Pirates Head State-side With Series Victory Over Blue Jays

by Zane Heiple

Jeff Karstens has come a long way for the Pittsburgh Pirates since the team left Bradenton, Florida.  Originally looked at to come out of the bullpen for long relief situations and as the occasional spot start, Karstens has become quite possibly the Buccos most consistent starter.  He was at it again tonight as he would out duel Brett Cecil of the Toronto Blue Jays for a 6-2 victory.

Karstens would log seven innings of work tonight, as he would allow two runs on five hits with one walk and two strike outs.  The only two runs he would give up on the night were solo home runs in the fifth inning by J.P. Arencibia and Yunel Escobar.

The Pittsburgh offense had no trouble with Cecil tonight as he would be tagged with six runs on eight hits through 6.1 innings pitched.  The Pirates got to him in the first inning.  Alex Presley would triple and then be brought home on an Andrew McCutchen ground out to third.  The fifth inning saw the Buccos score again after a Josh Harrison double, he would be moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Michael McKenry and then score on a Presley sacrifice fly.

After Toronto tied the game, Pittsburgh broke it open with a three run sixth.  Lyle Overbay would reach third after the Blue Jays short stop, third baseman, and left fielder misplayed a fly ball.  This would allow Ronny Cedeno to bring Overbay home on a double.  Brandon Wood stepped to the plate and smacked a two run homer to left field to give the Pirates a 5-2 lead.  Pittsburgh added one more run for insurance in the seventh, before handing the game over to the bullpen who shut the door on another Pittsburgh victory.

This was a complete victory for our Buccos.  All aspects of the game contributed to the win.  These are the types of games that show what the Pirates are capable of when all cylinders are firing.  Now Pittsburgh is off to our nation's capital for a four game series with the Washington Nationals on Friday.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

Record vs. Blue Jays:  2-1
Record vs. A.L. East:  6-3
Interleague Play Record:  8-7
Record on the Road:  22-19
Overall Record:  41-39

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!!!

Pirates' Offense Struggles In 2-1 Loss To Blue Jays

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Claus Andersen/Getty Images

Last night, the Pirates and Blue Jays played a very entertaining game that featured high-powered offense, lots of homeruns, and some dramatics that came down to the very last pitch.  Tonight was a different story, as the two teams combined for just three runs and thirteen hits, and the result was a 2-1 Toronto victory at the Rogers Centre.

Pirates’ starter Paul Maholm was a victim of lack of run support once again tonight.  Paul gave up just two runs through his seven innings of work, but that was one-run too many on a night where the bats were non-existent for Pittsburgh. His record now sits at 4-9, while his ERA continues to lower, now at 3.17. Tim Wood relieved Maholm in the eighth, throwing an inning of shutout baseball in a losing effort.

The Buccos took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning on Ronny Cedeno’s RBI single to center field, scoring Lyle Overbay.  Cedeno had two of the team’s four hits on the night. 

Toronto responded an inning later when Eric Thames blasted a solo homerun over the wall in left center field to tie the game, 1-1.  After Rajai Davis hammered a double in the seventh, Maholm gave up another two-bagger to Yunel Escobar.  Davis scored what would end up being the winning run for the Blue Jays.

Frank Francisco picked his ninth save for Toronto tonight.  Andrew McCutchen hammered a pitch to the warning track for the first out.  Neil Walker was the second out, and after Overbay drew a walk, Matt Diaz grounded out to shortstop to end the game.

Tonight’s game was a perfect example of the inconsistency of the Pirates.  Last night, the offense erupted for seven runs, and the bullpen let us down.  This was the complete opposite situation tonight, as once again, Maholm pitched well enough to take home the victory, and unfortunately, the offense couldn’t muster more than one run through nine innings of baseball. 

Garrett Jones, Walker, and McCutchen combined to go 0-9 on the night, with Walker’s average dipping below .250.  Cedeno has been hitting the ball well lately, and that continued tonight.  With two more hits this evening, Ronny’s average now sits at .251. 

The Buccos will now face off against the Blue Jays in the rubber match of the three-game series tomorrow evening at Rogers Centre.  Jeff Karstens will take the hill for the Pirates, who are looking to clinch a winning record in Interleague Play this year.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:07.

