Jordan Comadena was preparing for another busy day as a volunteer baseball coach at Purdue University when the phone rang one morning. Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was on the line. Comadena's major league dreams appeared to be halted in the minor leagues. However, Hurdle's call, which came on a Monday in early April, was a job offer to join the team as a bullpen catcher. “It's just kind of a wild ride with some luck and good fortune,” Comadena says of hearing about the position. ... Read More
Pirates fielding, offense go quiet in loss
A sloppy second inning caused the Pittsburgh Pirates to lose 4-0 to the San Diego Padres Wednesday night at PNC Park. The Padres have fared well at PNC Park posting a 34-16 record and winning all 14 series played at PNC Park before the Pirates swept last season's three-game series. Now the Padres have a chance for a series win of their own. With Ryan Vogelsong (1-2) on the mound, the Pirates committed two errors in the second inning. After a one-out double from Jabari Blash, Christian ... Read More
Gregory Polanco’s return to lineup leads Pirates past Padres
The Pittsburgh Pirates have kicked off their three-game series with the San Diego Padres on a positive note. The Pirates claimed the win over the Padres with a final score of 6-4 at PNC Park Tuesday evening. After a rain delay, the game got underway at PNC Park with Chad Kuhl throwing out the first pitch to the Padres. The Padres got on the board first at the top of the first inning with two runs, as Yangervis Solarte and Alex Dickerson crossed home. The Pirates got a single run in, scored ... Read More
Pirates’ GM discusses trades and team’s approach
For the first time since the trade deadline, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington spoke to the media. Here are some of the highlights of that conversation. On the potential of August acquisitions: “We're certainly looking for ways to add to the club. The challenge becomes the way the system works. An American League player has to go through the entire American League and then anybody with a worse record than us to get to us. Typically, it's a rare player that does get to us from ... Read More
Hamilton dazzles as Reds avoid sweep
Prior to Sunday afternoon's Pittsburgh Pirates game against the Cincinnati Reds, manager Clint Hurdle pledged the team was trying new things, which made it so Billy Hamilton would not be as potent on the bases. The result? Four stolen bases (giving him a major league leading 43) and five total thefts from the Reds. "We weren't where we needed to be, and that's my responsibility," Hurdle said. "End it right there. It's my responsibility to take care of that and at the end of the day when ... Read More
Pirates looking for series sweep
Following two wins this weekend over the Cincinnati Reds, the Pittsburgh Pirates will look for a sweep this afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates have gone 5-0-1 in their last six series at PNC Park and will send Gerrit Cole (7-6, 2.73 ERA) to the mound against Dan Straily (6-6, 3.80 ERA). Cole has not fared well against the Reds in his career posting an 0-5 record with a 5.30 ERA in seven career starts against the Reds. This season he is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in one ... Read More
Exclusive: Locke opens up about move to Pirates bullpen
It has been a season of ups and downs for Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jeff Locke, which has culminated to this point, a return to the bullpen. Locke was given the news by Hurdle on Friday, and it became public knowledge the next day. This placement in the bullpen seems to be more long term and may last through the entire season. Locke's last start was Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves, and he allowed five runs in 4.1 innings. Since the All-Star Break, Locke is 0-2 with a 9.89 ERA ... Read More
Nova’s performance, Kang’s catch secure Pirates win
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Neftali Feliz was in a jam when he allowed the first two Cincinnati Reds to reach base with Billy Hamilton at the plate. Hamilton hit a ball on a short hop that Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang quickly fielded. He got the out at third base and threw to Josh Harrison to get the out at second base. Kang did not have any chance to react until the 88 mph hit bounced into his glove but he quickly formulated a game plan. "I was thinking of throwing the ball ... Read More
Tony Watson closes to his own tune
When a new closer is named, there are a number of changes that need to be made. When the Pittsburgh Pirates' Tony Watson was named the team's closer after the departure of Mark Melancon, those changes included new walk-up music and a new video package. Watson chose “Sweet Emotion,” an Aerosmith song off the band's 1975 “Toys in the Attic” album. “The song was by default,” Watson said. “I wanted ‘When the Levee Breaks,’ but Jamo's got that one, and I'm not going to take it from him. We ... Read More
Ivan Nova set to make PNC Park debut
Tonight, the Pirates take on the Cincinnati Reds in Game Two of a three-game series. The game also serves as pitcher Ivan Nova's Pirates debut. With the New York Yankees this season, Nova was 7-6 with a 4.90 ERA in 21 games, 15 of which were starts. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle offered a checklist of what he's looking for in Nova's start. “He needs to follow the glove, display sinker command, have the ability to use some secondary pitches if need be and possess rhythm and pace,” Hurdle ... Read More