Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Pirates Announce Clint Hurdle As New Manager


As most of Pittsburgh and the Major League Baseball community are aware by now, the Pittsburgh Pirates have hired a new manager. As of November 15, 2010, Clint Hurdle, who managed the Colorado Rockies to the 2007 pennant, was signed on to be the Buccos’ skipper, inking a 3-year deal which was formally announced on Monday at a news conference alongside owner Bob Nutting, president Frank Coonelly, and general manager Neal Huntington.

Naturally, the fan reaction to this signing hasn’t exactly been overwhelmingly positive. Can you blame them? After all, Pittsburgh fans have seen their fair share of championships in Pittsburgh on the ice and on the football field with the celebrated successes of the Penguins and Steelers. Unfortunately, that success hasn’t been existent on the baseball field in 18 seasons. While some have remained hopeful year after year, others have lost all confidence in the team’s commitment to return to the glory days. So what can Clint Hurdle do in Pittsburgh in his 3 year stint that predecessors Gene Lamont, Lloyd McClendon, Jim Tracy, and John Russell weren't able to do?

First of all, Hurdle takes over a team who finished with 105 losses last season, the Pirates’ worst in 58 years. The team has finished under .500 for 18 consecutive seasons, and high turnover roster moves and low payrolls are as alarming as the horrible on-field results. Why should we feel optimistic that Hurdle can turn things around?

Well first of all, not only were the Pirates interviewing him for the position, but he was interviewing the team as well. While the Buccos were inquiring about his managerial style, Hurdle was questioning the team about their plans to turn around the franchise, and how they expect to turn this once proud franchise into a competing organization once again. This immediately sets him apart from his preceding managers, who appeared to be surprised and overjoyed to simply have the position, not to actually impact the team positively.

Along with the uplifting first impression of the Hurdle, the Pirates are also looking forward to seeing the continued progression of Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez, Neil Walker, and Jose Tabata. But the reality of the situation is that even despite the promise to aforementioned athletes, the Pirates were last in pitching, second from the bottom in hitting and tied for the major league lead in errors last season. In fact, the Pirates need to win 24 more games next season to finish at the .500 mark.

For the Pirates to turn things around over the next 3 years, it will, without a doubt, take a joint effort on the part of Huntington, Coonelly, Nutting, AND Hurdle. It is not fair for fans/critics/players/management/ownership to assume that all responsibility for winning (and losing) lies in the hands of the newly-hired Hurdle. It is up to the management/ownership to make the necessary additions to the roster, particularly the pitching staff. THEN it is in Hurdle’s back to put the right players on the field, teach them the necessary techniques to succeed, and inspire them to compete at a high level day after day.

In response to questions about the Pirates’ issues, Hurdle replied, “It’s like how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. We’re going to fix one thing at a time.”

While not exactly the most politically correct analogy, one has to appreciate the confidence, optimism, and past success, most prominently with the Rockies, leading them on a late season run into the World Series in 2007. For now, here’s to a new era for the Pirates, led by a man who the president, owner, and general manager believe in with confidence. Congratulations to Clint Hurdle, the newest manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Pirates Fire Manager John Russell


Less than 24 hours after they ended one of their worst seasons (record-wise) in recent memory, the Pirates fired manager John Russell. Good ol’ JR coached our Buccos for 3 seasons, but unfortunately, it resulted in 299 losses, including a horrific 105 this season alone. In fact, only the 1952 Pirates, who went 42-112, lost more games in baseball’s modern era than Russell’s final team, which was the NL’s worst in batting, pitching and defense. While Russell was fired, general manager Neal Huntington was retained by the Pirates.

The Pirates also announced that the search to find Russell’s replacement will begin immediately. While it’s difficult to blame Russell for the state of the franchise and the fact that he was introduced as the team’s manager three years ago when the team was in shambles. He took the job and immediately faced incredible odds. That being said, his inability to motivate his team away from PNC Park, along with the horrific starting pitching, proved to be his fate. He became an unpopular element of baseball in Pittsburgh as his tenure continued due to his stoic demeanor, reluctance to argue most calls and peculiar strategy.

The Pirates now will begin the search for a captain to run the ship of highly-talented young players, most notably Jose Tabata, Pedro Alvarez, Neil Walker, and Andrew McCutchen. Keep it tuned in right here to Fans From The Stands for all of the latest Pirates’ news.

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Florida Marlins: September 30-October 3, 2010


The Pirates entered the final series of the 2010 season with hopes of carrying over momentum from this year into the offseason. Their opponent this weekend was the Florida Marlins, another disappointing N.L. foe that, with a sweep of our Buccos, would finish the season at an even .500 mark.

Thursday, September 30: Mike Stanton had 3 hits and 5 RBI as the Marlins won a crazy game that featured 20 runs and 26 hits, out-hammering the Pirates 11-9 in game one of the series.

Pedro Alvarez went 4-5 with 1 HR and 5 RBI of his own, while Jose Tabata, Neil Walker, and Brandon Moss also added a pair of hits a piece. Unfortunately, the Marlins hit the ball just as well, if not better, than the Pirates. Starter Zach Duke ended his terrible season on Thursday, lasting only 4 innings while giving up 9 runs on 8 hits, inflating his already horrible ERA to 5.72 while losing his 15th game of the season.

Friday, October 1: Chan Ho Park set the all time record for wins by an Asian born pitcher on Friday, as the Pirates shut down the Marlin’s offense, beating the fish 5-1 in game two of the series.

Park pitched 3 scoreless innings in relief to earn the record-breaking win for the Pirates, striking out six of the nine batters he faced. Daniel McCutchen started for the Bucs, giving up only one run on five hits through his four innings. After Park’s great run, Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan each pitched an inning of scoreless ball.

Pedro Alvarez had another nice night at the plate, going 2-4 with another homerun, raising his season average to .259. Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, and Ronny Cedeno had multi-hit evenings, while Chris Snyder hit a monster homerun to deep left field in the 5th inning, driving home Cedeno. With the win, the Pirates evened the series temporarily, and with two game remaining in the series, still had a chance to finish strong.

Saturday, October 2: As productive as the Pirates’ offense had been in the first two games of the season, it was basically non-existent on Saturday night, being shut out by the Marlins, 2-0.

Ronny Cedeno and John Bowker each had 2 hits to lead the offensive “attack,” but the Pirates never really threatened offensively.

The lack of offensive was certainly unfortunate, especially for starter Charlie Morton, who suffered the loss, despite only giving up 2 runs on 4 hits through his 6 innings of work. Nevertheless, Morton’s final season numbers include a dismal 2-12 record with a 7.57 ERA. The Marlins didn’t exactly hit the face off the ball either, totaling only five hits themselves. The difference was the 4th inning though, which included Mike Stanton’s RBI single, which would prove to be enough to defeat the Pirates.

Sunday, October 3: The Pirates dropped their 2nd straight game on Sunday, and ended their horrible season with a 5-2 loss to Dan Uggla and the Marlins.

Uggla went 3-3 with 1 HR and 3 RBI to finish his season his terrific fashion. The Pirates, on the other hand, lacked the offensive firepower for the second consecutive game, only tallying 4 hits, one of which was a solo homerun by Ronny Cedeno in the 2nd inning. Neither Neil Walker or Jose Tabata were able to finish the season above the .300 mark, and both were held hitless in their final game of the 2010 season.

Starter Brian Burres lost his 5th game of the season, lasting 5.2 innings while giving up 3 runs on 5 hits, but with the offense sputtering across the season’s finish line, there was no chance for Burres to avoid the loss.

So the Pirates concluded their record-extending 18th consecutive losing season at 57-105, worst in Major League Baseball. On top of that, the Bucs finished 17-64 away from home, matching the New York Mets of 1963 for the worst road record in a 162 game season. Obviously, the improvements of Neil Walker, Jose Tabata, and Pedro Alvarez, along with the continued improvements of Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones are inspiring and exciting; the real question that needs to be answered sooner rather than later is the future of the pitching staff. There are a number of issues that need to be dealt with in the Steel City, and throughout the next few weeks and months, we at Fans From The Stands will keep you up to date with all news and stories. Thanks so much for staying with us all season long, and be sure to continuously check back here throughout the offseason for all the latest Bucco news.