Record Vs. Blue Jays: 1-1

Record Vs. A.L. East: 5-3

Interleague Play Record: 7-7

Record On The Road: 21-19

Overall Record: 40-39

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Meet Your Bucs: Alex Presley

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates made good on a report that had been circulating for about a week when they called up outfielder Alex Presley from AAA Indianapolis for the start of a three game interleague series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Presley was drafted by the Pirates in the 8^th round, 230^th overall, of the 2006 MLB Draft.  He made his debut on September 8, 2010.  While with the Indians in AAA he led the team with a .336 average, along with eight home runs and 36 RBI during the 2011 campaign.

Alex wasted little time making an impact with the Buccos.  In his first game, he would go 2-5 with a home run and three RBI.  It is unsure how long he will be up with Pittsburgh, and it may depend most on how long Jose Tabata is on the DL.  With Tabata on the DL it allowed the Pirates to recall Josh Harrison to the Major Leagues.

Back-end Of Bullpen And Bats Lead Pirates To Victory

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

Home run battles are not games that the Pittsburgh Pirates are built to win, and while they lost the overall home run tally 4-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays, they did however win the first game of the series 7-6. 

This game remained scoreless through the first two innings until the Pirates scored two runs in the top part of the third inning.  After Ronny Cedeno reached base with a single, recent call-up Alex Presley recorded his first hit which happened to be a 2-run HR.  Toronto cut into the lead in the bottom part of the inning on an Edwin Encarnacion solo HR.

Pregame Show:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U7GpHx9y2Y

Pittsburgh then put some space between themselves and Toronto in the fourth inning.  With Lyle Overbay on first Matt Diaz would triple him home, which was followed by a Garret Jones single to make the score 4-1.  Pressley brought home his second RBI with a single and then Neil Walker closed out the inning with another RBI single to give the Buccos a comfortable 6-1 lead.  Former Pirate Jose Bautista made his presence felt in the bottom part of the fourth with a two run blast, his 24^th on the year, to make it a 6-3 Pittsburgh lead.

After a scoreless fifth, Toronto added another run in the sixth.  After Eric Thames tripled to lead off the inning, Chase d’Arnaud would make an error on a Bautista groundball which allowed Thames to score.  The Pirates were able to stop the damage by inducing an infield pop fly and 6-4-3 double play.  This would also mark the end of Kevin Correia’s night.  He would give up four runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

The seventh inning saw Andrew McCutchen hit a solo home run which would be the most important run of the night for Pittsburgh.  Toronto would hit two solo home runs of off reliever Tony Watson.  Watson left the game to Chris Resop.  Resop did get one out, but left after intentionally loading the bases.  Jose Veras deserves half of a game ball for saving the win tonight.  He would get Adam Lind to line out to Lyle Overbay for an unassisted inning ending double play, which was followed by a 1-2-3 eighth inning.

This called for Joel “The Hammer” Hanrahan to come out in the bottom of the ninth with a one run lead.  While Slipknot’s “Before I Forget” wasn’t blasting over the loud speakers at the Rogers Centre, the intensity was there, as Joel was reaching 98mph with great consistency on the night.  He was able to induce ground outs from the first two batters, and even after giving up a single, he struck out the last batter to give Pittsburgh the victory.

Postgame Show:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f92uPuqmi40 

While it was an ugly game, a win is a win and this felt like a game the Pirates would not have won last year.  Veras and Hanrahan were huge tonight as they were the only two that were able to solve Toronto’s offense.  This was Joel’s 23^rd save in as many opportunities, and Correia was able to collect his league leading 10^th win.  Another big night from the offense was also another key to victory.

Record vs. Blue Jays:  1-0
Record vs. A.L. East:  5-2
Interleague Play Record:  7-6
Record On The Road:  21-18
Overall Record:  40-38

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

FFTS Podcast: Episode Twelve!

The latest edition of the FFTS podcast finds the guys in Toronto, in town for the upcoming series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays!
Zane and Chad dissect the Pirates' recent successful homestand, while also looking ahead to their upcoming road trip against Toronto and Washington. They discuss the impact of the surprise strong performances from the likes of Ronny Cedeno, Lyle Overbay, and Garrett Jones.

They discuss the continued success of the bullpen and starting pitching, and look ahead to what fans should expect from the Pirates' team at the All-Star break and beyond.

FFTS Podcast: Episode Twelve

And...

As Always...

Let's Go Bucs!

