Follow @TBerardi_OVA Francisco Liriano has been named the Sporting News NL Comeback Player of the Year as voted by the NL players. Liriano posted a 16 - 8 record with a 3.02 ERA in 26 starts for the Pirates while striking out 163 batters and walking 63. He was signed in the offseason to a two-year, seven million dollar deal which had been reworked down from a larger amount after he suffered a broken non-throwing arm on Christmas Day of last year while playing with his children. The injury ... Read More
Bridgewater to replace Ben? Not so fast
Pittsburgh Steelers GM Kevin Colbert was in attendance at the recent Rutgers-Louisville game. Colbert — and about 20 or so officials from other NFL teams — were in town to watch Heisman-hopeful, Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater didn't really live up to the Heisman hype in this contest, going 21 for 31 for 310 yards, two touchdowns, 1 interception and a quarterback rating of 78.4 en route to an uninspiring 24-10 win. Why are all eyes on Bridgewater? Well, for starters, ... Read More
Wainwright and Co. Knock Bucs Out of Postseason
Follow @TBerardi_OVA Adam Wainwright shut the Pirates down in a complete-game effort while David Freese and Matt Adams both homered to propel the St. Louis Cardinals to the NLCS and knock the Pirates out of the 2013 postseason. Wainwright was flat-out dominant as he allowed only three base runners over his first six innings of work while striking out four before experiencing some bad luck in the seventh inning. With the Cardinals up 3 - 0 in the seventh with two out, Justin Morneau and ... Read More
Ryan Clark says the Steelers will make the playoffs. Is he right?
So, Ryan Clark thinks the 0-4 Pittsburgh Steelers can still make the playoffs? Is he watching the same team that the rest of us are? The Steelers season is upside down, and they are in a downward spiral from which they may not escape. In the first two games of the season, the offense was only able to muster a meager 19 points. True, in the past two games, they've scored 23 and 27 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the defense had given up 36 points in the first two games. In the past two, ... Read More
Pirate Players Encourage Blackout Part 2
Follow @TBerardi_OVA The Pirates did their part by splitting the first two games of the NLDS in St. Louis. Now it's the fans turn to do their part on Sunday when the Pirates return to PNC Park for Game 3 against the Cardinals. Some of the Pirate players took to twitter shortly after Friday's 7 - 1 victory to encourage fans to participate in the second PNC Blackout of the postseason. Sunday... BLACK IT OUT! #PNCBLACKOUT Lets gooooo! — andrew mccutchen (@TheCUTCH22) October 4, ... Read More
Pirates Even Series With Offensive Barrage
Follow @TBerardi_OVA The September NL Rookie of the Month, Gerrit Cole continued his outstanding string of starts with another six inning gem on Friday afternoon in St. Louis as the Pirates evened the NLDS at one with a 7 - 1 victory over the Cardinals. Cole experienced some trouble in the first when Carlos Beltran laced a one out double into the right-center gap. He would settle, though and retire the next eleven batters he faced until giving up a lead-off homer by Yadier Molina to start ... Read More
Burnett Struggles, Cardinals Capitalize in 9 – 1 Rout
Follow @TBerardi_OVA A.J. Burnett didn't have his stuff, today as he allowed the Cardinals to break out in a seven run third inning in route to a 9 - 1 victory in game one of the NLDS on Thursday afternoon. No one was able to break the scoreboard through the first two innings. The Cardinals came close in the second, when they had first and second with no out. Burnett then would get two groundouts, the second being a double play to end the inning without damage. He wouldn't be as ... Read More
The Pirates…and Their Fans Beat the Reds 6 – 2
Follow @TBerardi_OVA Pittsburgh has waited 21 years for a game like this to occur and they made sure their voices were heard as they rattled Johnny Cueto, leading to an early lead which enough for Francisco Liriano, who threw another gem against the Reds in a 6 - 2 NL Wild Card victory on Tuesday night. The momentum started to swing in the top of the second when Marlon Byrd, who was making his first postseason plate appearance, homered to left sending the already loud crowd at PNC into a ... Read More
Pirates Gameday: The Playoffs Are Finally Back in Pittsburgh
Follow @TBerardi_OVA The Pittsburgh Pirates (94 - 68) are back in the postseason for the first time since 1992 as they will take on the Cincinnati Reds (90 - 72). Francisco Liriano (16 - 8, 3.02 ERA) will take on Pirate killer, Johnny Cueto (5 - 2, 2.82 ERA). This will be the first time PNC Park has seen postseason action and the first time Pittsburgh has seen a postseason game since October 11, 1992. Hurdle's Quotes On emotions for tonight's game last night-- "I had a very trying evening. ... Read More
‘Twas the Night Before Buctober
Follow @TBerardi_OVA 'Twas the night before Buctober, when all through the tahn, Not a fan was asleep, not even Greg Brown. They lay awake anxious for the day ahead, when their Buccos would be battling those dreaded Reds. Thoughts of Willie and Clemente get's everyone giddy, while Cutch and Pedro prepare to rock the city, Maz's homer replays on computers all around, and "You Gotta Believe" plays in loud sound. In the homes of the Pirates, they go to their beds, it is Christmas ... Read More