Final Record: 57-105

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. St. Louis Cardinals: September 27-29, 2010


Following an incredibly successful final homestand, the Pirates took the show on the road to St. Louis for a 3-game date with the Cardinals. Coming into this series, the Buccos were on the verge of clinching the league’s worst record, while the Cardinals were only a game away from being officially eliminated from playoff contention. With less than a week left in the season, the Cardinals had much more to play for than our Buccos.

Monday, September 27: The Cardinals pushed off elimination for at least one day, outlasting the Pirates at Busch Stadium by a score of 6-4. Matt Holliday went 2-3 with 1 HR and 3 RBI, proving to be the difference in the game. Fresh off the announcement of being named the N.L. Player of the Week, Pedro Alvarez went 3-3 with a homerun a 2 RBI of his own.

Charlie Morton pitched a decent ballgame, giving up 4 runs through 6 innings. While it was far from stellar, the Buccos’ starter still gave his team a chance to win. Despite the loss, the Pirates did have plenty of opportunities to tally more runs. Four different players accumulated multi-hit games, including Alvarez, Andrew McCutchen, Jose Tabata, and Ronny Cedeno. This still wasn’t enough firepower to get the victory against the Cardinals.

Tuesday, September 28: Garrett Jones continued his recent hot streak, going 3-5 with 1 HR and 3 RBI, while Brian Burres pitched 5.2 innings of solid baseball, as the Pirates beat the Cardinals 7-2, officially eliminating their N.L. Central rivals from playoff contention.

Jones’ hero effort on Tuesday further hiked his average up to .251 for the season, as he was the only Pirate to have a multi-hit evening. While Neil Walker also added an RBI, the real knockout came off the bat of John Bowker in the 8th inning. The pinch hitter doubled to shallow center, scoring Ryan Doumit, Ronny Cedeno, and Alex Pressley, breaking the game wide open. With the victory, the Pirate evened the series at a game a piece, setting the stage for a rubber match on Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday, September 29: The Pirates continued their trend of poor offensive production in day games, as they were shut down 4-1 in the final game of the series at Busch Stadium.

Neil Walker had the lone RBI for the Bucs, hitting a sacrifice fly in the 9th inning to bring in Andrew McCutchen. Cutch had two of the team’s five hits, but there was never a serious threat to take the lead from the Red Birds.

James McDonald pitched a solid game for the Buccos, going 6 innings while only giving up 1 run on 5 hits, but the offense just couldn’t break through Cardinals’ pitching. Despite officially eliminating their division foes, the Pirates dropped yet another road series. With only one series remaining in the 2010 season, the Bucs travel to Florida for a 4 game set against the Marlins.

While it is impossible to erase the horrible road record for the season, it would be nice for the Pirates to end the year on a somewhat positive note by at least splitting the 4-game set, something that has proven to be nearly impossible for Pittsburgh this season.

Current Record: 56-102

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Houston Astros Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: September 24-26, 2010


After what has been a long and difficult season, the Pirates entered the weekend hosting the Houston Astros for the last home series at PNC Park of the 2010 season. Astonishingly enough, despite their horrific overall record, the Buccos had the chance, with a sweep of Houston, to finish the 2010 campaign with a winning season at PNC Park.

Friday, September 24: In an overly high-scoring contest that featured a total of 17 runs and 24 hits, the Astros outlasted the Pirates to win the first game of their 3 game set, 10-7. This was the Pirates’ 100th loss of the season.

Hunter Pence was the hitting star of the day for the Astros, going 3-5 with 3 RBI. In a losing effort, Garrett Jones hit a pair of hits and 4 RBI. Pedro Alvarez also chipped in with two RBI of his own, while Andy LaRoche crushed a pinch hit solo homerun. Unfortunately, the pitching wasn’t up to par on this night, as they needed to empty the bullpen, using 6 pitchers, none of which were effective.

Saturday, September 25: Pedro Alvarez hit a knockout 3-run homerun in the 3rd inning, and the Pirates got a spectacular performance from Zach Duke, on their way to evening the series at a game a piece, setting up the rubber match on Sunday afternoon.

Duke pitched 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits, but unlike his previous countless number of starts, gave his team a chance to win. In addition to Pedro’s round-tripper, Jose Tabata and Ryan Doumit also earned RBI singles for the Pirates, who defeated the Astros on Saturday night, 6-4.

Sunday, September 26: The Pirates’ hot-hitting continued on Sunday, as Pedro Alvarez went 3-5 with 2 RBI, leading the Buccos to a 9-3 win at PNC Park, closing out their final home stand of the season on a bright note.

Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker slated 2 hits each, raising their season batting averages to .284 and .301 respectively. Starter Paul Maholm pitched a gem, giving up only 1 run on 6 hits through 7 innings. Everyone seemed to get in on the act for Pittsburgh, as seven different Buccos tallied a hit.

So the Pirates finished their final home stand of 2010 with a record of 7-2, concluding their season mark at 40-41. Despite losing their 100th game of the season, there is no better way to describe this home stand than as a success. They now turn their attention to their last 2 series of the season, a road trip which finds them at the St. Louis Cardinals and the Florida Marlins. Congratulations on a fantastic final home stand at PNC Park.

Current Record: 55-100

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

St. Louis Cardinals Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: September 21-23, 2010


Fresh off a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks to open up their final home stand of the 2010 season, the Pirates welcomed the St. Louis Cardinals into town for a 3 game set at PNC Park. While the Cardinals are in a much better position than our battlin’ Buccos, they are still on the outside of the playoffs looking in, and came to Pittsburgh in desperate need of a tremendously hot finish to the season.

Tuesday, September 21: Paul Maholm pitched the finest game of his 2010 campaign, going 7 innings while only giving up 2 runs on 7 hits, lowering his ERA to 5.25, and helping the Pirates defeat the Cardinals in the first game of the series, 5-2 at PNC Park.

Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek pitched an inning of shutout baseball a piece, shutting down the St. Louis offense in the latter innings. The Buccos jumped on the board early in the first inning with three runs driven in by Pedro Alvarez, Ryan Doumit, and John Bowker respectively. Jose Tabata later tripled in the 4th inning, stretching the lead with his 2-RBI knock. The Pirates earned this victory on Tuesday, tallying their largest winning streak of the season at 4 straight games.

Wednesday, September 22: The offense exploded for the Pirates on Wednesday, obliterating Cardinals’ pitching on their way to an 11-6 victory, extending their winning streak to 5 games.

Pedro Alvarez went 2-5 with 1 HR and 4 RBI, while Garrett Jones and John Bowker each added 3 hits. In all, seven Pirates’ hitters tallied RBI’s, and Andrew McCutchen also added a multi-hit evening. Charlie Morton put on a nice performance for the Buccos, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits through 6 innings. The Pirates now set their sights on a series sweep of the Cardinals and a record 6 straight victories overall.

Thursday, September 23: The Cardinals’ offense finally came alive on the matinee at PNC Park on Thursday, and St. Louis snapped the Pirates’ five game winning streak, while ending a 3-game skid of their own, by a score of 9-2.

Albert Pujols played like the future hall-of-famer that he is, going 3-4 with 2 HR and 3 RBI. In all, the Red Birds tallied 15 hits off Pirates’ pitching. Brian Burres lasted only 2.1 innings, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits. Chan Ho Park, Sean Gallagher, and Will Ledezma didn’t fair much better, giving up 2 runs in 1 inning a piece.

The Pirates’ offense was certainly rare on Thursday. Pedro Alvarez doubled to deep right in the 4th to drive in Neil Walker, and Andrew McCutchen sac-flied Ryan Doumit home in the 7th, and these proved to be the only productive forms of offense.

