Orioles 6, Pirates 4
Pedro went 2 for 3 and Lyle Overbay and Miles "Bull" Durham both had homers, but some some bad pitching by Maholm and especially Justin Wilson (0.2 IP, 1 hit, 3 ER, 3 walks) kept this one out of reach.Durham's homer came in the bottom of the 9th to cut the deficit to 2, but the rally was cut short as Ryan Doumit struck out to end the game. Maholm got the Loss for the Bucs.
Pirates 6, Rays 5
Meanwhile, in Port Charlotte, the rubber match between the Rays and the Bucs was a close one. Despite being outhit by the Rays 10-6, 2 runs off the Rays' 3 errors paved the way to a Bucco victory. No one had more than 1 hit or run scored, but Garrett Atkins drove in 3 after his second homer of the Spring. Fernando Nieve looked shaky, allowing 3 runs, but the rest of the pitching staff was solid, allowing no more than 1 run apiece. Rudy Owens got the Win, as well as a Blown Save. Sean Gallagher got the Save in the 9th.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Weekend Grapefruit League recaps
Here's what's been happening for the Pirates in Grapefruit League action so far.
I'm right in the middle of midterms, so I apologize for lack of updates.
Friday, February 25, 2011 - Manatees 1, Pirates 21
Determined not to lose to the small Bradenton-based community college as they did two years ago, the Pirates dominated the Sea Cows. Steve Pearce was the player of the game, going 2 for 2, scoring 3 runs and 4 RBIs. Brian Friday and Garrett Atkins had home runs. Tyler Yates was the only Bucco pitcher to allow a run and the only pitcher for the Pirates to allow more than 1 hit. Aaron Thompson got the Win.
Saturday, February 26, 2011 - Pirates 5, Rays 9
After the previous day's drubbing of the Manatees, the Pirates came back down to earth, scoring 5 runs but giving up nearly twice that. Scoring was spread even among the Bucs, with no one have more than 1 hit, 1 run, or 1 RBI. Charlie Morton was solid in 2 IP, with 1 hit, 1 walk, and no runs allowed. Justin Thomas allowed 4 runs in 0.2 IP and basically iced the game away for the Pirates.
Sunday, February 27, 2011 - Rays 3, Pirates 10
Back at home in McKechnie Field, the Pirates turned it around against the Rays to even their Grapfruit League record to 1-1. Kevin Correia was shaky at the start, allowing 2 runs, 2 hits and 2 walks in just 1.1 innings, but the rest of the Bucco pitching corps got the job done, allowing only 1 more run all game (Chris Leroux). On the other side, it was the Andrew McCutchen show. The speedy center fielder went 3 for 3, scored 3 runs, 2 RBIs, a double, a home run, and stole a base. Garrett Jones also had a nice day going 3 for 3, and Jason Jaramillo also homered.
Up next, the Pirates complete the 3-game series with the Rays on the road in Port Charlotte and a split squad in McKechnie to take on Baltimore.
I'm right in the middle of midterms, so I apologize for lack of updates.
Friday, February 25, 2011 - Manatees 1, Pirates 21
Determined not to lose to the small Bradenton-based community college as they did two years ago, the Pirates dominated the Sea Cows. Steve Pearce was the player of the game, going 2 for 2, scoring 3 runs and 4 RBIs. Brian Friday and Garrett Atkins had home runs. Tyler Yates was the only Bucco pitcher to allow a run and the only pitcher for the Pirates to allow more than 1 hit. Aaron Thompson got the Win.
Saturday, February 26, 2011 - Pirates 5, Rays 9
After the previous day's drubbing of the Manatees, the Pirates came back down to earth, scoring 5 runs but giving up nearly twice that. Scoring was spread even among the Bucs, with no one have more than 1 hit, 1 run, or 1 RBI. Charlie Morton was solid in 2 IP, with 1 hit, 1 walk, and no runs allowed. Justin Thomas allowed 4 runs in 0.2 IP and basically iced the game away for the Pirates.
Sunday, February 27, 2011 - Rays 3, Pirates 10
Back at home in McKechnie Field, the Pirates turned it around against the Rays to even their Grapfruit League record to 1-1. Kevin Correia was shaky at the start, allowing 2 runs, 2 hits and 2 walks in just 1.1 innings, but the rest of the Bucco pitching corps got the job done, allowing only 1 more run all game (Chris Leroux). On the other side, it was the Andrew McCutchen show. The speedy center fielder went 3 for 3, scored 3 runs, 2 RBIs, a double, a home run, and stole a base. Garrett Jones also had a nice day going 3 for 3, and Jason Jaramillo also homered.