Errors And Miscues Doom Pirates In 4-2 Loss To Red Sox

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

The Pirates gave up two runs without surrendering a hit in the seventh inning, which proved to be the difference this afternoon at PNC Park in a Red Sox 4-2 victory in the final game of the two teams’ three-game set.

Tim Wood and Daniel Moskos each walked a batter to start the seventh inning, and both would eventually come around to score to give the Sox the 4-2 lead, which would eventually be the final score.  Despite a nice job by Chris Resop to clean things up in the inning, the damage was already done, and the Pirates couldn’t dig their way out of trouble in the remaining innings.

James McDonald made the start for the Buccos, and, despite a few trouble innings, pitched a solid game, once again keeping his team in the game.  J-Mac gave up two runs on five hits through his six innings of work, while walking two and striking out five.  McDonald’s on-mound opponent, Andrew Miller, earned his first victory of the season, going six innings while giving up two runs on five hits. 

This certainly wasn’t the cleanest of outings for either team, as they combined for six errors on the afternoon, including four from the Pirates.  Routine ground balls and fly balls were dropped, mishandled, muffed, and thrown away on multiple occasions, which ultimately resulted in a number of runs today. 

After the Red Sox took an early 1-0 lead, the Buccos responded in the fourth inning on Ronny Cedeno’s sacrifice fly to shallow center field, allowing Neil Walker to tag and score from third base. 

The sixth inning proved to be one of missed opportunities for the Pirates.  After loading the bases with no outs, Andrew McCutchen smashed an RBI single to left field, scoring McDonald from third.  Unfortunately, Garrett Jones was mistakenly waved around third base on the play, and after he rounded the base, was caught in no man’s land and tagged out by third baseman Kevin Youkilis.  The Pirates wouldn’t score another run, and that seemed to swing momentum in Boston’s favor.

The Red Sox tied the game in the sixth inning on Josh Reddick’s sacrifice fly to left center, scoring Youkilis from third.  After the leadoff walks in the seventh by Wood and Moskos, Dustin Pedroia and Youkilis sacrificed runs home to give the Sox the lead.

Jose Tabata was removed from the game after injuring his left quad in the first inning while beating out Youkilis’s throw to first base.  He will be evaluated tomorrow.

This was a difficult loss for the Pirates.  They once again played the Red Sox tough throughout the game, but unfortunately, they made way too many mistakes for them to win this one.  Boston came in with the best offense in baseball, and the Pirates gave them too many opportunities to score runs.  As a team, the Buccos’ pitchers issued six walks, and they gave up two runs in the seventh inning without surrendering a single hit.  The Red Sox are too good of a team to give them these chances.

Still, while a sour end to the weekend, it has been a more than successful series for the Pirates.  Coming into this three-game set, many were hoping to salvage a game.  Instead, we won the series from the best team in the American League.  While the Buccos certainly didn’t play their best baseball this weekend, they made quite a statement to the Red Sox, the rest of the league, and to the fans. 

The Buccos now sit at 39-38, one game over .500 and have concluded a successful 4-2 home stand.  They now take to the road for a three game set with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday to complete their 2011 interleague play schedule. 

Record Vs. Red Sox: 2-1

Record Vs. A.L. East: 4-2

Interleague Play Record: 6-6

Record At Home: 19-20

Overall Record: 39-38

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Overbay, Jones HR Lead Pirates Over Red Sox

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

After a nail biting end last night to beat the Boston Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Pirates would once again give the record sell-out crowd at PNC Park their money’s worth in a 6-4 win tonight. 

Jeff Karstens ran into a little trouble early in the game.  He gave up an unearned run in the first inning, when Dustin Pedroia scored on an Adrian Gonzalez ground out to Ronny Cedeno.  Gonzalez then would hit a solo home run in the third inning to give Boston a 2-0 lead.  That would be the last time the Red Sox would lead on the night.

The Pirates offense would break out for four runs in the fourth inning off of Boston starter Tim Wakefield.  After an Andrew McCutchen single and a Neil Walker walk, Lyle Overbay would blast a 3-run HR into the right field seats.  Cedeno would then double and be brought home when Karstens hit a two out single up the middle.  The Buccos would make it 5-2 in the fifth inning when Pedroia pulled a Bill Buckner and allowed a routine ground ball to go through his legs, which allowed Chase d’Arnaud to score.