So after a wonderful start to this series, the Pirates were completely out-matched on Thursday, which puts them within 1 loss of 100 for the season. This will be the first 100-loss season for the Pirates since 2001. The Bucs’ final home series of the season welcomes the Houston Astros to town for a 3-game set, followed by 2 road series which will close out the season against the St. Louis Cardinals and the Florida Marlins. As unbelievable as this may seem, the Pirates have an outside shot of finishing the season with a winning record at home. With a series sweep of the Astros, Pittsburgh could finish with a winning record at PNC Park, which is astounding considering their overall record.

Current Record: 53-99

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Arizona Diamondbacks Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: September 17-19, 2010


As horrible as the recent road trip was, the first series of the home stand at PNC Park was just as impressive. The Buccos completed a 3-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team that happens to have the second-worst record in the National League.

Friday, September 17: After a closely played ballgame throughout, Ronny Cedeno singled in Andrew McCutchen in the bottom of the 9th, clinching a 4-3 victory in walk-off fashion in the first game of the series.

Neil Walker continued his impressive season with a 2 hit performance, including hammering a solo-homerun in the 1st inning. Ryan Doumit also homered for the Buccos, tying the game in the 7th inning, setting the table for Cedeno’s game-winner 2 innings later.

Pirates’ starter Brian Burres pitched a solid game, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits through 7 innings, once again, giving the offense a chance to win. This time, though, unlike the previous series against the Mets, the offense came through.

Saturday, September 18: The Pirates won a wild one at PNC Park on Saturday, securing a series victory and giving them a chance to sweep the Diamondbacks. The Buccos outlasted Arizona and survived a late-game comeback, winning the contest 9-6.

John Bowker was the star of the day for the Pirates, who went 3-4 with 1 HR and 2 RBI. Andrew McCutchen also homered, while Chris Snyder tallied 3 hits, and Jose Tabata had a pair of hits as well. Overall, the Pirates played a strong offensive game, and they were rewarded with a victory.

Sunday, September 19: The Pirates needed a late game rally to beat the Diamondbacks on Sunday…but that’s exactly what they did, earning a 3-game sweep at PNC Park. Neil Walker’s 2 run homerun in the 8th gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead, and Evan Meek came in and shut down The D-Backs, earning his 3rd save of the season. Andrew McCutchen had another 2-hit performance on Sunday, hammering a homerun on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the 1st inning.

The beginning of the Pirates’ final home stand couldn’t have gone any better. While the Diamondbacks are one of the very worst teams in baseball, it is still a huge step in the right direction for the young Pirates’ players to be able to win a close ball games in the late innings. Andrew McCutchen is on fire lately, and John Bowker was a pleasant surprise in this series. Also, one can’t say enough about Neil Walker, his incredible season continues….way to go REAL DEAL NEIL! After a day off on Monday, they now turn their sights on the St. Louis Cardinals, who are currently on life support for their N.L. playoff lives. Nothing would be better than to play spoiler against a playoff contender.

Current Record: 51-98

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. New York Mets: September 13-16, 2010


After avoiding a sweep at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds, the Pirates traveled to New York for a four-game set against the Mets, one of the more disappointing teams in Major League Baseball. Unfortunately for the Pirates, the Mets played this 4-game series like one of the league’s best, and the end result was a 4-game sweep of our beloved Buccos.

Monday, September 13: The first game of the series was an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel, which ended with a pinch hit, game-winning single by the Mets’ Nick Evans in bottom of the 10th, sending both teams into their respective clubhouses in walk-off fashion.

The Pirates got a wonderful performance from James McDonald, who only gave up 5 hits through 8 innings, but after an inning to perfect pitching from Chris Resop, Chan Ho Park gave up 2 hits in the 10th, including the game-winner. Obviously, from a hitting standpoint, Garrett Jones tallied a pair of hits, leading the team. But as a collective effort, the Pirates couldn’t muster anything…and it cost them the ballgame.

Tuesday, September 14: The Pirates didn’t come out of their hitting slump in the second game of the series…and unfortunately, the Mets did. New York scored in the first 4 innings of the game, which was more than what they needed as they obliterated the Pirates, 9-1. Carlos Beltran led the charge for the Mets, going 2-4 with 1 HR and 3 RBI. Garrett Jones earned another pair of knocks for the Buccos. Zach Duke fell to 7-14 on the season, giving up 8 runs on 9 hits, further inflating his ERA to 5.78 for the season.

Wednesday, September 15: The Pirates’ offense finally exploded in the 3rd game of the series, but they couldn’t quite match the Mets punch for punch, as they lost for the 3rd straight time, this time 8-7 in a shootout.

Andrew McCutchen went 2-4 with 1HR and 3 RBI, Pedro Alvarez slated the first triple of his career. John Bowker and Ronny Cedeno chipped in 2 hits as well, but for the second straight night, the starter wasn’t effective. Paul Maholm fell to 7-15 after his 3.2 inning performance, giving up 7 runs on 7 hits. The Pirates now found themselves in the position, for the second straight series, trying to avoid a sweep on the road.

Thursday, September 16: The Buccos’ bats went back into hibernation in the final game of the series in New York, and the Mets solidly beat Pittsburgh, completing the sweep, 6-2.

Charlie Morton could’ve pitched better, but he certainly could’ve thrown worse. The Pirates’ right-hander gave up 2 runs on 5 hits through 5 innings, which gave the Pirates a chance to win the game. Unfortunately, the bats were nowhere in sight. No Pirate tallied more than 1 hit, as Ronny Cedeno and John Bowker each earned an RBI, but it was far too little of an attack to compete with the Mets’ offense.

So the Pirates complete the road trip at 1-6, which is pathetic. While the majority of the games on this road trip were close, the Bucs need to win some of these contests. This is a young team with a lot to learn, but September is the month of opportunity…an opportunity to grow up and take that next step forward…and hopefully garner some momentum going into the 2011 season. So far this month, this has not been the case. The Pirates return home to PNC Park for their final home stand of the season, one that hopefully will yield some slightly more positive results.

Current Record: 48-98

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Cincinnati Reds: September 10-12, 2010


The Pittsburgh Pirates entered this weekend’s series in last place in the N.L. Central division. The Cincinnati Reds, on the other hand, approached the 3-game set sitting atop the division, with an opportunity to secure their first winning season since 2000. In one of the more unexpected series of the season for Pittsburgh, the Pirates and Reds played a highly competitive weekend set, all of which came down to the very end.

Friday, September 10: The Reds broke a season-long 5 game losing streak in game 1 of the series, withstanding a 9th-inning comeback, and outlasted the Pirates in 12 innings for a 4-3 victory at Great American Ballpark.

Buccos’ starter Paul Maholm kept his team in the game throughout, lasting 7 innings while only giving up 3 runs on 6 hits, but his mound opponent bested him on this night. Homer Bailey gave up only 1 run on 5 hits through his 7 innings of work, and the Reds appeared as though they would be heading for an easy victory..that is, until the 9th inning. Francisco Cordero gave up a pair of RBI singles to Jose Tabata and Pedro Alvarez, blowing the save and tying the game, 3-3.

The teams would exchange scoreless innings until the Reds were able to load the bases in the 12th inning with Jonny Gomes coming to the plate. Gomes slapped a measly chopper to Ronny Cedeno who cleanly picked up the ball, tossing a perfect ball to catcher Chris Snyder, which SHOULD have been an easy force-out. Let’s be honest Pirates fans…nothing is ever easy on a baseball field in Pittsburgh. That was the case on Friday, as Snyder just muffed the play, dropping the ball and allowing the game winning run to cross the plate.

Saturday, September 11: For the second straight night, the Reds led the Pirates for the majority of the ballgame, and once again, the Buccos made a late-game comeback to make things much more interesting.

Cincinnati took a 3-0 lead into the top of 8th inning, as starter Edinson Volquez pitched 7 innings of shutout baseball. John Bowker got things started with an RBI-double, scoring Ronny Cedeno and getting the Buccos on the board. Jose Tabata infield-singled Bowker home, cutting the lead to a single run. Neil Walker then followed it up with a game-leading single to center, scoring Tabata and Andrew McCutchen, putting the Pirates ahead, 4-3.