Up next, the Pirates complete the 3-game series with the Rays on the road in Port Charlotte and a split squad in McKechnie to take on Baltimore.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Morning Links, 2/22/11
- Bob Nutting wants accountability. [Trib/Rob Biertempfel]
- Pedro has neck spasms... hopefully temporary (Day-to-Day for now). [Post-Gazette/Colin Dunlap]
- The players have faith in CH13. [Observer-Reporter/AP]
- Dick Groat got inducted in the College Baseball Hall of Fame. [ESPN/AP]
- Scott Olsen is progressing in his recovery. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- Andrew Lambo's progress. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- Colin Dunlap talks to KDKA about Spring Training. [CBS Pittsburgh]
- Neil Walker will learn from Maz. [Weirton Daily Times/Paul Ladewski]
- Nutting says he will open the pocketbook up. [Trib/Rob Biertempfel]
- Ryan Dempster will get the start for the Cubs on Opening Day. [Post-Gazette/AP]
- Corey Wimberly using speed to try to make the team. [Post-Gazette/Colin Dunlap]
Monday, February 21, 2011
Morning Links (Weekend Edition), 2/21/11
- Kevin Hart's hard work. [Herald-Star/Paul Ladewski]
- CH13 and Bucco history. [MLB.com/Marty Noble]
- Scott Olsen's hamstring strain, the Bucs' young pitchers, Joe Beimel's high jersey number. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- Ronny Cedeno focuses on consistency. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- Jose Ascanio. [Trib/Rob Biertempfel]
- Coonelly is evaluating Huntington. [Trib/Rob Biertempfel]
- Tyler Yates may be close to a spot in the pen. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- The "eager" Pirates. [Yahoo! Sports/AP]
- CH13: "This is the year", no new deal for Huntington, Maz arrives at camp. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- Pirates' Roster Report. [CBS Sports]
- John Russell has no regrets. [Trib/Rob Biertempfel]
- Anthony Rendon's evaluation. [Post-Gazette/Dejan Kovacevic]
- Pirates Notes and Quotes. [CBS Sports]
- Steve Pearce wants to make the roster. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- Jeff Karsten's role with the Bucs, baserunning plans. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- CH13's influence. [Trib/Rob Biertempfel]
- Joe Beimel has matured. [Post-Gazette/Colin Dunlap]
Friday, February 18, 2011
Morning Links, 2/18/11
- Cutch's base-stealing techniques, Scott Olsen has a tight hamstring, Pirate pitchers and "slug" bunting, Fields for Kids comes to Bradenton, other notes. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- Ross Ohlendorf and Ray Searage. [Bradenton.com/Alan Dell]
- Will Cutch bat 3rd? [Trib Blogs/Rob Biertempfel]
- Maholm's thoughts on Spring Training so far. [CBS Pittsburgh]
- Brad Lincoln wants to be in Pittsburgh after camp. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- Spring Training Day 4. [By Gosh It's Langosch]
- "Big-boned" Pedro. [Trib/Rob Biertempfel]
- Sean Casey is building a new Miracle Field. [Post-Gazette/Colin Dunlop]
- Paul Maholm wants redemption. [Post-Gazette/Tim Povtak]
- A Pirates fan is suing the Atlanta Braves. [ABC27/AP]
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Morning Links, 2/17/11
I'm going to try to make this a regular feature.
- CH13 on why Hanrahan was named closer. [By Gosh, It's Langosch]
- Newcastle remembers Chuck Tanner. [Yahoo! Sports/Kevin Kaduk]
- Notes on the bullpen, why CH13 won't name the Opening Day starter just yet, Matt Diaz's playground, other notes. [MLB.com/Jenifer Langosch]
- John Perrotto compares Clint Hurdle to Chuck Tanner. [USA Today]
- Former Pirate Jose Bautista has signed a new 5-year/$65 M deal. [New York Times/AP]
- The Pirates will wear a patch to honor Chuck Tanner. [Rob Biertempfel]
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Joel Hanrahan Named Closer
Reports are coming in that Joel Hanrahan has been named as the Pirates closer for 2011. It was down to him and Evan Meek, and CH13 decided to go with Hanrahan. Personally, I feel that Meek's numbers last year were a bit fluky, but he still would have made a good closer. Either one would have worked well for the Pirates though, so I don't have a problem with this decision. Apparently, some TBD Slipknot song will be his entrance music.