The Sox cut into the lead in the seventh inning on solo home runs by Josh Reddick and Jacoby Ellsbury.  This would end Karstens night after 6.2 innings pitched.  He would give up three earned runs on six hits, while striking out two and walking three.

With the Pirates lead cut to 5-4, Garrett Jones would blast a solo home run to right-centerfield in the bottom part of the seventh to add some insurance for the bullpen.  The bullpen once again stepped up in a high pressure situation.  Pittsburgh would use four men out of the bullpen to hold onto the lead, allowing Joel Hanrahan to come out and collect his 22^nd save, in as many chances.

The Pirates took the series with the win tonight and have a chance to take the all three games from Boston tomorrow.  The Pirates will send James McDonald to the mound, while the Red Sox will counter with Andrew Miller.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:35.

Record vs. Red Sox:  2-0
Record vs. A.L. East 4-1
Interleague Play Record:  6-5
Record at Home:  19-19
Overall Record 39-37

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Meet Your Bucs: Eric Fryer

by Zane Heiple

Photo by web.minorleaguebaseball.com

A few days ago Fans From The Stands reported on how the Pittsburgh Pirates would be making a few moves with their roster to get them through interleague play and a doubleheader.  Today they made a move that was not originally in those plans, when they designated catcher Dusty Brown for assignment and called up Eric Fryer from AAA Indianapolis.  Fryer will be the seventh catcher to be on the Buccos roster this season.

Eric Fryer is a former tenth round pick of the 2007 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.  He would become a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2009, along with Casey Erickson, when they came over from the New York Yankees for Eric Hinske.  Many scouts consider him to be an athletic catcher with good speed and a strong arm.  He spent the 2009-10 seasons in the Pittsburgh organization at High A and was with AA Altoona to start the 2011 season.

His combined stats with Altoona and Indianapolis are a .315 batting average with seven home runs and twenty-five RBIs.  Defensively behind the plate he has posted a .986 fielding position, while throwing out 25% of runners who have tried to steal.  He has played outfield in the Minor Leagues, but since the Pirates only have two catchers on the roster he will be used to back up Michael McKenry.

Stay tuned to www.fansfromthestands.com for more roster updates as they happen.

Pre and Postgame Shows

Fans From The Stands was live at PNC Park tonight for the opening game of a three game series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox.  Check out the links below for full coverage of all the action.

Pregame Show:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JARYXCviHXg

Postgame Show:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCHAmRVAa98

Be sure to check back to Fans From The Stands on Tuesday night as we will be live from the Rogers Centre in Toronto when the Pirates take on the Blue Jays.

Pirates Take Game One, Beat Red Sox 3-1

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates welcomed the Boston Red Sox into town this weekend for a three game series, starting with tonight’s 7:05 first pitch at PNC Park.  The Pirates came into the game on a two game winning streak, while the Bo Sox had dropped two straight as they entered a tough stretch of interleague play games.

Coming into the game with an even .500 record, the Pirates and their fans were facing their toughest competition of the season thus far, as the Red Sox have a solid pitching staff to compliment the best offensive lineup in baseball. 

Jon Lester took the hill for Boston, who was looking to become MLB’s first ten-game winner.  Paul Maholm, on the other hand, was trying to improve what has been a bit of bad luck when it comes to wins and losses.  The Buccos’ left hander came into the game just 3-8, although he has pitched much better than the record indicates.

Maholm, while certainly not his best tonight, managed the game and kept his team alive, and then turned it over to the bullpen, who shut down the Red Sox in route to a 3-1 series-opening victory for the Pirates in front of a sellout crowd.

Paul gave up a run in the first inning, and had many Buccos’ fans scoffing early.  To his credit, Maholm cleaned up his act in the next few innings, and kept Boston off the scoreboard but grinding his way from out to out.  He lasted 5.1 innings, giving up one run on six hits, while walking three and striking out two.

The story of the night was the bullpen.  The Buccos needed most of the available arms to take the game, using a total of six pitchers tonight.  Chris Resop, Tony Watson, and Daniel McCutchen pitched scoreless ball into the eighth, and Jose Veras, after getting himself into trouble with runners on second and third with two outs, was able to get pinch hitter David Ortiz to ground out weakly to second base to end the threat.

Joel Hanrahan set the Sox down 1-2-3 in the ninth to earn his 21^st save of the season.