After the Reds tied the game up in the bottom of the 9th, Joey Votto ended the game in walk-off fashion in the 10th, smashing a solo shot to deep left, giving the Reds the win and a guaranteed series-victory against the Pirates.

Sunday, September 12: For the 3rd consecutive game, the Reds jumped out to a lead against the Pirates. Joey Votto doubled home Orlando Cabrera in the 4th inning, and up until the 9th frame, that was the only run of the game. That is, until Andrew McCutchen walked to the plate with 2 outs and the bases loaded. After falling behind 0-2 in the count and with the Reds’ fans on their feet, cheering and expecting a 3rd straight victory, Cutch hammered a pitch down the line past third base, scoring Lastings Milledge, Garrett Jones, and Jose Tabata, taking the lead, and the earning the eventual victory in Cincinnati, 3-1.

So the Pirates lost 2 straight games on Friday and Saturday in the series, but did earn a hard-fought win on Sunday, avoiding the sweep at the hands of the Reds. While this weekend does represent yet another series loss on the road, the Pirates played one of the best 3-game sets of the season, especially from a pitching standpoint. Pittsburgh gave up a total of 10 runs this weekend against a high-powered offense, and even though it was good enough to only earn 1 victory, this series still served as a step forward. As Pirates’ fans, we’ll take it.

Current Record: 48-94

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Atlanta Braves Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: September 6-8, 2010


The Pirates welcomed the Atlanta Braves into town for a 3-game series, which would wrap up the next-to-last homestand of the 2010 season at PNC Park. This series also marked the final trip to Pittsburgh by celebrated manager Bobby Cox. The Braves are surely playoff bound, battling with the Philadelphia Phillies for the N.L. East crown.

Monday, September 6: One of the major elements of the Pirates’ 2010 season has been the issue of unpredictability. Typically, this hasn’t worked in the Buccos’ favor, but Monday’s game against the Braves proved otherwise. Brian Burres pitched a gem of a ballgame, giving up only 1 run on 5 hits in his 6 innings of work, before giving the ball to three different pitchers from the bullpen, including Joel Hanrahan, who would earn his 4th save of the season, securing a Pirates 3-1 victory on Monday afternoon at PNC Park.

In a well-played game on Labor Day afternoon, Neil Walker’s 6th inning 2-run homerun proved to be the difference in the contest. The Pirates’ 2nd baseman continues to be a huge story, while Jose Tabata also chipped in with an RBI for Pittsburgh.

Tuesday, September 7: For the second straight game, the Pirates got a solid performance from their starter, and the Pirates’ bats did enough to secure a comfortable victory against the Atlanta Braves. James McDonald pitched 7 innings of shutout baseball, allowing only 5 hits and issuing 3 walks. Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan pitched a hitless inning each, and Hanrahan struck out the side in the 9th inning, closing out the 5-0 victory for the Buccos.

The difference in the ballgame was the 7th inning. Pedro Alvarez got things started with an RBI-double, which was followed two batters later by Ronny Cedeno’s triple, scoring Alvarez and Ryan Doumit. Delwyn Young delivered the seemingly knockout blow, a 2-run blast to deep left. After shutting down the Pirates through 6 innings, Tim Hudson finally ran into trouble in the 7th, with 4 of the 5 runs being charged to him, stuttering his ERA at 2.41, and dropping his record to 15-7. The victory set up the possibility of a sweep at PNC Park for our battlin’ Buccos.

Wednesday, September 8: The Pirates never had a chance in this ballgame. By the time the Buccos even had an opportunity to bat in the bottom of the 1st inning, they were already trailing by 3 runs. Zach Duke lasted just 1 inning, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits and walking 2, once again inflating his ERA to 5.47. The Pirates were forced to use 8 pitchers, and the Braves’ bats, which were silent in the first two games of the series, exploded on Wednesday night, defeating the Pirates by a final score of 9-3.

On a bright note for Pittsburgh, Neil Walker extended his hitting streak to 15 games, while Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen added 2 and 3 hits respectively. Unfortunately for the Pirates, there weren’t any other positives to take away from this ballgame.

So the Pirates earned a victory in the series against the Atlanta Braves. They complete the homestand at .500, 3-3, and now hit the road for a very difficult trip to Cincinnati for a 3 game set against the N.L. Central leading Reds and then on to New York for a 4-game date against the Mets. With less than a month left in the season, it is all about the young guys and about next year for Pittsburgh, but it’s also about playing spoiler. In addition to the series against the Reds, they are also set to play a total of 6 more games against the St. Louis Cardinals, a team who is barely holding on to playoff hopes. The Pirates have a day off Thursday, which, after the final game against the Braves, is definitely needed to regain some pride, and try to put on a strong showing against the Reds at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Good luck guys.

Current Record: 47-92

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Washington Nationals Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: September 3-5, 2010


Following another pathetically awful road trip, the Pirates returned home to PNC Park for a 3-game set against the Washington Nationals. Both teams are out of the playoff hunt (there’s a shocker), but it was still an opportunity for the Buccos to win a series against a sub-par N.L. team.

Friday, September 3: Ryan Doumit went 3-4 with 1 HR and 2 RBI, leading the Pirates to a 8-5 victory over the Nationals in the first game of the series at PNC Park. Jose Tabata, Garrett Jones, and Ronny Cedeno also chipped in 2 hits a piece, and for the first time in way too long, the Pirates’ offense was actually effective.

Zach Duke put together a solid start for the most part, but after a rough 6th inning, ended up with a line that looked something like this: 5.0 IP, 4 runs on 5 hits, with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. In all, the Pirates used 7 pitchers, which, despite giving up 5 runs as a staff, did just enough to hold off the Nationals. The Pirates were able to win the first game of the series, giving themselves a great chance to take the series.

Saturday, September 4: The Pirates played like a Double A club on Saturday, and the Nationals took full advantage of it, lighting up the Buccos at PNC Park with a blowout victory, 9-2.

Ivan Rodriquez had a huge night for Washington, going 3-5 with 1 HR and 4 RBI. Paul Maholm had another horrible start, lasting only 4.1 innings while giving up 7 runs on 9 hits, inflating his ERA to 5.43 and lowering his record to a terrible 7-14. From an offensive standpoint, the Pirates left too many men on base, and other than a solo homerun by Andrew McCutchen and Ronny Cedeno’s RBI double, the offense was just as ineffective as they were productive the night before. After the horrible outing, the stage was set for a series-deciding finale on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday, September 5: The Pirates and Nationals tallied 11 hits a piece on Sunday afternoon. The only difference was that Washington took advantage of their opportunities, and well, the Pirates didn’t. In other words, the Nationals won the 3rd game, and the series, from Pittsburgh by a final score of 8-1.

Ryan Zimmerman went 2-5 with 4 RBI. Pedro Alvarez provided the ONLY bit of offense for the Pirates, hammering a solo homerun in the 4th inning. Buccos’ starter Charlie Morton fell to 1-11 for the season, giving up 6 runs, 2 of them earned, on 8 hits through only 3.2 innings.

As to no surprise to any fan who actually follows the team, the Pirates lost another series to an underachieving team who just flat out played better from start to finish. Whether it’s the starting pitching, the defensive play, or the offense, the Pirates seem to find a different way to lose every night. They welcome the Atlanta Braves, more than likely a future playoff team, to PNC Park for a 3-game set. Hopefully Pittsburgh will be able to play spoiler, although the way they’ve been playing lately, it’s hard to believe they would be able to steal 2 games from the playoff-bound Braves. But that’s why they play the games…

Current Record: 45-91

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Chicago Cubs: August 30-September 1, 2010


The Pirates’ 3-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field featured 2 blowout games and a third game that featured blown opportunities, all resulting in a 2-1 series loss for the Buccos.

Monday, August 30: The first game of the series couldn’t have possibly gone any worse for the Pirates. Cubs’ starter Carlos Zambrano not only through 5.1 innings of 1 run ball against the Buccos, but he also blasted a 2-run homer in the 5th inning, helping Chicago cruise to a 14-2 annihilation of the Pirates in the first game at Wrigley.