Monday, February 14, 2011
RIP Chuck Tanner
One of the greatest men to ever manage the Pittsburgh Pirates was lost on Friday. Chuck Tanner, the man behind the Fam-a-lee, passed away after battling a long illness in New Castle, PA.He amassed a record of 1352-1381 over his 18-year career as a manager. He will most be remembered in Pirateland, however, for his tenure as the Pirates' skipper from 1977-1985, leading them to their most recent World Series victory in 1979, as well as being a senior advisor to Huntington from 2007 until his death.
He will be deeply missed.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Clint Hurdle: Your New Pittsburgh Pirates Manager
The Pirates officially announced today that Clint Hurdle will become the 39th manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hurdle, the former Colorado Rockies Manager who was replaced in Denver by John Russell's predecessor, Jim Tracy (got all that?), has a career record of 534-625 (.461) as a manager (most wins in Rockies history), including 1 World Series appearance. Last year, he was the hitting coach for the Texas Rangers in their AL winning season.
The fact that he has experience as a hitting coach will help develop our young talent more so than John Russell was able to do, as apart from various minor league managerial positions, he was the 3rd base coach for the Pirates from 2003-05. At least, that's the hope at this point. As all Pirates fans know, anything can and will happen during the course of the season.
Early indications are that Hurdle will have control over his coaches, although he didn't demand the right to hire an entirely new staff. Hopefully this means the end of Tony Beasley as the 3rd base coach.
Better Know a Manager: Clint Hurdle
Clint is originally from Big Rapids, Michigan, but moved to Florida when he was just 4 years old. He was selected by Kansas City 9th overall in 1975. Touted as a power hitter, he never was able to live up to his hype, and he played just parts of his 10 seasons in the majors, with only 2 years of more than 100 games played. His career batting average is .259 and has a career .745 OPS. In high school, Hurdle played baseball, basketball, and football, and signed a letter of intent with the University of Miami to play football before changing his mind after being picked by KC in the 1975 draft.
In his 7.25 seasons as the manager of the Rockies, he was over .500 in just one season, when the Rockies won the NL Penant for the first time in team history after making the playoffs on a wildcard. Other than that, he has placed higher than 4th place in the NL West exactly once, so while he will definitely be an upgrade over Russell, don't expect him to be the answer, at least not immediately. However, Hurdle will show more emotion on the bench than the block of wood that was John Russell and could be the spark that the young Pirates need to truly become a competitive team again.
He was named the NL coach for the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. He finished 3rd in voting for Manager of the Year in 2007.
Hurdle is named for his father, Clinton Sr. He is married to his wife, Karla, and he has 3 children: daughter Madison (8), son Christian (6, whose birthday is today!), and a daughter, Ashley (24), from a previous marriage. His daughter Madison has a rare disease, Prader-Willi Syndrome, and Clint is the Prader-Willi National Spokesperson.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Offseason thoughts
I realize I never posted a recap for the last game of the season. It was pretty awful. The Pirates lost 5-2, there were some of defensive blunders (looking at you, Doumit), and the only real highlight was Ronny Cedeno hitting a home run.
Lots of things were happening around that time that kept me away from the blog. First and foremost, school started up in late August, and this being my last year (woo!), my major classes are taking up most of my time, not to mention all the things I have to do for graduation and looking for a job, etc, etc. Second, the Pirates were playing really awful. It felt like a chore watching the games every night, and I really didn't feel like writing about it the next morning.
But that's the beauty of the offseason; after having your hopes dashed yet again, all it takes is a post like this one by Charlie from Bucs Dugout to get you pumped for next season. You start to think that if the Bucs did those things he outlined they could be like the 2007 Rays. That pitching wouldn't matter as much because the defense would be solid. I'm all for it. If it doesn't work, what's the worst that could happen? Another losing season? Been there, done that.
