It is four starts into Gerrit Cole's month of August, and he has an 0-3 record with a 4.69 ERA to show for it. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told the media prior to Monday night's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, that he wanted a starting pitcher to go seven innings, which would put much less of a burden on a bullpen that was massively tested this past weekend against the New York Mets. Perhaps trying to meet that demand Hurdle stuck by Cole for 6.2 innings, this despite a 30-pitch ... Read More
Pirates clear winners of Snider Trade
In late January, the Pittsburgh Pirates made an unpopular move when they traded outfielder Travis Snider to the Baltimore Orioles for two minor league pitchers. Snider was coming off a great second half to the 2014 season, and looked like he could challenge Gregory Polanco for the starting right field job. Now, seven months later, that trade looks like a steal for the Pirates. It is easy to say the Pirates were the winners of the trade simply because Snider did not last a full year with ... Read More
Pirates can’t shake early inning troubles in loss
The Arizona Diamondbacks attacked Gerrit Cole's fastball early and often and won a 4-1 contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday night. Cole [14-7] tied a season-high allowing nine hits in the contest while also throwing 30-pitches in the first inning. The Diamondbacks struck first with a two-run first inning. A.J. Pollock hit a triple off the Clemente Wall in right field. Gregory Polanco did not read the bounce off the right field wall correctly allowing Pollock to advance to third ... Read More
Bucs start series with D-Backs; Mercer and Harrison progressing
The Pittsburgh Pirates come into tonight's home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on a four-game winning streak thanks in part to a sweep of the New York Mets, earning the team's first ever season series sweep against them. In tonight's game, Gerrit Cole takes on Jeremy Hellickson. Cole is 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in two career starts against the Diamondbacks. Cole lost his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals allowing four runs [three earned] on seven hits in 5.1 innings. He has lost ... Read More
Pirates earn first season series sweep against Mets in franchise history
Many saw the Pittsburgh Pirates rotation and thought that the team would be swept by the New York Mets. Instead it was the other way around, as the Pirates won 8-1 Sunday afternoon, securing their major league-leading 13th sweep of the season. The Mets came into the series losing just twice since acquiring Yoenis Cespedes. The starting pitcher trio of J.A. Happ, Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke allowed four earned runs in 17 innings while striking out 21 batters. Arquimedes Caminero [4-1] won ... Read More
Pirates cook up some Stew in a pinch to earn extra inning victory
It was not a home game for the Pittsburgh Pirates, however you could not tell in the 14th inning. Fans celebrated Chris Stewart's pinch-hit single and started a Let's Go Bucs chant after a Sean Rodriguez RBI. When the umpires departed by the tunnel, the Pirates defeated the New York Mets by a 5-3 score in 14 innings Saturday night. This is the seventh consecutive extra innings win for the Pirates who are also 5-0 against the Mets this season. It was not an easy victory for the Pirates who ... Read More
Pirates continue extra-inning win streak
It took extra innings, however the Pittsburgh Pirates scored two runs to defeat the New York Mets by a 3-2 score in 10 innings Friday night. The Pirates are the first National League opponent to defeat the Mets in a game since July 30 [San Diego Padres]. Additionally the Pirates have won their past six extra inning games. The team is also 19-8 against National League East opponents. J.A. Happ told media throughout last homestand that he looked forward to getting the ball again and showing ... Read More
What happens when Harrison and Mercer return?
The phrase you can’t lose your job to injury is commonly heard in sports lore. But Pittsburgh Pirate shortstop Jordy Mercer may soon beg to differ. Despite starting his rehab this week at Triple-A Indianapolis, the Opening Day starting shortstop may not be given his starting job back when he return[s. Nor should it be handed to him. Current starting shortstop Jung Ho Kang used injuries to Mercer and Josh Harrison to propel himself into the Pirates’ everyday lineup and has not looked ... Read More
Pirates avoid sweep with big first inning
The past eight meetings between the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium all had one thing in common; a loss for the visitors. Thursday night, however, the Pirates changed that with a 10-5 victory, their first on the road against the Cardinals in 2015. The Pirates were aided by a seven-run first inning in which they batted around. Neil Walker got a hit from both sides of the place, the first Pirates player to do that in the same inning since at least 1961. Cardinals ... Read More
Pirates lose series, ground in NL Central to Cardinals
Defensive lapses once again reared their head as the Pittsburgh Pirates fell by a 4-2 score Wednesday night to the St. Louis Cardinals. The big blow came in the sixth inning when Gregory Polanco tried to run down a ball in shallow right field. He misjudged it and the ball rolled to the wall. After the dust had cleared, Randal Grichuk scored what proved to be the game-winning run and Yadier Molina was on third base with his second triple of the season. In addition to that miscue, the Pirates ... Read More