The Cubs put the game away in the 4th and 5th innings, scoring 11 runs in the two frames combined, and the Pirates’ struggling bats couldn’t manage any more than 2 runs on 6 hits. Garrett Jones was the only Pirate to tally 2 hits, while starter Paul Maholm got torched, lasting only 3.1 innings and giving up 8 runs on 9 hits. Ouch.

Tuesday, August 31: Talk about revenge. One night after being held to only 2 runs, the Pirates’ offense exploded in game 2 of the series against the Cubs, scoring 14 runs on 15 hits, getting a little payback and padding that individual statistics, beating the hometown team 14-7.

Neil Walker was the star of the day for the Bucs, going 4-5 with a homerun and 4 RBI, while improving his season average to .305. Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata slated 3 hits a piece, and Garrett Jones added a 2-run homer in the 4th inning.

Jeff Karstens picked up the victory on Tuesday after giving up only 2 runs on 4 hits through 6 innings. Reliever Sean Gallagher got rocked, however, for 5 runs in only 1.2 innings. Luckily for Pittsburgh, the lead was substantial enough to withstand the minor comeback by the Cubs’ 5 runs in the 8th inning. Karstens’ mound opponent, Ryan Dempster, who came into the game as one of the hottest pitchers of the second half of the season, lasted only 3 innings, giving up 7 runs on 7 hits and walking 3 batters.

Wednesday, September 1: The Pirates began September with a terribly frustrating game against the Cubs. The close-knit game was decided by 2 runs, but the Pirates left a total of 12 men on base, including leaving the bases loaded in the 8th inning.

James McDonald had a decent outing, giving up 3 runs on 8 hits through 5 innings. While it wasn’t a standout performance, it was good enough to give the Pirates a chance to win. Unfortunately, the bats wouldn’t come through.

Neil Walker was once again the star, going 3-5 with 1 HR, bumping up his average to .310. Ronny Cedeno had 2 hits, but Garrett Jones, Ryan Doumit, and Pedro Alvarez all went hitless, and were responsible for a total of 8 runners on base. That was the difference in the ballgame. The Cubs took the game, 5-3, and the series, 2-1, from the Pirates at Wrigley Field.

So the Pirates round out the road trip at a dismal 1-5. They have dropped to an absolutely depressing 45 games under the .500 mark, and are pulling away from the Baltimore Orioles for the title of MLB’s worst record. They return home for a 6 game home stand against the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves. We now have a month left in what is going down as one of the worst Pirates’ seasons in history, record-wise. With only 2 homestands left in the 2010 season, perhaps the Buccos can improve upon their record at PNC Park, which is the only part of the this season that hasn’t been a huge disappointment.

Current Record: 44-89

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Milwaukee Brewers: August 27-29, 2010


The Pirates kicked off their most recent road trip in a similar fashion as they have in most trips away from PNC Park this season…terribly. This time, the misery took place in Miller Park against the N.L. Central foes Milwaukee Brewers.

Friday, August 27: The Pirates jumped on top early in the 2nd inning on Ronny Cedeno’s RBI single, scoring Lastings Milledge. Chris Snyder’s solo shot in the 5th gave them a 2 run lead, and, given James McDonald’s solid start, though 5 innings at least, it appeared as though our Buccos had the game in hand.

The Brewers cut the lead in half in the 6th inning on Corey Hart’s RBI single. But the 7th frame is where they really did their damage. The inning included a 2-run triple, a 2-run double, another RBI double, and an RBI single, all of which completely turned the contest around, and all of a sudden, the Brewers were blowing out our Bucs. McDonald’s final line read 6.1 innings, 6 runs on 7 hits, walking 2 and striking out 7, on his way to 4th loss of the season.

To add to the frustration of losing complete control of the game in a matter of 2 innings, the Pirates squandered a number of opportunities and left way too many men on base to tally a victory.

Saturday, August 28: Prince Fielder was the hitting star of the game, and Lorenzo Cain was the hero of the night, by delivering the game-winning RBI single in the 11th inning, scoring Ryan Braun and giving the Brewers an 8-7 victory at Miller Park on Saturday night.

Fielder blasted 2 HR on his way to a 3-hit evening. The Pirates, on the other hand, after jumping out to a 5-0 lead after an inning and a half, could only muster 1 run over the rest of the game, and Milwaukee tallied one run at a time, inning after inning, until, once again, they had overtaken the lead from the Pirates for the second straight evening.

Pirates’ starter Zach Duke had a far from a solid evening, giving up 4 runs on 9 hits through 5.1 innings. In all, they used a total of 7 pitchers, but the bullpen certainly didn’t fair much better than Duke on this night.

On a brighter note, the Pirates came alive offensively, as Jose Tabata, Neil Walker, and Chris Snyder all homered. Both Tabata and Walker contributed 3 hits, while Pedro Alvarez and Ryan Doumit eached added 2 hits in the losing effort.

Sunday, August 29: For the third game in a row, the Brewers had too much firepower for the Pirates to compete with, and Milwaukee completed the sweep against our battlin’ Buccos at Miller Park with an 8-4 victory. Future hall-of-fame closer Trevor Hoffman’s 599th career save cemented the sweep for the Brewers.

Ryan Braun hit for a perfect 4-4, including a 2-run homerun in the 4th inning, and a line-drive single off of Evan Meek’s pitching wrist in the 8th inning. In addition to Braun’s perfect afternoon, George Kottaras tallied 3 hits of his own, while Chris Dickerson contributed 3 RBI.

Ryan Doumit went 2-2 with a homerun and 2 walks for the Pirates, who also got another long ball from Neil Walker in the 1st inning. Lastings Milledge and Delwyn Young also chipped in 2 hits a piece, but the Pirates squandered too many opportunities throughout the game, including 2 separate multiple runners on with no outs situations. As with many cases, when the Pirates spoil such chances, they can never pull out the victory.

So the Pirates’ woes at Milwaukee’s Miller Park continue. At this point, the Buccos simply don’t have enough talent on the field to be able to blow opportunities and scoring chances, and still have a shot to win. The Brewers, who are far from a good team, were able to hold off the Pirates, despite Pittsburgh tallying a total of 13 runs in the series, which, sadly, is a high number for Bucco fans. They will now have to travel to Chicago for a 3-day date with the Cubs at historic Wrigley Field to hopefully salvage some dignity on this road trip. One thing is for sure…things can’t get much worse at this point for Pirates’ fans and players.

Current Record: 43-87

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Friday, August 27, 2010

St. Louis Cardinals Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: August 23-25, 2010


Up to this point, the Pirates’ current homestand hasn’t been quite as impressive as a Pittsburgh fan could hope. After dropping 3 or 4 games from the visiting Florida Marlins, they lost the first 2 games to the New York Mets, before salvaging the series in a 2-1 pitcher’s duel on Sunday afternoon. With a fresh taste in their mouths, our Buccos welcomed the St. Louis Cardinals, a team very much alive in both the N.L. Central and Wildcard Races, to PNC Park for a 3 game series.

Monday, August 23: The Pirates got behind early in the first inning, and weren’t ever able to get themselves back in the baseball game as the Cardinals won the opening contest in a rout, 10-2.

Albert Pujols, the best player in baseball and an eventual hall-of-famer, continued his domination against Pirates’ pitching with a 3-run blast in the first inning. Pujols went 3-5 on the evening. Yadier Molina also contributed 3 hits and Matt Holliday added a pair, as the Red Birds hammered the Bucco bullpen.

Scheduled starter Ross Ohlendorf lasted just 8 pitches before taking himself out of the game due to injury. The Cardinals certainly took advantage of the circumstances and never gave Pittsburgh a chance in the game. Garrett Jones provided the only offensive spark for the Pirates, blasting a 2-run homer to right in the 6th inning.

Tuesday, August 24: Bucco youngsters Neil Walker and Jose Tabata led the offensive charge, while starter Paul Maholm kept the Cardinals in check from the mound, and the Pirates held off a 9th inning St. Louis charge, defeating the Red Birds at PNC Park, 4-3.