Like Charlie says, we focus on pitching every year, and look how well that's worked out so far. There has to be a reason why guys like Oliver Perez and Josh Fogg were able to have bounce-back seasons the year after playing so poorly with the Pirates. The 2007 Mets with Perez weren't a run scoring machine. They were +54 and scored 804 runs, putting them in the high middle for runs that year. But they had a solid defensive team, with Carlos Delgado, Luis Castillo and Jose Reyes all having under 12 errors for the year. Josh Fogg was in a similar situation in 2006 with Colorado as behind him he had Todd Helten, Jamey Carroll, Matt Holliday, Cory Sullivan, and Brad Hawpe, all of whom had less than 6 errors on the year. While that team was only +1 with 813 runs scored and a losing record, they made a few tweaks and in 2007 they skyrocketed to 90-73, +102 with 860 runs scored, not that much more than they had scored the year before. That team made an appearance in the World Series.
I'm not saying the Pirates will make the World Series if they make these changes, but it's time to do something different than we've been doing for the past 18 years.
So now I feel excited about next season. I have hope that if these defensive changes happen, the Pirates will be at least somewhat competitive by August. After all, as Pirate fans, we have to be eternal optimists.
Lots of things were happening around that time that kept me away from the blog. First and foremost, school started up in late August, and this being my last year (woo!), my major classes are taking up most of my time, not to mention all the things I have to do for graduation and looking for a job, etc, etc. Second, the Pirates were playing really awful. It felt like a chore watching the games every night, and I really didn't feel like writing about it the next morning.
But that's the beauty of the offseason; after having your hopes dashed yet again, all it takes is a post like this one by Charlie from Bucs Dugout to get you pumped for next season. You start to think that if the Bucs did those things he outlined they could be like the 2007 Rays. That pitching wouldn't matter as much because the defense would be solid. I'm all for it. If it doesn't work, what's the worst that could happen? Another losing season? Been there, done that.
Like Charlie says, we focus on pitching every year, and look how well that's worked out so far. There has to be a reason why guys like Oliver Perez and Josh Fogg were able to have bounce-back seasons the year after playing so poorly with the Pirates. The 2007 Mets with Perez weren't a run scoring machine. They were +54 and scored 804 runs, putting them in the high middle for runs that year. But they had a solid defensive team, with Carlos Delgado, Luis Castillo and Jose Reyes all having under 12 errors for the year. Josh Fogg was in a similar situation in 2006 with Colorado as behind him he had Todd Helten, Jamey Carroll, Matt Holliday, Cory Sullivan, and Brad Hawpe, all of whom had less than 6 errors on the year. While that team was only +1 with 813 runs scored and a losing record, they made a few tweaks and in 2007 they skyrocketed to 90-73, +102 with 860 runs scored, not that much more than they had scored the year before. That team made an appearance in the World Series.
I'm not saying the Pirates will make the World Series if they make these changes, but it's time to do something different than we've been doing for the past 18 years.
So now I feel excited about next season. I have hope that if these defensive changes happen, the Pirates will be at least somewhat competitive by August. After all, as Pirate fans, we have to be eternal optimists.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Congratulations Freddy
Way to go, Freddy. Unfortunately, this is probably as close as the Pirates will get to the World Series for quite a while.
Always good to see a former Bucco get a taste of glory, regardless of the team. Unless we hate said Bucco. Suck it, Barry.
A new season begins today.
Let's Go Bucs.
Always good to see a former Bucco get a taste of glory, regardless of the team. Unless we hate said Bucco. Suck it, Barry.
A new season begins today.
Let's Go Bucs.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Another recap
Once again, real life (school mostly) is getting in the way of posting to this blog, and the season is almost over, so let's do a review of what I've missed and give the season a proper send off with a real recap of the final game of the season.
September 15: Pirates 7, New York 8
A late rally fell short, but Pedro had a triple and Cutch hit his 14th homer.
September 15: Pirates 7, New York 8
A late rally fell short, but Pedro had a triple and Cutch hit his 14th homer.
September 16: Pirates 2, New York 6
A triple by Cedeno was the only highlight in this one.
September 17: Arizona 3, Pirates 4
Ronny Cedeno's walk-off single lifts the Buccos over the D-Backs.
September 18: Arizona 6, Pirates 9
Bowker goes 3 for 4, and he and Cutch both had homers to highlight this high-scoring game.
September 19: Arizona 3, Pirates 4
Jose Tabata and Neil Walker's 12th homer drive in 3 in the 8th to help the Bucs earn their 3rd sweep of the year.
September 21: St. Louis 2, Pirates 5
Maholm earns his 4th win in a row and Tabata hits a 2-RBI triple to mark the first time the Bucs have won 4 games in a row all season.
