ST. LOUIS -- Clint Hurdle always calls baseball, alternately, a funny or a wonderful game. This episode probably qualifies as both. Jeff Locke began the season as the Pirates' No. 5 starter, and now is riding a scoreless streak of 13 innings after going the first seven on Sunday as the Bucs downed the Cardinals, 9-0, to vault over St. Louis in the National League Central. It can be reasonably assumed that Locke has earned a promotion to the No. 4 slot, previously occupied by Jonathan ... Read More
Yinzer of the Week: Gaby Sanchez
The Pirates have been red hot lately, winning five of their seven games this past week. The only game in which the Pirates allowed more than four runs was last night against the St Louis Cardinals. A big part of their success has been the bats that have come alive. One of those bats just happens to be our Yinzer of the Week, Gaby Sanchez. Sanchez hit .416 this past week, totaling six hits in 13 at-bats. His six hits came in pairs, giving him three multiple hit games during the stretch. On each ... Read More
Pirates rally late to beat Phillies 5-3
MLB.com PHILADELPHIA -- On a night Wandy Rodriguez did just enough to keep his team in the game, the Pirates did just enough to secure a win on Wednesday. Rodriguez allowed three runs, including solo home runs by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, on nine hits, but Pittsburgh rallied against the Phillies' bullpen for a 5-3 win at Citizens Bank Park. Roy Halladay had a third straight solid outing before the relief corps surrendered three runs over the seventh and eighth ... Read More
A.J. Burnett showing dominance through the strikeout
So far throughout the 2013 season, Pittsburgh Pirates ace A.J. Burnett has pitched well enough to have more than one win. Despite his less than spectacular start Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, Burnett has posted a 2.79 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with an opponent’s batting average of only .208. In his five starts this season, Burnett is certainly looking like he can build off what was a very good 2012 campaign. But even though he has only started 1-2 and has strong number across the ... Read More
Pirates grind out win over Braves, finish homestand 7-2
Jonathan Sanchez lasted three innings but only allowed two runs as the Pirates took the four-game series from the Braves by a 4 – 2 margin. The Braves got on the board in the second by scratching together four straight singles by Chris Johnson, Reed Johnson, Gerald Laird, and Andrelton Simmons to make it 2 – 0. The Pirates would immediately answer back in the bottom with three straight hits of their own. Pedro Alvarez led off with a single, Russell Martin would then hit an RBI double, and ... Read More
Contreras mentors staff with passion for baseball in return
In the past year, the Pirates added the veteran leadership of A.J. Burnett and Wandy Rodriguez to their clubhouse. In one of the more under the radar moves this offseason, the Pirates signed veteran Jose Contreras to a one-year deal, but Contreras has yet to make his Pirates debut because of injury. Contreras is in Altoona and appeared in Saturday's game, throwing eight pitches through one inning. The 41-year-old pitcher is coming off of Tommy John surgery, but Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle said ... Read More
Pirates answer questions en route to 3-1 victory
Oh how the storylines were in abundance Saturday night in PNC Park. Former Pirates starter, Paul Maholm, returned to Pittsburgh as one of the best pitchers in baseball this year. No, really. Maholm sported a record of 3-0 and had yet to give up a run. Then you have Mr. Jekyll and Hyde (on the field that is) in James McDonald for the Pirates. In some instances, he looks brilliant, but at other times, he's a disaster. "There's two guys. There's the guy that everyone wants to play behind," ... Read More
Pirates have a solid one-two punch with Burnett and Rodriguez
Over the past two seasons, the Pirates have made some moves to bolster their starting rotation. Before last season started, they acquired A.J. Burnett from the New York Yankees. Then half way through last season, they picked up Wandy Rodriguez from the Houston Astros. So far this season, those two have combined to be one of the best one-two punches in all of baseball. A.J. Burnett has a phenomenal season last year as he went 16-10 with a 3.51 earned run average. So far this season he has ... Read More
Martin’s start at third isn’t foreign territory
The Pirates knew that they were getting a sure-handed catcher when they signed Russell Martin to a two-year deal in the offseason. While Martin has done a great job on the receiving end of a relatively shaky pitching staff, his defensive prowess stretches past the catcher position. Martin will get the start tonight at third base, which is a position that Martin said he has a lot of experience at. "It’s [confidence] pretty high. Fielding ground balls and making throws across the diamond, it’s ... Read More
Wandy’s marvelous in return; Pirates face minimum 27 in 6-0 over Braves
PITTSBURGH -- Pitching on a healthy left hamstring, Wandy Rodriguez hamstrung the Atlanta Braves. Jumping back into the fray after having to skip one turn due to a strain of his left hamstring muscle, Rodriguez utterly silenced the team with the Majors' best record and most home runs, holding them to one hit through seven innings of the Pirates' 6-0 victory at PNC Park. In becoming the second Pirates starter in three days to hurl seven innings of one-hit ball -- allowing only a ... Read More