After falling behind 1-0 early, the Pirates battled their way through some tough pitching from Lester.  Jose Tabata’s single in the third inning scored Ronny Cedeno and tied the game.  Chase d’Arnaud, who was just called up from Triple-A, grounded into a double play, which allowed Michael McKenry to score.  The Pirates’ third baseman recorded his first Major League hit tonight as well on a triple to deep left field.

Lyle Overbay added an insurance run in the sixth inning on an RBI single to shallow right, scoring Neil Walker from third base.  The 3-1 score would be enough to hold off the multiple Red Sox threats in the latter innings.

The Pirates won a big game tonight.  Before the game this evening, many people felt that winning one game against the Red Sox this series would be considered a success.  The Buccos have done that already against the top pitcher they will face this weekend.  The Pirates have put themselves in a great position to have a very successful series. 

Lyle Overbay had a strong game with two hits and an RBI, while Jose Tabata also added two hits of his own.  Perhaps most impressive tonight is that the offense was able to manufacture runs and the team was able to get a win on a night when Andrew McCutchen was held hitless and Neil Walker only had one hit. 

Again, it’s tough not to continue to praise the bullpen.  Maholm kept the team in the game, but the relievers shut down the Red Sox in the final four innings of the game.  Boston’s offense is as high-octane as there is in the game, and they were held to just a single run.  They left a total of 11 runners on base.

The Pirates will hope to clinch the series victory tomorrow evening at 7:05pm.  Jeff Karstens will start for Pittsburgh, as he faces off against former-Bucco, knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

Record Vs. Red Sox: 1-0

Record Vs. A.L. East: 3-1

Interleague Play Record: 5-5

Record At Home: 18-19

Overall Record: 38-37

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Red Sox-Pirates: Game On

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

When the 2011 schedule was released to the public late last year, one series piqued the interest of most fans:  the three-game set against the Boston Red Sox.  After all, they are one of the most celebrated franchises in recent baseball memory, and they were once again predicted by many to represent the American League in this year’s World Series.

The Red Sox have certainly lived up to expectations thus far.  After a very slow start, they have rallied themselves to the best record in the American League, and currently sit 14 games over the .500 mark and, once again, are the favorites for the Fall Classic.

While Boston is meeting expectations, the Pittsburgh Pirates are shattering all expectations by the so called “experts.”  Most picked the Buccos to finish only slightly better than the horrid 57-105 mark they posted last year.  To the astonishment of fans, critics, and other teams around the league, the Pirates sit at 37-37, and are only three games out of the National League Central lead.

So just how important is this series between the Red Sox and Pirates?  For Boston, this is just another test for them to see how dominant they can be over an inferior opponent (on paper, at least).  They will be in a battle for the A.L. East title with the New York Yankees from now through late September and beyond, and more than likely, we’ll see another playoff series between the two rivals.  Blah blah blah.

But to the Pirates…this is the biggest series of the season thus far.  The Buccos come in with something to play for that is more than just to impress and entertain the sellout crowds that are coming in to watch the most anticipated series of the season.  The Pirates are in a divisional race this late in the season in nearly two decades.  This series is big…really big.

First of all, it is a great test to see where the Pirates stand up against the elite teams in Major League Baseball.  After all, the Red Sox are one of the top three teams in baseball, and they combine good pitching with overpowering offense, led by Adrian Gonzalez, who is hitting the face off the baseball.

The Buccos will face some pretty tough competition on the mound as well.  The Red Sox will send Jon Lester (9-3), Josh Beckett (6-2), and Tim Wakefield (4-2) to the hill on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The Pirates will counter with Paul Maholm (3-8), Jeff Karstens (4-4), and James McDonald (5-4). 

It is crucial for the Pirates to play a tough series this weekend.  Sitting at .500 and only three games out of the lead in the N.L. Central, this is the make-it-or-break-it point in the season, just before the all star break.  Following the series against Boston, the Bucs travel to Toronto for a three-game series against the Blue Jays, closing out interleague play for 2011. 

Pirates’ fans:  consider a 3-3 record over the next two series a victory…a big victory.

That being said, the Pirates have performed well against tough opponents.  Earlier this month, they took two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies, who came into the series with the best record in baseball.  The very next series, the Buccos took two of three from the Arizona Diamondbacks, one of the big surprises of the year thus far.  They’ve taken series from the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field and the St. Louis Cardinals in Busch Stadium.  Clearly, this is not the Pittsburgh Pirates’ team from years past. 