September 22: St. Louis 6, Pirates 11
Charlie Morton has 6 good innings and gets a W; Bowker and Alvarez go yard to propel the Bucs to a season-best 5 wins in a row.
September 23: St. Louis 9, Pirates 2
Burres lasts just 2.1 innings and Pujols hits two dingers to cap this drubbing.
September 24: Houston 10, Pirates 7
A Garrett Jones triple and an Andy LaRoche home run are the highlights as the Pirates reach the century mark.
September 25: Houston 4, Pirates 6
Pedro smacks his 13th and scores on a wild pitch to give the 25,350 fans a victory.
September 26: Houston 3, Pirates 9
Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez (3 for 4) bring across 5 to earn a victory in the last game at PNC Park in 2010.
September 27: Pirates 4, St. Louis 6
Pedro goes 3 for 3 with a walk and a his 14th homer, but it's not enough as the Pirates fail to hold onto a lead.
September 28: Pirates 7, St. Louis 2
Brian Burres goes to 4-4 and Garrett Jones goes 3 for 5 to power the Buccos past the Redbirds.
September 29: Pirates 1, St. Louis 4
Only Cutch showed any life, going 2 for 4 with a double, as the Bucs are downed by the Cards.
September 30: Pirates 9, Florida 11
Pedro goes 4 for 5 and drives in 5, but it's still not enough to make up for Zach Duke's horrible 9-run effort.
October 1: Pirates 5, Florida 1
Chan Ho Park breaks the record for MLB wins by an Asian-born player, and Pedro and Chris Snyder both have homers to assure the Bucs are only able to tie the major league record for worst road season.
October 2: Pirates 0, Florida 2
The Bucs outhit the Fish, but still lose as they can't bring anyone across the plate.
And that's where we stand right now. With a win today, the Pirates avoid yet another dubious record; if they lose, they tie the 1963 Mets for the worst road record in MLB history. The Pirates have already clinched the worst record in the majors for 2010. Brian Burres needs a win to be the only Pirate starting pitcher with a winning record in 2010. Let's Go Bucs.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Blowout. Bucs LOSE
| R | H | E | LOB | |
 |
1 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
 |
9 | 14 | 1 | 5 |
Just a pretty awful game all around. Once again the box score looks like a train wreck with 20 players in the Pirates' box.
Duke was terrible. 3.1 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HR.
Garrett Jones went 2 for 4. Pedro Ciriaco had a triple. In the 9th, John Bowker had the only RBI in the game pinch-hitting for Tabata for some reason.
The Race For Last™
Arizona: Won 3-1.
Baltimore: Won 11-3.
Cleveland: Won 4-3.
Kansas City: Won 11-3.
Seattle: Lost 9-6.
The current standings:
| Team | W | L |
| Pittsburgh | 48 | 96 |
| Seattle | 55 | 90 |
| Baltimore | 57 | 88 |
| Arizona | 58 | 87 |
| Cleveland | 59 | 85 |
| Kansas City | 59 | 85 |
Eyes on the prize, Bucco fans.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Game That Wouldn't End... or Begin. Bucs LOSE
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
0 | 6 | 0 | 10 |
|
1 | 7 | 0 | 6 |
A great pitching effort wasted by lack of offense. Gee, it feels like I've typed that sentence before. 10 innings of futility for the Bucs offensively combined with a 44 minute rain delay made for a very long and boring game. Neil Walker's streak was snapped, although he did get 2 walks, so he's reached base in 19 straight.
J-Mac went 8.0 strong innings, giving up 5 hits, 0 ER and just 2 walks. He struck out 4.
Garrett Jones went 2 for 5, and he, Tabata, and Cutch all had doubles.
The Race For Last™
Arizona: Lost 7-2.
Baltimore: Won 4-3 in 11.
Cleveland: Was off.
Kansas City: Lost 3-1.
Seattle: Lost 5-1.
The current standings:
| Team | W | L |
| Pittsburgh | 48 | 95 |
| Seattle | 55 | 89 |
| Baltimore | 56 | 88 |
| Arizona | 57 | 87 |
| Cleveland | 58 | 85 |
| Kansas City | 58 | 85 |
Eyes on the prize, Bucco fans.