Tabata tripled home Andrew McCutchen in the 6th inning, and Walker singled him home to tie the game, 2-2. Walker then knocked a 2-run single in the 7th, giving the Pirates a lead which they would never surrender the rest of the night.

Despite giving up a 2-run homerun to Matt Holliday in the first inning, Maholm put together a fine outing, giving up only the 2 runs on 7 hits through 6.2 innings. After Joel Hanrahan pitched an inning and a third of shutout ball, Evan Meek avoided a potentially disastrous 9th inning to earn his second save of the season, while cementing a Pirates’ victory and setting up the rubber match for Wednesday evening.

Wednesday, August 25: Daniel McCutchen was the story of the evening in the final game of the series against the Cardinals, throwing 6 innings of shutout ball, while only giving up 3 hits and walking 2, and earned his second victory of the season as the Pirates won the game, 5-2, at PNC Park.

Neil Walker, for the second consecutive game, was the hitting star, this time delivering what would turn out to be a fatal blow in the 3rd inning, hammering a 3-run triple in the 3rd inning. Jose Tabata singled home a run in the 4th inning, and Garrett Jones blasted a solo homer in the 8th to extend the Pirates’ lead. While the Cardinals threatened at a number of different times throughout the game, our battlin’ Buccos held them off, earning a very impressive series victory against the potentially playoff-bound St. Louis Cardinals.

So after a dreadful start to the home stand, the Pirates did earn a series victory against the Cardinals. While the homestretch record (4-6), we can’t help but be excited and impressed by their performance against one of the best teams in their division. Hopefully the Pirates can stay on the right track as they travel to Milwaukee and Chicago for 2 more divisional series to close out the month of August.

Current Record: 43-84

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

New York Mets Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: August 20-22, 2010


The New York Mets are one of the more disappointing teams in professional baseball this year. With their payroll nearing the top of the list, The Mets are bordering the .500 mark. Similarly, the Pirates have been a disappointment for their fans here in Pittsburgh, sporting MLB’s worst record, an embarrassing 40-82 mark coming into their 3-game series against the Mets at PNC Park.

Friday, August 20: The Mets came out swinging early and often at PNC Park, lighting up Buccos’ starter Jeff Karstens for 7 runs on 11 hits through just 3.1 innings. Karstens fell to 2-10 for the season, but for the first time in a large number of starts, he wasn’t a victim of minimal run support; his pitching just simply wasn’t good enough on this night.

Though the Pirates were out-matched on both offense and defense, Andrew McCutchen and Ryan Doumit were two bright spots, as Cutch contributed 2 hits and Doumit hammered a solo homerun in the 2nd sinning. Still, it wasn’t enough to match the Mets, as the Buccos dropped game one of the series, 7-2.

Saturday, August 21: The Pirates and Mets played a rain-shortened game on Saturday, which, unfortunately for the Buccos, ended in a 5-1 victory for the Mets.

David Wright hammered 3-run homerun in the 5th inning, which was more than enough for starter Jonathon Niese, who went “the distance,” giving up a run on 5 hits. Andrew McCutchen went 2-3 with 2 doubles in the losing effort, but the rest of the lineup was virtually non-existent offensively. The win on Saturday guaranteed the Mets would win the series at PNC Park, the first road series victory of the season for New York.

Sunday, August 22: Zach Duke out-pitched Johan Santana and the Pirates got 2 huge homeruns in back-to-back innings as they avoided the sweep and slated a 2-1 victory over the Mets at PNC Park.

The Mets held a 1-0 lead into the 5th inning, when Lastings Milledge launched a 406 ft homerun to deep center field, tying the game. Jose Tabata followed that up the very next inning with a solo blast of his own, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead, which would eventually become the final score.

To put it simply, Duke pitched a gem. After giving up 1 run and 2 hits in the first inning, Zach surrendered only 3 hits the rest of the game. His final line read 7 innings, 1 run on 5 hits, with 2 walks and 5 K’s. Santana fell to 10-8 on the season with the loss.

Sunday, August 22 Pregame Show

Sunday, August 22 Postgame Show

So the Pirates avoided a sweep at PNC Park against the Mets. Unfortunately though, the Pirates are 2-5 on this home stand so far, a place where the Pirates have played “well” this season. This doesn’t bode well for a team who will welcome the St. Louis Cardinals to town, a team who is in the middle of both a division and wild card race, and will certainly see this series as a huge opportunity to make up some ground in the standings. Hopefully the Pirates can seize this chance to once again become the spoiler rather than the contender, which has become familiar ground for them over the past couple decades.

Current Record: 41-83

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Florida Marlins Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: August 16-19, 2010


Following a pathetic 0-6 road trip, the Pirates returned to PNC Park for a 10 game homestand. While it was a nice change for the battlin’ Buccos to return to Pittsburgh, the three teams coming into town served as no easy match-up. First up were the Florida Marlins, a team that has been struggling this year, but, as in most cases, they haven’t been teetering as much as our beloved Buccos.

Monday, August 16: The Pirates’ bats were alive early, and starter James McDonald pitched another gem at PNC Park, leading the Buccos to a 7-1 in the first game of the 4-game set in Pittsburgh.

Pedro Alvarez went 2-4 with 3 RBI for the Pirates, while Andrew McCutchen and Chris Snyder each added 2 hits a piece in the winning effort. As for McDonald, he pitched 7 innings while only giving up 1 run on 3 hits. After a difficult road trip, this was a pleasant return to PNC Park.

Tuesday, August 17: Unfortunately, the hot Pirates-hitting couldn’t carry over to the second game of the series, as the Buccos were only able to manage 6 hits and couldn’t even break into the scoring column, losing to the Marlins 6-0.

Pedro Alvarez tallied 2 hits for the second straight night, while Jose Tabata added a pair of hits as well. The Pirates left a total of 6 runners on base, and, as is the case with many teams in Major League Baseball, the Marlins made them pay for it.

Zach Duke lasted 5.2 innings, giving up 5 runs on 9 hits, which clearly wasn’t solid enough for an offense that struggles to score on a consistent basis. Any momentum the Pirates gained in game 1 of the series was completely diminished on Tuesday.

Wednesday, August 18: The 3rd game of the series was a close-knit, highly competitive ballgame at PNC Park. This day also served as the birthday of FFTS co-host Chad Carlson, which, unfortunately, came on a day when the Pirates lost to the Marlins.

Ross Ohlendorf was the victim of another lackluster performance by an offense that couldn’t support him. Ross gave up 3 runs on only 4 hits through 8 innings. Dan Uggla was the hero for the Marlins, who went 2-3, including a HR in the 2nd inning.

Jose Tabata bumped into average up to an even .300 with a 3-hit evening for the Pirates, who tallied 7 hits as a team, but just couldn’t push enough runs across the plate for Ohlendorf to notch a win. Instead, poor Ross fell to 1-10 on the season, and the Pirates dropped their second straight game to the Marlins.

Thursday, August 19: Another close, tight game at PNC Park resulted in a Marlins’ narrow victory, as the Fish left Pittsburgh after taking 3 out of 4 games from our beloved Buccos.

All of the scoring for the Marlins came in the 6th inning, including a Gaby Sanchez 3-run homerun to deep center field, which gave Florida a 3-0 lead at the time.

Argenis Diaz was the surprise hitting star of the day for the Pirates, going 2-3, including an RBI ground rule double, scoring Chris Snyder in the 8th inning. Andrew McCutchen homered to start things off in the 9th inning, but unfortunately, the Pirates weren’t able to build on that momentum, and dropped another close contest.

So the Pirates dropped 3 games to the Marlins in a few different ways, including blown opportunities, leaving too many runners on base, and spoiling fantastic pitching performances by exhibiting non-existing offense. The Pirates are literally spiraling out of control, and it seems as though they literally have no idea how to close out ballgames and…well…win. It won’t get any easier as the New York Mets come into town for a 3-game weekend series.

