Josh Harrison hit a home run and recorded 5 RBI as the Pirates got their make or break stretch against NL Central opponents off to a solid start with an 8-3 victory over the first place Brewers on Friday night. With the Pirates (66-62) trailing 2-0 in the second inning after a Ryan Braun two run home run in the first, the offense went to work against Yovani Gallardo. Russell Martin started the inning off by reaching on a throwing error by Brewers third basemen Aramis Ramirez. Gallardo then ... Read More
Harrison/Polanco lead Pirates to 2-1 victory
Josh Harrison and Gregory Polanco provided the offense and Vance Worley went through the sixth inning for the eighth time in nine starts as the Pirates held off the Padres 2-1 on Friday night in front of a sell out crowd at PNC Park. Harrison and Polanco provided the only offense the Pirates (62-53) needed on the night in the first inning when Harrison tripled to lead off the inning. Polanco quickly followed with a RBI single, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Padres ... Read More
Is Alvarez done at third?
Pedro Alvarez has been struggling at the hot corner all season, producing a league-leading 24 errors, most coming from overthrows to first base. The frustrations have seemed to carry over to the offensive side where Alvarez is struggling with a .235/.402/.724 slash with 15 home runs, 45 RBI and 95 strikeouts. This has led to him being taken out of games or benched all together. With Josh Harrison playing out of his mind at the moment -- .303/.498/.840 slash line with a 7-game XBH streak -- ... Read More
Liriano quiets Giants in Pirates 3-1 win
The Pirates have pulled to within one game of the NL Central lead with a 3-1 victory over the Giants on Tuesday night. The Pirates (57-49) scored early for a second night in a row against Tim Hudson as they scored once in the first and twice in the second. Josh Harrison started things off with a lead-off home run to right . They got another big blast in the second from Travis Snider when he followed an Ike Davis single with a home run to right to extend the lead to 3-0. From there, Hudson ... Read More
Worley goes the distance in Pirates 5-0 victory
Vance Worley pitched like a man trying to keep his job as he went the distance shutting the Giants out in a Pirates 5-0 victory on Monday night. Worley had a perfect game through four innings until Pablo Sandoval broke it up with a leadoff single to start the fifth. He would be erased by a highlight-reel double play where Jordy Mercer ranged to his left and flipped the ball to Neil Walker with his glove. Walker barehanded the ball while leaning away from the base and immediately spun around ... Read More
Pirates strike early in 6-1 win over Dodgers
Francisco Liriano looked like his 2013 self and the Pirate bats put up four runs in the first as they took a three-game series from the Dodgers with a 6-1 victory on Wednesday night. The Pirates (54-47) got to an ineffective Dan Haren right away as Gregory Polanco and Travis Snider started the bottom of the first with singles. Neil Walker and Russell Martin followed with one out walks to put the first run across. Ike Davis added a sac fly and Josh Harrison put a cap on the inning with a 2-RBI ... Read More
Josh Harrison quickly crashing back to Earth
Pittsburgh Pirates’ super utility man Josh Harrison was quite the first half story, putting together the best two months of his major league career, earning himself a trip to the 2014 MLB All-Star Game in the process. But as unpredictable as Harrison’s productive couple of months were, it was just as predictable that he would come crashing back to reality very quickly. I liked to tell people it wouldn’t last, but the masses still bought into the fact that Harrison was the savior. While ... Read More
Pirates contribute in All-Star game
Andrew McCutchen, Tony Watson and Josh Harrison all contributed to the National League All-Star effort, but it wasn't enough as the American League squad locked up home field advantage in the Word Series with a 5-3 victory on Tuesday evening. McCutchen led the game off with an infield single. Derek Jeter -- who participated in his final midsummer classic-- made a diving stop at short, but his throw was late as McCutchen's speed was too much. He then reached second on a wild pitch and stole ... Read More
Josh Harrison Named to First All-Star Game
Pirates super-utility specialist Josh Harrison has been named to his first All-Star game by NL manager Mike Matheny. "It was one of those things where we had a meeting today and Hurdle tells us he has three announcements. 'First thing, Andrew McCutchen is going to be on the All-Star team.' He then told us, 'Given everything, Matheny had to make a couple choices and he chose two more of our guys.' and that's when he announced me and Watson and everybody clapped for us," said ... Read More
Pirates Gameday 7/5: Hurdle Discusses Volquez, Shortstop Situation
Good afternoon from PNC Park where today the Pirates (45-41) take on the Phillies (37-49) in the second game of a three-game set. Edinson Volquez (6-6, 4.07 ERA) will face David Buchanan (4-4, 4.86 ERA). Hurdle's Quotes On Mercer's recent success and what it does to Harrison at SS: "I'm trying to find that seamless transition for a lot of different guys. To give them a little bit. Move the chains a little bit and hold that ground. Like a tug of war, hold that ground, now can we get a little ... Read More