Kevin Gorman stories, Page 69

If there was a ringing in Ben Gamel’s ears after the Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder chased down a fly ball before crashing into the corner wall, it wasn’t the words of his father. “My dad always tells me, ‘Live to see another day,’” Gamel said of Frank Gamel, who was...

John Baker was dressed in casual attire, wearing a green blazer over a Roberto Clemente T-shirt and tapered khakis, as he sat on the home dugout bench at PNC Park. He looked and sounded more like a professor giving a lecture than the Pittsburgh Pirates farm director talking baseball. When...

Kevin Newman chased Jeimer Candelario’s pop fly with his back to the diamond, the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop turning and running into shallow left field before making an over-the-shoulder catch for the final out in the top of the third inning of their 6-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. “Off the...

Since trading Adam Frazier to San Diego on July 26, the Pittsburgh Pirates had tried eight players in their search for a leadoff hitter before Derek Shelton approached Ke’Bryan Hayes. The revolving door at the top of the order had coincided with the rookie third baseman’s batting average dropping from...

The Pittsburgh Pirates made some moves Monday to bolster a pitching staff that has become a revolving door because of injuries. With starter JT Brubaker and reliever Duane Underwood Jr. placed on the injured list Sunday – both with right shoulder inflammation – the Pirates recalled right-hander Cody Ponce (0-3,...

The Greensboro Grasshoppers had the bases loaded and were trailing by two runs when Nick Gonzales came to bat with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but no one could have predicted what came next. Not even after what Gonzales had done two days earlier. Gonzales hit three...

The Pittsburgh Pirates were one out away from a win when their latest defensive debacles against the Chicago Cubs came down to a dropped fly ball in right field and a headfirst slide to beat the tag at first base. Frank Schwindel hit a grounder deep to shortstop and slid...

JT Brubaker has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list and will try to snap the Pittsburgh Pirates’ four-game losing streak when he starts against the Chicago Cubs at 2:20 p.m. Saturday at Wrigley Field. The right-hander was placed on the IL on Aug. 25 with a right thumb contusion,...

Steven Brault was sitting next to Michael Perez on the lower bench in the visiting dugout with an obstructed view of Wrigley Field when they heard Anthony Alford make contact with the pitch. It was so loud that the Pittsburgh Pirates battery mates turned and looked at each other, recognizing...

The Pittsburgh Pirates had blown a three-run lead, rallied to tie the game in the ninth inning and put the Chicago Cubs in a spot where they had run out of position players in extra innings. Somehow, the Pirates found a new way to lose. Second baseman Wilmer Difo turned...

Cole Tucker thought the ball had a shot of leaving the park, given the way it felt off the bat and the frequency with which the Chicago White Sox cleared the fence at Guaranteed Rate Field. Tucker was upset he had to settle for a double, even if it served...

After being thrown out in his first attempt to cross home plate, Gavin Sheets took matters into his own hands. The 25-year-old rookie blasted a pair of home runs to lift the Chicago White Sox to a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field....

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton had a lengthy conversation with Ke’Bryan Hayes about how to better channel his frustration after the rookie third baseman injured his right hand. Hayes missed his second consecutive start at the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night with what Pirates director of sports medicine Todd...

The Toronto Blue Jays signed Gregory Polanco to a minor-league contract Tuesday, the final day for the former Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder to be eligible for the postseason. The Pirates waived Polanco on Aug. 22, but he was not claimed, so they released him Saturday. Polanco was in the final...

The Chicago White Sox didn’t need another Lucas Giolito no-hitter to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. This time, they won on a walk. Pirates reliever Chasen Shreve gave up a walk to load the bases, then missed on a full-count fastball to walk in the go-ahead run as the White Sox...

A day before major-league rosters can expand to 28 players for the final month of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates shuffled theirs by making a move and preparing for two more. The Pirates placed infielder/outfielder Michael Chavis on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow strain and recalled infielder/outfielder...

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed infielder/outfielder Michael Chavis on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow strain and recalled infielder/outfielder Hoy Park from Triple-A Indianapolis. Chavis was injured Saturday trying to make a diving catch while playing right field against the St. Louis Cardinals. Park makes his second stint with...

After ranking at or near baseball’s bottom in most major offensive categories the past two seasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates fired hitting coach Rick Eckstein on Monday. Pirates manager Derek Shelton said, after consulting with general manager Ben Cherington over the weekend, they came to the conclusion it was best to...

Where the Pittsburgh Pirates finally cut ties with Gregory Polanco in favor of a youth movement, the St. Louis Cardinals are pinning their playoff hopes on a pitcher who is two days shy of his 40th birthday. Adam Wainwright isn’t just ageless, he keeps the Pirates scoreless. For the third...

As one of baseball’s top prospects, Gregory Polanco was trumpeted by Sports Illustrated as baseball’s Next Big Thing. Polanco never lived up to that billing with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who severed ties with their longest-tenured player and the last holdover from their postseason teams Saturday by releasing the right fielder....

That the Pittsburgh Pirates are 31 games out of first place in the NL Central and 231⁄2 games back from wild card contention hasn’t stopped them from paying attention to the playoff race. Even though the Pirates (47-83) have no realistic shot at making the postseason, they know that they...

The four reviews should have served as a cue for the Pittsburgh Pirates that this would be a game of close calls. One they would eventually lose. Tommy Edman hit a two-run home run and a sacrifice fly for three RBIs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-3...

Colin Moran couldn’t hide his frustration when he was hit by a pitch in the left wrist by Colorado Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland, a fracture that would sideline the Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman for five weeks. Moran already had missed 24 games with a left groin strain earlier this season,...

Gregory Polanco complained about the catcalls from Pittsburgh Pirates fans before Thursday night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, then turned the jeers to cheers at PNC Park. Polanco went 3 for 4 with two doubles, including a two-run line drive to left in an eight-run seventh inning to score...

Gregory Polanco sounded off on Pittsburgh Pirates fans who have heckled him at PNC Park this week, showing their sharp criticism has clearly stung the pride of the right fielder who is the team’s longest-tenured player. A day after Polanco made a costly error in a 5-2 loss to the...