Monday, September 13, 2010
SERIES 47 - Mets
New York Mets
Monday, September 13, 7:10 PM (FSN)
Tuesday, September 14, 7:10 PM (FSN)
Wednesday, September 15, 7:10 PM (FSN)
Thursday, September 16, 7:10 PM (FSN)
Citi Field, New York, NY
Expected Pitching Matchups
September 13: James McDonald (3-5, 4.81 ERA) vs. Dillon Gee (1-0, 1.29 ERA)September 14: Zach Duke (7-13, 5.47 ERA) vs. R.A. Dickey (10-6, 2.91 ERA)
September 15: Paul Maholm (7-14, 5.37 ERA) vs. Jenrry Mejia (0-4, 4.91 ERA)
September 16: Charlie Morton (1-11, 9.05 ERA) vs. Mike Pelfry (14-9, 3.89 ERA)
Lineups
Pirates
- A. McCutchen, CF
- J. Tabata, LF
- N. Walker, 2B
- G. Jones, 1B
- P. Alvarez, 3B
- J. Bowker, RF
- R. Cedeno, SS
- C. Snyder, C
- [Pitcher]
Mets
- J. Reyes, SS
- A. Pagan, RF
- C. Beltran, CF
- D. Wright, 3B
- I. Davis, 1B
- J. Thole, C
- L. Duda, LF
- L. Hernandez, 2B
- [Pitcher]
Let's Go Bucs.
Avoid the Sweep. Bucs WIN
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
3 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
 |
1 | 5 | 0 | 7 |
Not surprisingly, as there was a Steelers game on opposite this one, not many people were watching, or at least less than usual. But a win's a win. Especially a road win. Those are in short supply.
Brian Burres pitched 7.0 innings, allowing 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, and 0 HR. He also struck out 6.
No one got more than one hit, but Neil Walker extended his hit streak to 18 games, tied for 3rd longest in the NL (both active and not). Cutch had a double, the only multi-base hit.
The Race For Last™
Arizona: Lost 4-2.
Baltimore: Lost 6-2.
Cleveland: Lost 6-2.
Kansas City: Lost 12-6.
Seattle: Lost 3-0.
The current standings:
| Team | W | L |
| Pittsburgh | 48 | 94 |
| Baltimore | 55 | 88 |
| Seattle | 55 | 88 |
| Arizona | 57 | 86 |
| Cleveland | 58 | 85 |
| Kansas City | 58 | 84 |
Eyes on the prize, Bucco fans.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Another walkoff. Bucs LOSE
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
4 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
|
5 | 10 | 0 | 7 |
Another rally back from a deficit, another loss in extra innings. At least it lasted only 10 this time around.
The Great Stuff finally had his first decent outing since May 22nd, but it wasn't good enough for a win. He went 6.1 IP, with 6 H, 3 R/ER, 1 BB, 2 Ks, and 0 HR.
Jose Tabata went 2 for 4, and Neil Walker extended his hit streak to an unreal 17 games. John Bowker had the only extra-base hit, a double.
The Race For Last™
Arizona: Lost 2-1.
Baltimore: Won 5-3.
Cleveland: Lost 1-0 in 12.
Kansas City: Won 8-2.
Seattle: Lost 7-4.
The current standings:
| Team | W | L |
| Pittsburgh | 47 | 94 |
| Baltimore | 55 | 87 |
| Seattle | 55 | 87 |
| Arizona | 57 | 85 |
| Cleveland | 58 | 84 |
| Kansas City | 58 | 83 |
Eyes on the prize, Bucco fans.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Drop Heard 'Round the World. Bucs LOSE
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
3 | 10 | 3 | 6 |
|
4 | 9 | 0 | 13 |
Don't really know what to say about this one. The Bucs battled back to tie the score in the 9th, only to allow Wil Ledezma and Joel Hanrahan load the bases in the 12th and Chris Snyder drop the force play at the plate for the winning run to come across. A failure of epic proportions. But I guess it's just SOP, as always.
Maholm had a pretty great start, sans a 3-run 3rd. He went 7.0 IP, allowing 6 H, 3 R/ER, 3 BB, and 0 HR. He had a pretty amazing 8 strikeouts, something he's not really known for. the rest of the pitching staff added 7 more Ks, for a grand total of 15. That's probably a season high and probably hasn't happened for the Pirates in a good long while, but I really don't care to look it up and find out.
Cutch, Tabata, and Doumit (in RF again, I don't know either) all went 2 for 5, and Alex Presley got another look, albeit as a Pinch Runner for the slow as molasses Doumit. Jones had a double, and Snyder had a solo homer in the 3rd. Neil Walker extended his hitting streak to a frankly amazing 16 games.