Current Record: 40-81

And...As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Houston Astros: August 13-15, 2010


After a terrible trip to San Diego, the Pirates traveled to Houston to take on the Astros for a 3 game series, looking for their first win on the current road trip.

Friday, August 13: The Pirates played a phenomenal baseball game defensively on Friday night…that is…until the 8th inning. A huge 4-run outburst by the Astros in the next to the last frame gave Houston a 4-1 win in the first game of the series at Minute Maid Park.

Ross Ohlendorf pitched arguably his best game of the season, going 6.2 innings and only giving up 4 hits and striking out 7, setting his team up for the victory. Unfortunately, the big 7th inning for Houston came at the expense of the usually reliable Evan Meek, who gave up 4 runs on 5 hits through just 1/3 of an inning.

Neil Walker tallied the only RBI for Pittsburgh in the 3rd inning. Carlos Lee was the game breaker for the Astros, smashing a 3-run homer in the 8th inning, giving them the lead.

Saturday, August 14: For the second consecutive night, the Pirates led for the majority of the game, only to squander opportunities to add to the lead, and eventually losing the lead, and the game, to the Astros.

The Pirates led off the game with a triple by Andrew McCutchen and a 2-run homer by Garrett Jones off of Astros starter Bud Norris. But from there, Norris struck out an unprecedented 14 batters throughout his 7 innings of work. Buccos’ starter Paul Maholm pitched a solid outing as well, only giving up 3 runs on 9 hits. Unfortunately, those 3 runs were enough to beat the Pirates.

Hunter Pence was the star of the day for the Astros, going 3-4 with a solo homerun in the 4th and an RBI-double in the 7th. The Pirates managed 6 hits, but were only able to notch one run in the game…and for the second straight night, lost a close game to Houston.

Sunday, August 15: After two close losses to the Astros, the Pirates were due to get blown out….and that’s exactly what happened on Sunday. The Astros trailed the Pirates heading into the bottom of the 6th inning, and that’s when they tallied 7 runs over the next 3 innings, resulting in a punishing 8-2 win over Pittsburgh at Minute Maid Park.

Jeff Karstens pitched a fantastic game until the 6th inning, when he was lit up for 4 runs, knocking him out of the contest. Lastings Milledge and Chris Snyder contributed an RBI a piece, which unfortunately, were the only runs the team could muster for the duration of the game. The Astros, on the other hand, got contributions from the entire team. Chris Johnson, going 3-4 with a HR in the 8th inning, was the start of the day.

So the Pirates end the road trip without a victory, going 0-6 against the Padres and the Astros. The Buccos scored only 5 runs in the 3 games, and in two of the games, the Pirates’ pitching was solid. On a bright side, Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez both had solid series at Houston. Alvarez, in particular, has raised his average to .245 for the season. Unfortunately, though, it seems as though the Pirates find news ways, day after day, to lose baseball games.

The Pirates now return to PNC Park for a series against the Florida Marlins. Hopefully they can turn something around, put a few decent offensive outings and pitching performances together to accumulate a win.

Current Record: 39-78

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. San Diego Padres: August 10-12, 2010


The Pirates embarked on another road trip which would certainly test their ability, traveling to both San Diego and Houston, two cities where our beloved Buccos haven’t performed well in the past.

Tuesday, August 10: Minimal offensive production and Ryan Ludwick’s San Diego coming out party combined for a 4-1 defeat for the Pirates at the hands of the Padres in the opening game of the series at Petco Park.

Ludwick homered in the 2nd and 7th innings, while the rest of the Padres’ lineup added a few timely hits, which was more than enough offense for their starter Wade LeBlanc. Buccos starter Jeff Karstens pitched yet another serviceable game, lasting 6 innings while only giving up 2 runs on 3 hits. Unfortunately, the offense was virtually non-existent for the Pirates, as Pedro Alvarez’s 3rd inning RBI single was the only notable play. This certainly was not the start the Pirates, or their fans, hoped for in the first game of the road trip.

Wednesday, August 11: Padres powerhouse Adrian Gonzalez went 4-4 and was the hitting star of the day as the Pirates dropped their second straight game at Petco Park on Wednesday, 8-5.

Pitching wasn’t exactly impressive on either side as was the case the night before. Buccos’ starter James McDonald, after a stellar debut at PNC Park, didn’t match his earlier performance, giving up 4 runs on 7 hits through 4.2 innings. Reliever Chan Ho Park didn’t fare much better, surrendering 3 runs in one inning.

The offense for Pittsburgh did finally wake up from their slumber, tallying 5 runs in the losing effort. Neil Walker had 2 hits and Ryan Doumit tallied 2 RBI. The bulk of the scoring came in the 7th as the Pirates cut the deficit to 3 runs on Pedro Alvarez’s bases loaded walk, Doumit’s 2-run double, and Chris Snyder’s sacrifice. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t get any closer on this night.

Thursday, August 12: The Pirates went back into hibernation, Ryan Ludwick hit another homerun, and the Padres swept the series, and the season set, from Pittsburgh.

In a rather uneventful game, the only scoring came in the 3rd and 6th innings. Miguel Tejada doubled in the game’s first run in the 3rd inning, and Ludwick’s 2-run shot in the 6th gave the Padres some breathing room, which turns out, they didn’t need.

Ryan Doumit went 2-3 on Thursday, and was responsible for half of the team’s hits. Starter Zach Duke fell to 5-11 on the season, giving up 2 earned runs through 6 innings, slating his ERA at 5.20.

This was not the start to the road trip any Pirate fan could possibly hope for, as they drop the first three games, and now travel to Houston for a 3-game series against an Astros team who has owned them in Texas. The Pirates are sinking fast, and are now officially Major League Baseball’s very worst team. This is the point in the season when it begins to be very difficult to watch. Hopefully the Pirates can begin to work on building a foundation for next year, a phrase that has become all too familiar in the past 2 decades.

Current Record: 39-75

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Colorado Rockies Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: August 5-8, 2010


Following a difficult series against the Reds, the Buccos were happy to welcome the Colorado Rockies to town, a team that they had just recently taken 2 out of 3 games from as the away team, a rarity for the Pirates this season. This time around, the two teams took the field for a 4 game series at PNC Park.

Thursday, August 5: Pirates newcomer James McDonald was superb in his debut in a Bucco uniform, and timely hitting provided enough run insurance as Pittsburgh took the first game of the series from the Rockies, 5-1.

McDonald was, without a doubt, the story of the night, only giving up 4 hits on his way to 6 scoreless innings. The bullpen, despite giving up a run 8th, was once again solid, limiting Colorado to minimal chances at a comeback. McDonald struck out 8 batters on his way to his first win of the season.

The Pirates jumped on Rockie starter Jeff Francis in the 2nd inning with a pair of homeruns, a solo shot by Garrett Jones and a 2-run job by Ronny Cedeno, which scored Lastings Milledge. RBI singles by Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez in the 3rd and 6th innings helped extend the lead to which the Rockies couldn’t touch.

Friday, August 6: Zach Duke wasn’t quite as successful in the second game of the series against the Rockies. The left-hander gave up 3 runs on 10 hits through 6 innings. The four relievers from the bullpen who made appearances on Friday didn’t fair much better, with the exception of Evan Meek. The Rockies’ offense showed just how explosive they can be, and why they are in the position they are: an outside shot at the N.L. west title. Carlos Gonzalez, in particular, put on a tremendous display, going 3-4 including a HR with 2 RBI.

Pedro Alvarez provided a spark for the Pirates in the 6th inning, hammering a 3-run shot which, at the time, tied the game. Jose Tabata tallied a two-hit evening, raising his average to .302. The rest of the club, slating only a hit here or a hit there, was ineffective from a collective standpoint, and thus, dropped the 2nd game of the series, 6-3. Considering the Rockies accumulated 15 hits, this score could have been A LOT worse.

Fans From The Stands: Friday's Pregame Show

Fans From The Stands: Friday's Postgame Show

Saturday, August 7: In one of the more exciting games of the season for the Pirates, Pedro Alvarez’s 3-run walk-off blast in the bottom of the 10th inning gave the Buccos a win in the 3rd game of the series against the Rockies.

