Pirates/MLB category, Page 128

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,...

As the Pirates’ season mercifully winds down, one wonders: What is their most embarrassing moment from an embarrassing 2021 season? The cumulative is actually more embarrassing than anything. The Pirates are on pace to lose 106 games. They have lost six in a row and eight of nine. They are...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 51-56) split a doubleheader with Iowa (Cubs). In the first game, Indianapolis scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning and won 4-3 on C Christian Bethancourt’s walk-off single. Bethancourt (.272) was 2 for 4 with two RBIs. RF Bligh Madris (.262) also knocked in two...

Just when it appeared the Pittsburgh Pirates were slamming their Windy City losing streak, Chicago slammed right back. Twice. The Chicago Cubs used two grand slams Sunday to answer an early one hit by Bryan Reynolds. They completed a four-game sweep 11-8. Counting defeats to the White Sox on the...

The Pittsburgh Pirates continued their almost-daily tweaks to the roster Sunday, swapping out a pair of right-handers for a different duo of righties. JT Brubaker and Duane Underwood Jr. each were placed on the 10-day injured list because of right shoulder inflammation. Brubaker leads the Pirates in innings pitched (124...

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...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 50-55) and Iowa (Cubs) were rained out. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sunday. Next: Sunday vs. Iowa (Cubs), doubleheader, 12:35 p.m. ALTOONA (Double-A, 52-52) lost its seventh straight, managing just six hits in a 2-0 loss to Akron (Indians). RHP Jeffrey Passantino...

Jason Kendall was relaxing at his home in Pittsburgh’s southwest suburbs when his phone rang about 9 a.m. on a sunny, seasonal, late-summer Tuesday. Seeing it was his brother calling, the then-Pittsburgh Pirates star catcher instinctively knew something was amiss. “You know how you get that phone call early enough,...

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,...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 50-55) lost to Iowa (Cubs) 9-7. RHP Cam Vieaux (7.67) started and went 1⅔ scoreless innings, striking out two and walking one. RHP Matt Eckelman (2-5, 4.88) ended up with the loss, allowing three runs (one earned) over 2⅓ innings. He also struck out three and walked one....

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...

During a radio appearance on WDVE on Thursday, former Pirate and Upper St. Clair native Sean Casey told a laugh-out-loud story about playing at Wrigley Field. Little did he know that the punchline would be recreated by his hometown team later that night. The Pirates are in the middle of...

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...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 50-54) handled Iowa (Cubs), 6-2. Newly promoted SS Diego Castillo (.667) went 4 for 4 with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored. Castillo was acquired from the Yankees in the Clay Holmes trade at the deadline. LF Jared Oliva (.264) went 2 for 4 with a...

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....

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 49-54) lost 4-3 to Iowa (Cubs). 3B Hunter Owen (.229) went 1 for 2 with a walk and hit his 15th home run. LF Bligh Madris (.255) went 1 for 2 with a double and a run scored. 2B Tucupita MArcano (.202) went 1 for 3 with a...

On the night of the 50th anniversary of the game in which the Pittsburgh Pirates made history by fielding MLB’s first all-minority starting lineup, roughly 150 people gathered at the Heinz History Center for a panel discussion and celebration with the surviving Pirates starters from that game. The panel featured...

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...

Steelers and Pirates fans get to sound off early this week. Because Labor Day is looming, “Breakfast With Benz” is ending the week a day early. As a result, everything gets moved up and “U mad, bro?” comes your way on a Wednesday. That’s good because the submission box was...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 49-53) scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to beat Iowa (Cubs), 4-3. CF Jared Oliva (.257) went 2 for 4, stole his seventh base and had the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth. LF Bligh Madris (.253) went 2 for 5, doubled and hit his eighth...

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...