Pirates/MLB category, Page 277
Pirates shut out Reds for the third time, 2-0
His fastball deserted him for a time. His teammates struggled to offer the run support every pitcher needs. But Joe Musgrove had two good friends on his side: Catcher Francisco Cervelli and his slider. They were more than enough to help the Pittsburgh Pirates (3-3) defeat the Cincinnati Reds (1-6)...
Pirates notebook: Starting pitchers keeping games close
Keeping in mind the early-season sample size, Pittsburgh Pirates starters were just short of dominant through the first five games. After Jameson Taillon allowed four runs in the opener in Cincinnati, Taillon, Trevor Williams and Jordan Lyles surrendered only one run in 23 innings. Overall, the four starters have a...
Jason Martin arrives from Triple-A as Kyle Crick goes on Pirates’ injury list
Many thoughts went through Jason Martin’s head when he was called up to the Pittsburgh Pirates before he even played one game for Triple-A Indianapolis this season. He made several phone calls, and his parents reacted quickly, flying from California with his sister and fiancée to be in the PNC...
First call: Pirates pitchers performing, hitters failing; Capitals clinch division
In “First Call” Friday, some interesting early numbers for the Pirates. The Capitals win the Metro. And the Lightning continue to chase history. That’s a good `start` A week into the season, the Pirates starting rotation has been every bit as good as you think it has. Granted, they have...
Tim Benz: Joe Musgrove’s health essential to Pirates rotation fulfilling promise
It was said so many times last year, it almost became a running joke. “You know, that Joe Musgrove. He’s more than just a pitcher. He’s an athlete!” If you heard it once, you heard it a thousand times. From teammates, coaches, fans and media that cover the team. “Joe...
Pirates minor league report: April 4, 2019
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 0-1) lost on the road, 10-4 to Columbus (Indians). RF Patrick Kivlehan (.250) and Will Craig (.333) hit home runs for the Indians. SS Cole Tucker (.400) finished 2 for 5, leaving four runners on base. RHP J.T. Brubaker (0-0, 3.86) did not record a decision after pitching...
Bullpen comes through in Pirates’ shutout win over Reds
Despite one late hiccup, this was more like how manager Clint Hurdle drew it up for the late innings when the Pittsburgh Pirates exited spring training. Three relievers combined for four scoreless innings Thursday night in the Pirates’ 2-0 victory against the Cincinnati Reds, the performance coming after the bullpen...
Workload catching up to Pirates relievers in early part of season
Clint Hurdle got his closer back Thursday, but he didn’t expect setup man Keone Kela to pitch Thursday night when the Pittsburgh Pirates opened a four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. Felipe Vazquez and Kela are considered the top pitchers in a bullpen that hasn’t found its rhythm in the...
With outfielders ailing, Pirates have Kevin Newman, Colin Moran take fly ballsVideo
Infielder Kevin Newman got his chance to take fly balls Wednesday afternoon with the Pittsburgh Pirates low on healthy outfielders. Colin Moran followed suit Thursday before the series opener against the Cincinnati Reds. Manager Clint Hurdle is leaving no stone unturned with outfielders Lonnie Chisenhall and Corey Dickerson on the...
Pirates place Corey Dickerson on injured list with right shoulder strain
Already minus one outfielder for an extended period, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be without Gold Glove left fielder Corey Dickerson for at least 10 days. They placed him on the injured list Thursday afternoon with a right posterior shoulder strain. With Dickerson joining Lonnie Chisenhall in the trainer’s room, the...
PNC Park apparently drops the ball, runs out of hot dog buns on ‘Buc Night’
PNC Park staged a hot promotion Wednesday to lure fans back after the Pirates dropped their Home Opener on Monday. Admission to the game on Buc Night was $1. Hot dogs were $1. Fountain drinks were $1 off. What more could a fan want? Buns. Organizers apparently miscalculated and ran...