Alvarez went 3-6 in all on Saturday, while Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata each added 2 hits as well. The Buccos tallied 14 total hits in the game, and after Chris Snyder’s 3-run HR in the 6th, had a 3-1 lead. Garrett Jones then absolutely hammered a pitch into the bleachers in the 7th inning, giving the Buccos a 4-2 lead.

Trailing 5-2 in the top of the 9th, the Rockies tied up the game in dramatic fashion on Ian Stewart’s 3-run homerun, evening the game at 5. The seemingly knockout punch occurred in the top of the 10th, as Todd Helton hammered a 2-run shot, giving the Rockies the lead, and the assumed win, 7-5. But with two men on in the bottom of the 10th, Pedro Alvarez strolled up to the plate and absolutely tattooed a pitch in the right field seats for the first walk-off homerun of his young major league career.

Sunday, August 8: As incredible as Saturday evening’s game was, Sunday afternoon’s performance was that much more frustrating. It seems the Buccos always struggle on Sunday afternoons, and this day was no exception. Pirates’ starter Paul Maholm fell to 7-10 on the season, giving up 6 earned runs on 7 hits through just 2.2 innings. Despite a strong showing from the bullpen, the damage was already done, and the Rockies defeated the Pirates, 8-4, earning a split in the series at PNC Park.

Jose Tabata, Neil Walker, and Ronny Cedeno had a pair of hits each, and by scoring runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings, the Pirates had brought the game back to a respectable score. Unfortunately, too many missed opportunities and stranded runners did the Pirates in, and they were never able to get any closer than that. The Rockies won the game, 8-4.

Fans From The Stands: Sunday's Pregame Show

Fans From The Stands: Sunday's Postgame Show

So the Pirates ended the homestand at 3-4, having split the series with the Rockies and losing 2 out of 3 from the Reds. They now face a very difficult road trip at San Diego and Houston, two places where the Pirates haven’t faired well at all in the past. The Pirates are the worst team in the N.L., and are only two games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for the worst record in Major League Baseball. As we approach mid-August, it is becoming VERY difficult to watch these games…which, unfortunately, has become a trademark of nearly 2 decades of Pirates’ baseball.

Current Record: 39-72

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Cincinnati Reds Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: August 2-4, 2010


After a dreadful end to their most recent road trip, the Pirates returned home to PNC Park to host the Cincinnati Reds for a 3-game set. Unfortunately, while there were a few glimpses of improvement, the overall theme continued against the Reds, resulting in another series loss against a division foe, as Cincinnati took two out of three games from the Battlin’ Buccos.

Monday, August 2: Once again, the Pirates’ offense was basically non-existent during the first game of the series against the Reds. As a team, our Buccos managed only 3 hits, with Neil Walker, Lastings Milledge, and Delwyn Young each delivering a knock in a losing effort.

Ross Ohlendorf fell to 1-9 on the year after a 5 inning performance, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits while walking 4 on his way to being out-hurled by Reds’ starter Travis Wood. Chris Heisey was the hitting start of the day for Cincinnati, going 2-3 with a HR. The Reds improved to 60-47, bettering their chances in the race against the St. Louis Cardinals for 1st place in the N.L. Central division.

Tuesday, August 3: A huge 6-run 2nd inning proved to be just enough for the Pirates to snap their 5-game losing streak, beating the Reds at PNC Park, 7-6. Chris Snyder, in his second game as a Bucco following the trade with Arizona, got the scoring started with a 2-run single in the 2nd, and later scored on Jose Tabata’s single. Then Neil Walker, who went 3-4 with a career-high 4 RBI, laced a 3-run double, giving the Pirates a huge 6-0 lead.

The Reds certainly didn’t let up though, tallying a run here, a run there, and before long, it was a 7-6 ballgame in the top of the 9th. Joel Hanrahan, however, earned his first save of the season, and ended the Pirates’ losing streak with a much-needed victory.

Wednesday, August 4: Johnny Cueto once again had his way with the Pirates, while the Reds’ offense had their way with the Buccos’ pitching staff, as Cincinnati claimed the afternoon game, and in turn, the series, with a 9-4 win at PNC Park.

Cueto gave up only 1 run, off the bat of Andrew McCutchen on his solo shot in the 1st inning, and only surrendered 2 other hits through his 6 innings of work. Even though the bullpen did give up a solo HR from Pedro Alvarez and a 2-run blast from Jeff Clement, the Reds’ relievers held off the Pirates to ensure the victory.

Buccos’ starter Jeff Karstens lasted 5 innings, giving up 3 runs on 9 hits. Unfortunately, the typically solid bullpen gave up 6 more runs, including a huge 7th inning for the Reds, which broke the game open.

So once again, the Pirates lose a series…this time, at home. Consistency continues to be a problem for the Buccos, who have now lost 6 of 7 games. The Colorado Rockies come into town next for a 4-game set. While the Pirates did have success against the Rockies last week in Colorado, nothing is ever a sure thing for Pittsburgh, and if the bats don’t come alive a little more consistently, it could be a long weekend for the Buccos.

Current Record: 37-70

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. St. Louis Cardinals: July 30-August 1, 2010


Well, any momentum that the Pirates had before the weekend was completely diminished by the time they left St. Louis. The Cardinals dominated the Pirates at Busch Stadium, something they have done consistently for years.

Friday, July 30: After a two and a half hour rain delay, the Pirates and Cardinals began their 3 game series at Busch Stadium. Both pitching staffs brought their “A” games. Buccos’ starter Jeff Karstens pitched 6 innings of shutout baseball, while Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan also pitched 3 innings combined of zero hit ball. Unfortunately, Javier Lopez couldn’t do the same, giving up 1 run on 2 hits in the bottom of the 10th as the Cardinals defeated the Pirates in the first game of the series, 1-0.

Cardinals’ starter Chris Carpenter was superb, giving up only 5 hits and 3 walks through 8 innings, while lowering his ERA to 2.93. Lastings Milledge was the only Pirate to tally a multi-hit evening, with the club only managing 5 hits total. While it was a difficult loss for the Buccos to endure, one couldn’t help but have some hope that the Pirates were ready for a hard-fought series against their Central Division foes.

Saturday, July 31: The second game of the series started out bad for the Pirates and ended up embarrassing, as the Cardinals pounded Daniel McCutchen and our Buccos for 15 hits at Busch Stadium, taking game 2 by a final score of 11-1.

Colby Rasmus went 2-4 with 1 HR and 3 RBI, while Albert Pujols also went deep for St. Louis. After tallying a run here, two runs there, throughout the majority of the game, the Cardinals broke it way open in the 8th for five runs.

The Pirates did manage 8 hits for the evening, including Jose Tabata’s trio of knocks and Andrew McCutchen’s pair. Jeff Clement provided the only running scoring play of the game for the Buccos, absolutely hammering a pitch in the 8th inning.

Sunday, August 1: For the 3rd straight game, the Pirates’ offense was absent, and for the second straight day, the Cardinals offense was unstoppable, as St. Louis finished the Buccos off with a 9-1 beating and sweeping Pittsburgh at Busch Stadium.

Zach Duke was the victim on Sunday, giving up 6 runs on 7 hits through 5 innings, inflating his ERA to 5.36, while losing his 10th game of the season. His mound opponent, Adam Wainwright, gave up only 1 hit through 7 innings, lowering his ERA to 2.19.

Jose Tabata and Lastings Milledge each had 2 hits in the losing effort, but the Pirates never had a chance to keep up with the overwhelming power of Mr. Albert Pujols and the Cardinals.

So after a great start to the road trip, the Pirates finished up their trek away from the PNC Park in extremely and utterly familiar territory: losing. The Buccos finished the road trip at 2-4, and return to PNC Park for two more tough series against the Cincinnati Reds and once again, the Colorado Rockies.

Fans From The Stands: Saturday, July 31 Pregame Show

Fans From The Stands: Saturday July 31 Postgame Show

Current Record: 36-68

And…As Always…Let’s Go Bucs!