The Race For Last™
Arizona: Lost 13-4.
Baltimore: Won 6-3.
Cleveland: Won 2-0.
Kansas City: Lost 4-3.
Seattle: Lost 4-3 in 14.
The current standings:
| Team | W | L |
| Pittsburgh | 47 | 93 |
| Baltimore | 54 | 87 |
| Seattle | 55 | 86 |
| Arizona | 57 | 84 |
| Kansas City | 57 | 83 |
| Cleveland | 58 | 83 |
Eyes on the prize, Bucco fans.
Friday, September 10, 2010
SERIES 46 - Reds
Cincinnati Reds
Friday, September 10, 7:10 PM (FSN)
Saturday, September 11, 7:10 PM (FSN)
Sunday, September 12, 1:10 PM
Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
The best and worst of the Central. Will the Buccos have any luck against Cueto this time around? I doubt it.
Expected Pitching Matchups
September 10: Paul Maholm (7-14, 5.43 ERA) vs. Homer Bailey (3-3, 5.00 ERA)September 11: Charlie Morton (1-11, 9.66 ERA) vs. Aaron Harang (6-7, 5.15 ERA)
September 12: Brian Burres (3-3, 5.75) vs. Johnny Cueto (12-5, 3.45 ERA)
Lineups
Pirates
- A. McCutchen, CF
- J. Tabata, LF
- N. Walker, 2B
- G. Jones, 1B
- P. Alvarez, 3B
- R. Doumit, RF
- R. Cedeno, SS
- C. Snyder, C
- [Pitcher]
Reds
- B. Phillips, 2B
- C. Heisey, RF
- J. Votto, 1B
- S. Rolen, 3B
- J. Gomes, LF
- D. Stubbs, CF
- P. Janish, SS
- R. Hanigan, C
- [Pitcher]
Let's Go Bucs.
Recap
A lot has been going on in my life recently and this blog has been forgotten because of it. So to catch up on what I have missed, this post will quickly recap what's been happening in Buccoland for the last 7 games.
Chicago series, Game 3
McDonald: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 0 HR.
Walker 3 for 5, Cedeno 2 for 4.
Doubles: Cedeno, Cutch, Walker.
Home Run: Walker, 3rd inning.
Washington series, Game 1
Duke: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R/ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR. Chris Resop strikes out the side in the 8th. 11 Ks total by the Bucco pitching corps.
Tabata 2 for 4, Jones 2 for 4, Doumit 3 for 4, Cedeno 2 for 4.
Doubles: Cedeno, Jones x2, Pedro.
Home Run: Doumit, 4th inning.
Washington series, Game 2
Maholm: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 7 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR.
Milledge 3 for 4.
Doubles: Walker, Cedeno.
Home Run: Cutch, 5th inning.
Washington series, Game 3
Morton: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 E.
Cutch 2 for 5, Tabata 2 for 4, Walker 3 for 5.
Doubles: Walker, Cedeno.
Home Run: Pedro, 4th inning.
Atlanta series, Game 1
Burres: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR. S: Hanrahan, 4.
Double: Pedro.
Home Run: Walker, 1 on, 6th inning.
Atlanta series, Game 2
McDonald: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0 HR. Hanrahan strikes out the side in the 9th.
Jones 2 for 4.
Doubles: Cutch, Jones, Pedro, Walker.
Triple: Cedeno.
Home Run: Young, 1 on, 7th inning.
Atlanta series, Game 3
Essentially a spring training game for the Pirates. The box score looks like a train wreck.
Duke: 1.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R/ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 HR.
Cutch 2 for 3, Pedro 3 for 4. Alex Presley makes his big league debut, going 1 for 2. Pedro Ciriaco also appears as a PH, going 1 for 1.
Doubles: The Pedros, Alvarez and Ciriaco.
The Race For Last™
The current standings:
Eyes on the prize, Bucco fans.
Chicago series, Game 3
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
3 | 6 | 0 | 12 |
 |
5 | 11 | 1 | 9 |
McDonald: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 0 HR.
Walker 3 for 5, Cedeno 2 for 4.
Doubles: Cedeno, Cutch, Walker.
Home Run: Walker, 3rd inning.
Washington series, Game 1
| R | H | E | LOB | |
 |
5 | 8 | 0 | 7 |
|
8 | 11 | 1 | 5 |
Duke: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R/ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR. Chris Resop strikes out the side in the 8th. 11 Ks total by the Bucco pitching corps.
