We are nearing the four-week mark of the baseball season already. Hard to imagine that we are so far in, isn't it? We figured with some actual data and time to form reactions, we would open up our Pirates mailbag for the first time this season. You asked the questions, and we have the answers. When's 22 gonna start getting hits? - Mark Wendt, Wakonda, South Dakota. Good question, Mark. It's one that all Pirates fans want to know. Andrew McCutchen has just two hits in his past 25 at bats — ... Read More
Cubs early-inning scoring sinks Pirates
For the second time this season, the Chicago Cubs took the opening two games of its series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs won Tuesday night's game by a 6-2 score. Jeff Locke [2-1] did not make it into the fourth inning. Locke pitched 3.2 innings allowing eight hits, six runs [five earned runs], three walks and five strikeouts. Locke threw 86 pitches and had 53 strikes. The Cubs scored three runs in the third inning off Locke. Addison Russell brought home the first with his third double ... Read More
Pirates winning streak ends at five
The Pittsburgh Pirates quest to move into second place in the National League Central will have to wait as they fell 4-0 to the Chicago Cubs Monday night. In this game, the Pirates offense managed four hits, one of which was from Neil Walker who extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Francisco Cervelli, Vance Worley and Chris Stewart got the other three hits. Worley [2-2] pitched six innings allowing nine hits, all four runs, one walk and three strikeouts. He threw 97 pitches, 61 of ... Read More
POLL: Should the National League adopt the designated hitter?
After St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright went down for what is assumed to be for the season by suffering an injury while batting, the designated hitter debate started up again. So what's your take? Should baseball finally make the designated hitter universal? [poll id="129"] ... Read More
Pirates sweep in Phoenix, inch closer to first place
With a fifth victory in a row, the Pittsburgh Pirates (11-8) defeated the scuffling Arizona Diamondbacks (8-10) on Sunday afternoon 8-0, to complete a three-game weekend sweep at Chase Field in Phoenix. Francisco Liriano (1-1) battled through some control issues to earn the victory after supplying six and one-third scoreless innings, striking out seven and walking six. Arizona hitters only managed two hits off of the Pittsburgh lefty and just three for the entire game. Jared Hughes inherited ... Read More
Two out hits help Pirates prevail
The Pittsburgh Pirates have begun its nine game road trip with a series win after a 2-1 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Pirates have now won four consecutive games. A.J. Burnett had his fourth consecutive quality start throwing seven innings allowing five hits, one run, two walks and four strikeouts on 88 pitches, 54 of which were strikes. This is the longest outing for Burnett in 2015 and the first time he has pitched seven innings since Sept. 6 of last season. The ... Read More
Cole eclipses seven innings in Pirates win
The Pittsburgh Pirates struck first in a road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks winning 4-1. This is the first road contest following a 10-game home stand, which ties a season high. Pirates starter Gerrit Cole [3-0] earned the win pitching 7.2 innings while allowing seven hits, a run, two walks and seven strikeouts. Cole threw 108 pitches, 78 for strikes - a 72.2 percent strike rate. It was Cole's longest outing since May 7 last season. "He was crisp and his pitch count was in better ... Read More
Polanco’s hit propels Pirates to win
Gregory Polanco had a .170 average batting 15-for-88 against left-handed pitching. That did not matter. “He held his ground, got some good looks, took some pitches," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Basically he got a pitch and just went with it, he didn’t do too much and stayed within himself. It was a really good at-bat.” Polanco's single off Phil Coke provided the go-ahead run in a 5-4 victory against the Chicago Cubs which ensured the Pittsburgh Pirates a series split. “It arguably was ... Read More
Pirates pregame 4/23: Marte, McCutchen out of lineup
The Pittsburgh Pirates are attempting to earn a series split after a 4-3 victory against the Chicago Cubs last night. The Cubs won the first two games 5-2 and 9-8. In the victory, Tony Watson earned his first save of the season getting the last six outs of the game. Gregory Polanco hit his first home run of the season. Today’s starters: In this afternoon's game, Jeff Locke [2-0 1.93 ERA] will face Kyle Hendricks [0-0 6.10 ERA]. Locke was a 6-2 winner over the Milwaukee Brewers in his ... Read More
Pirates Stewart a creature of habit
When Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Chris Stewart sat down with manager Clint Hurdle and hitting coach Jeff Branson, upon signing with the team to map out a routine that would allow him to find success on both sides of the ball, they focused on Stewart's offense. “It probably started with a little bit of ADHD," Stewart said. The early results have shown Stewart, by his own words, to have quality at-bats while letting the pitcher know that he no longer is an easy out. Hurdle mentioned Stewart's ... Read More