U mad, bro? Pirates fans already spent, Steelers fans burned out
In “U mad, bro?” this week, Pirates fans already are fed up. Readers challenge my coverage of Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. Plus my motives are brought into question for suggesting Ben Roethlisberger should give up his radio show. A Twitter follower named “havy23” fired off this message as Kolten...
Pirates again fall to Cardinals in extra innings
Jameson Taillon admitted it was “a tough question.” Perhaps answering it was more difficult than anything the St. Louis Cardinals threw at him Wednesday night at PNC Park. But, in the end, he said he was “cool” with Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle’s decision to pull him from the game...
Pirates’ Josh Bell still working on transition from outfield
A right fielder most of his baseball life, Josh Bell never played first base until he joined the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League. That was 2014. He was 22 years old. By 2017, he was playing 147 games at first base for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and this season,...
Pirates’ left fielder Corey Dickerson sits with shoulder soreness
JB Shuck, who was hitless in seven plate appearances over the first three games, made his second start of the season Wednesday when left fielder Corey Dickerson was rested with right shoulder soreness. Shuck started in center field Thursday in Cincinnati when Starling Marte complained of a migraine. Dickerson had...
Jordan Lyles hopes to validate Pirates’ faith in him
Jordan Lyles wasn’t out of work long when he tested the open market after last season. He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates only six weeks after becoming a free agent, coming to terms on a one-year, $2.05 million contract. “It was pretty easy to work with Neal (Huntington),” he said....
Tim Benz: ‘Adapt or die’ mentality sets in for Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams
So what’s Trevor Williams going to do for an encore? Based on his first start of 2019, maybe 2018 wasn’t his “Stairway to Heaven” after all. There still may be another high to reach. Or, in Williams’ case, another low. Like the stunningly low 1.38 ERA he posted after the...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Too early to judge these Pirates
As disheartening as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ home-opening loss was, it is worth remembering it was only their third game of the season. So it might be just premature to suggest, based on their 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in 11 innings Monday at PNC Park, the Pirates are...
Pirates’ Colin Moran accepts new role, willing to embrace versatilityVideo
For the most part, in his first everyday major league action last season, Colin Moran proved he belonged as an MLB regular. Moran wasn’t a star by any means during his first full season at the highest level, but his .277/.340/.407 slash line with 11 home runs in 144 Pittsburgh...
Baseball for $1: Buc Night is back for Pirates fans
Go see your Bucs for a buck and wash away that foul taste after the Pirates’ home opening day loss. Buc Night is back. The Pittsburgh Pirates announced the return of the Buc Night promotion for Wednesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:05 p.m. at PNC Park. Fans...
Tim Benz: Early signs show Pirates coming as advertised in 2019
Before the Pirates even got to their home opener, their first three days in Cincinnati gave us a pretty good snapshot of what to expect in 2019. Sometimes the starting pitcher is going to give you six shutout innings, and you are going to win. Sometimes the starter is going...
Pirates’ Josh Bell has plenty to prove to SI, himself
For several days, Josh Bell was so focused on the Cincinnati Reds and the first series of the season, he didn’t even know about the criticism leveled against him by an anonymous scout in Sports Illustrated. The words were more than critical, however. Some might call them hurtful. Pittsburgh Pirates...
Kevin Gorman: Chris Archer shines in Pirates’ blown home opener
By the time Nick Kingham and Francisco Cervelli got their signals crossed in the 11th inning, Chris Archer’s electrifying start in his first home opener with the Pittsburgh Pirates was but a distant memory. When Paul DeJong scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball for a 6-5 victory on...
New Pirates shortstop Gonzalez disappointed with performance in field
On almost any occasion Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington spoke about the acquisition of Erik Gonzalez during the offseason, he beamed about the “special” defense the young shortstop could provide. So when Gonzalez’s ninth-inning error led to a blown save that ultimately resulted in a deflating home-opener loss Monday,...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates start hot but blow home opener to Cardinals
Chris Archer was so fired up to start his first home opener as a Pirate that his teammates were offering odds on how many batters it would take before the right-hander let out his first yell. Beforehand, Trevor Williams said the over/under was 1.5. The under was a safe play,...