Tabata 2 for 4, Jones 2 for 4, Doumit 3 for 4, Cedeno 2 for 4.
Doubles: Cedeno, Jones x2, Pedro.
Home Run: Doumit, 4th inning.
Washington series, Game 2
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
9 | 15 | 3 | 8 |
|
2 | 9 | 1 | 10 |
Maholm: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 7 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR.
Milledge 3 for 4.
Doubles: Walker, Cedeno.
Home Run: Cutch, 5th inning.
Washington series, Game 3
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
8 | 11 | 1 | 8 |
|
1 | 11 | 3 | 11 |
Morton: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 E.
Cutch 2 for 5, Tabata 2 for 4, Walker 3 for 5.
Doubles: Walker, Cedeno.
Home Run: Pedro, 4th inning.
Atlanta series, Game 1
| R | H | E | LOB | |
 |
1 | 8 | 1 | 11 |
|
3 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
Burres: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR. S: Hanrahan, 4.
Double: Pedro.
Home Run: Walker, 1 on, 6th inning.
Atlanta series, Game 2
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
0 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
|
5 | 8 | 0 | 3 |
McDonald: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0 HR. Hanrahan strikes out the side in the 9th.
Jones 2 for 4.
Doubles: Cutch, Jones, Pedro, Walker.
Triple: Cedeno.
Home Run: Young, 1 on, 7th inning.
Atlanta series, Game 3
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
9 | 14 | 0 | 13 |
|
3 | 12 | 1 | 9 |
Essentially a spring training game for the Pirates. The box score looks like a train wreck.
Duke: 1.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R/ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 HR.
Cutch 2 for 3, Pedro 3 for 4. Alex Presley makes his big league debut, going 1 for 2. Pedro Ciriaco also appears as a PH, going 1 for 1.
Doubles: The Pedros, Alvarez and Ciriaco.
The Race For Last™
The current standings:
| Team | W | L |
| Pittsburgh | 47 | 92 |
| Baltimore | 53 | 87 |
| Seattle | 55 | 85 |
| Arizona | 57 | 83 |
| Cleveland | 57 | 83 |
Eyes on the prize, Bucco fans.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Ryan Dumpster. Bucs WIN
| R | H | E | LOB | |
|
14 | 15 | 0 | 6 |
|
7 | 10 | 1 | 3 |
Now this is more like it. The Pirates seemed determined to equal the Cubs' 14 run output last time, and that's exactly what they did. Jeff Karstens picked up his first W since June 19, and GI Jones smashed his 20th homer of the year. One of my favorite lines from the TV side was when Bob said that the Pirates "dropped an area code" on the Cubs in the first 3 innings (4 1 2).
Jeff Karstens went 6.0 IP, allowing just 4 hits, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 HR, and tied his career high of 6 Ks. Sean Gallagher came in for 7th and pitched very well, taking the Cubs down in order. Then the 8th happened. First of all, I'm not sure why JR decided to let Gallagher pitch another inning, but I really don't understand why he let him keep pitching so long in the 8th. He had allowed 4 runs to come in and was responsible for another by the time Russell finally waddled out of the dugout. Relievers should be pulled after allowing 2 runs, in my opinion. 1 can happen occasionally, and the reliever can usually get back on track. But 2 or more and he needs to get pulled.
In the meantime, while Jeff K. was dominating the batters, the Buccos were running up the score. Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata both went 3 for 5 with a walk and 2 RBIs, Neil Walker went 4 for 5 with 4 RBIs, and Garrett Jones had 3 RBIs. It was great to see a couple of bloops and blasts in the 4th and 6th innings, reminded me of the glory days. Doubles were hit by Pedro, Walker, Cedeno, and Cutch; Tabata had a triple, and GFJ and Walker both had 2-run homers, both to center.
Bucs look for the series win in a radio-only day game later today.
The Race For Last™
Arizona: Won 7-4.
Baltimore: Won 5-2.
Cleveland: Lost 4-3.
Seattle: Won 3-1.
The current standings:
| Team | W | L |
| Pittsburgh | 44 | 88 |
| Baltimore | 49 | 83 |
| Seattle | 52 | 80 |
| Cleveland | 53 | 79 |
| Arizona | 54 | 79 |
Eyes on the prize, Bucco fans.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)