. Thus far in the season, Cole has proven he can be consistently trusted when he gets the call every fifth day, something that is required of an ace. His off-speed improvement has been a key which allows his fastball to have more of an effect. It may be premature to say this but if this level of success continues then an All-Star Game selection would be a definite possibility for Cole.
3. Tony Watson two-inning save against Cubs– With Mark Melancon down because of volume of pitches, it was up to Watson to rise to the occasion and he did so. Hurdle admitted that he did not want to have to force his hand with Watson. It was not Watson’s first rodeo either in terms of getting a save or pitching two innings. Jared Hughes loaded the bases with no outs and then a single brought a run home and this forced Watson to get the job done with no intentions of pulling him. His two-inning performance required 30 pitches in which he surrendered one hit. The outing drew high praise from Hurdle.
2. Polanco hit off Phil Coke– This gets its own moment because of how much the odds were against Polanco. Polanco was hitting .170 in his career against left-handed pitching and he quickly fell down 0-2 in the count. The single was to the opposite field. Hurdle complimented Polanco for going with the pitch. Polanco was second on the team with 22 hits in April, one behind Neil Walker. “I wanted to win this fight,” Polanco said of the hit.
1. Pirates defeat Cubs 4/23– While the Polanco play was highlighted earlier on this list the win itself is the top moment of the month considering the lineup the Pirates had. Lambo was batting second, Polanco was in the third spot of the order, Sean Rodriguez was in left field and Chris Stewart was catching. The Pirates trailed 4-1 but Locke got an important double play which ended his outing after five innings. A three-run sixth inning tied the game before Polanco’s hit brought home the game-winning run. Hurdle referred to the win as one of the best team wins he’s had since being hired with the Pirates.
Photo credit: Ross D. Franklin/AP