The pitching needs to be solid this weekend, but expectations need to be realistic.  Maholm, Karstens, and McDonald will not shut down the Red Sox offense in three consecutive games.  The Pirates’ offensive production will dictate the fate of this series.  They will need to score at least four or five runs to win these games.  Fortunately, the Pirates come into this series having scored 14 runs in their last two games against the Baltimore Orioles.  This type of run production will put them in great position to take at least a game from Boston.

With the best team in the American League coming into town, and the Pirates exceeding all expectations and sitting at that elusive .500 mark, this weekend’s events at PNC Park promise to be that of a playoff atmosphere. 

Make no mistake…we will learn a lot about this year’s Pirates’ team over the next few days.  In the face of adversity and as they take on arguably the best team in the game, how will they respond?  We might just discover that this group of young players, led by the likes of McCutchen and Walker, might just be ready to make a serious run at the division this year. 

But only time will tell. 

Enough talk…enough speculation…just bring on the Red Sox.  Game on.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Meet Your Bucs: Chase d'Arnaud

by Zane Heiple

photo by Mark LoMoglio/MiLB.com

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Thursday that they would begin to make a flurry of roster moves to prepare the team for the rest of interleague play and an upcoming double header against the Washington Nationals on July 2.  The first move was the promotion of Chase d’Arnaud from Triple-A Indianapolis.  In order to make room for Chase on the roster, Josh Harrison was sent down to Triple-A, but the organization said the move may be temporary.  Another move will have to be made in order for d’Arnaud to gain a spot on the 40-man roster.

Chase d’ Arnaud is a former 2008 fourth round draft pick of the Pirates.  He has worked his way up through the organization since 2008 going all the way from Low-A to Triple-A In four seasons.  So far this season in 62 games with Indy, he has hit .280 with 4 home runs and 33 RBI.  Chase is able to play many infield positions and will most likely see time at third base and shortstop while in Pittsburgh.  His fielding percentage this season is a combined .992 at three positions and has 97 putouts with 106 assists.  He also knows what it takes to win championships, as he was a part of the Lynchburg Hillcats Carolina League Championship team in 2009 and the Altoona Curves Championship team in 2010.

d’Arnaud’s time with the Buccos may short depending on how the rest of the roster moves are made over the course of these next two weeks.  While it may be short, Chase has the opportunity to give us Pirates fans the opportunity to see the shortstop of the future take some reps in the big leagues.  Be sure to check back to www.fansfromthestands.com, along with our facebook and twitter pages for more details on roster moves as they take place.

Pirates Come From Behind To Take Game And Series From Orioles

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles wrapped up a three game interleague series this afternoon in Pittsburgh.  While the first two games were one sided affairs for both teams, today’s game was tight all the way through. 

Pittsburgh was able to get to Baltimore starter Zach Britton early, by scoring two runs in the first inning.  After Jose Tabata and Josh Harrison reached base with infield hits, Andrew McCutchen would bring home Tabata with a single to left field.  Neil Walker would then ground into a double play, but Harrison was able to score from third. 

Kevin Correia gave up two runs in both the third and fourth innings, but was able to hang around long enough to pick up his ninth win of the season and second at PNC Park.  He would finish the day allowing nine hits, while striking out five and walking one batter.

The Pirates cut into the lead in the bottom part of the fourth, when Walker would ground out to short allowing Cutch to score from third.  The Buccos then regained the lead in the fifth inning by scoring two more runs.  With runners on second and third, Josh Harrison hit a ball to second baseman Blake Davis for what appeared to be the final out of the inning.  Fortunately for Harrison, Davis brought his glove up too soon on the ground ball and the ball rolled into right field, which allowed both runners to score.

While the Pittsburgh bullpen has had its share of criticism this year, today they were able to take that one run lead and make it last.  Chris Resop and Jose Veras combined for two innings of no hit baseball to pick up their eighth and fourteenth holds on the year respectively.  Joel Hanrahan came in to start the ninth and shut down the O’s 1-2-3 to pick up his twentieth save of the year, in as many chances, to give the Pirates a 5-4 win.

This was a big win for the Pirates as they have put that four game losing skid behind them with two straight wins.  With a day off tomorrow Pittsburgh will need to be at their best come Friday as they begin a three game series at home with the Boston Red Sox, who have the best record in the American League.

