The Pittsburgh Pirates hope to continue its momentum from yesterday's 3-2 bottom of the ninth victory against the San Francisco Giants. Yesterday's win marked the second time that the Pirates won a game by scoring at least three runs, each on a solo home run. The other one came in 1949. Tonight, Francisco Liriano [8-6 3.35 ERA] will face Ryan Vogelsong [9-8 3.93 ERA]. Liriano is 3-1 with a 3.75 ERA in four career starts against the Giants. He won a 5-2 decision earlier this season ... Read More
Pirates pregame 8/21: Harrison excited about opportunity to rejoin team
The Pittsburgh Pirates won the first game of their four-game series against the San Francisco Giants by a 4-0 score Thursday night to go a season-high 25 games over .500. Jeff Locke [6-7 4.31 ERA] will start tonight for the Pirates. He is 0-0 with an 8.68 ERA in two career starts against the Giants. In his last start, he allowed one run on four hits in 5.1 innings against the New York Mets in a no-decision. Locke has not pitched six innings since July 19 against the Milwaukee ... Read More
Pirates pregame 8/20: Morton works on confidence
Earlier in the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates swept a road series against the San Francisco Giants. The Pirates hope to do the same in a four-game series that begins tonight. In tonight’s game, Charlie Morton [7-4 4.36 ERA] takes on Jake Peavy [3-5 4.18 ERA]. Morton is 3-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 11 career starts against the Giants. In his last start Morton earned a no-decision allowing three runs [two earned] on four hits in 6.4 innings against the New York Mets. Morton's journey this ... Read More
Should Pirates skip Cole’s next start?
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 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 big inning sparks comeback, sweep of Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers were looking to hold onto a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, but instead left down seven runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Reliever Jim Johnson [2-5] allowed eight runs on six hits in two-thirds of an inning. He would call it one of his worst outings in his professional career after the game. The Pirates won the game 12-6 and earned their first sweep of the Dodgers in Pittsburgh since 1999. “Wow," manager Clint Hurdle said. "It’s a testament that these ... Read More
Pirates pregame 8/8: Polanco heating up in leadoff role
Last night, a 10-inning contest which neared four hours ended in the Pittsburgh Pirates favor, as the Pirates defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers by a 5-4 score. “Both teams were playing hard and playing for a lot," manager Clint Hurdle said. Clayton Kershaw allowed a home run to Gregory Polanco on the first pitch of the bottom of the first inning ending his 37-inning scoreless streak. Despite allowing the second most hits and runs of the season to the Pirates, Kershaw received a ... Read More
Pirates slug 12 hits in victory
The Chicago Cubs used a three-run sixth inning to tie the game while the Pittsburgh Pirates were using its third pitcher of the inning, Antonio Bastardo. Bastardo [3-1] faced pinch-hitter Chris Coghlan with the bases loaded and two outs. Coghlan grounded out on the first pitch keeping the score tied at four. The Pirates would respond following the out and won by a 7-5 score. “The absolute biggest pitch of the night for me," manager Clint Hurdle said. "It was a real efficient one-pitch ... Read More
Kang plays hero in Pirates victory
Pittsburgh Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle has consistently given Jung Ho Kang a lineup card following each time he accomplishes a first in the major leagues. Tuesday night likely will be no different as his go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning gave the Pirates an 8-7 road victory over the Minnesota Twins. Earlier, Gregory Polanco had four at-bats, three of which resulted in hard-hit contact, however each were outs. In the eighth inning and the bases loaded however the script ... Read More
Pirates overwhelmed by Nationals offense
Ask A.J. Burnett about his start in Saturday night's loss and he would not discuss the eight strikeouts, but rather all of the mistakes he made. “I’m hitting guys in the foot, throwing balls down the middle, throwing balls away from first, I didn’t cover home," Burnett said. "I got strike outs but I’ve got to keep the balls in the lanes and in the corners.” The Pittsburgh Pirates appeared to be on the verge of a comeback following a three-run sixth inning, but one swing of the bat from Ian ... Read More