Record vs. Orioles:  2-1
Record vs. A.L. East:  2-1
Record at Home:  17-19
Overall Record:  37-37

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pirates' Offense Explodes, Rout Orioles 9-3

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

The Pirates entered Tuesday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles having lost four straight and in danger of falling to three games under .500.  The offense hasn’t been producing, and the pitching has been faltering slightly, which has been immediate cause for concern for Bucco fans.

Tonight, the Pirates’ offense exploded as they blew out the Orioles by a final score of 9-3 in front of 33,000+ fans at PNC Park.  On a night when thousands of fans, former players and their families, local media, and more gathered to celebrate the Pirates’ victory in the 1971 World Series, the current Buccos gave everyone a lot to cheer about tonight.

For the most part this season, the Pirates have relied on their pitching to get them a big win when they really need it.  Tonight, it was just the opposite.  The offense collected a total of 15 hits, while four different players had at least two RBI’s as the Buccos hammered Orioles’ pitching all night long.

The offensive explosion was enough to overpower the mediocre performance from starter James McDonald.  J-Mac gave up three runs on seven hits, while walking four and giving up two homeruns through just 4.2 innings of work.  Clint Hurdle was forced to pull him from the game in the fifth after James had thrown well over 100 pitches.  Chris Resop came in and shut the Orioles down in the fifth and sixth, and would eventually earn his third win of the season.

The Pirates got on the board early tonight.  Garrett Jones crushed a double to deep right center, scoring Jose Tabata and Josh Harrison.  Neil Walker sacrificed Jones home to give the Bucs an early 3-0 lead.

Tabata’s double in the second scored Ronny Cedeno, and Xavier Paul’s sac fly in the third scored Andrew McCutchen, giving the Pirates a commanding 5-0 lead.

The Orioles battled back into the game temporarily in the fifth inning on a solo homerun by J.J. Hardy and a two-run shot by Adam Jones.  These would be the last runs the O’s would score on the night.

The Buccos added a few more insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, including a two-run double by Neil Walker.  “Real Deal” had two hits and three RBI’s on the night.

This was a special night at PNC Park.  With many of the players who were a part of that 1971 championship team in attendance, there seemed to be an extra bounce in the step of the Buccos on the field.  After one of the most disappointing performances of the season last night, the Pirates rebounded in a strong way, something they’ve been able to do consistently this season.

While the starting pitching has been less-than-stellar as of late, it is VERY inspiring to see the offense turn a corner tonight.  We see what this team is capable of doing when they get contributions from everyone.  Tonight, we saw strong games from Walker, McCutchen, Jones, Paul, Tabata, Cedeno, as well as Michael McKenry, who had two hits and a run scored.  This is what the Buccos need to do more of on a consistent basis, which will relieve some of the pressure off the starting rotation.

With the victory, the Pirates have now set up a rubber match with the Orioles tomorrow afternoon at PNC Park.  Kevin Correia will get the start for Pittsburgh, with the first pitch slated for 12:35.  The Pirates will look to get back to .500 with a win.

Record Vs. Orioles: 1-1

Record Vs. A.L. East: 1-1

Interleague Play Record: 3-5

Record At Home: 16-19

Overall Record: 36-37

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Morton Roughed Up Early, O's Win 8-3

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates were coming off of a 3-3 road trip, but had lost three straight to finish the trip.  As they looked to turn things around, they welcomed the Baltimore Orioles to town.  Charlie Morton would start for the Buccos as he looked to pick up win number eight on the season.  The O’s would counter with Jake Arrieta, who was looking for win number nine. 

Morton would go on to have his worst game of the year, as Baltimore would jump on him early by scoring five runs in the first inning and would go on to chase Charlie out of the game by scoring two more runs in the second inning.  Morton’s final stat line of the night would read six earned runs on eight hits in two innings, while striking out four and walking one.  Arrieta picked up his ninth win after completing five innings of work while giving up three runs on three hits.

The Orioles then went on to add another run in the third inning to finish off the Pirates 8-3.  Pitching was not the only problem the Buccos had on this night.  The defense committed three errors, while the offense had trouble at the plate and on the base paths. 

Pittsburgh’s bullpen did well on this night as Daniel McCutchen, Daniel Moskos, Tim Wood, and Joel Hanrahan, would combine to pitch seven innings allowing one run on six hits.  Andrew McCutchen would finish his night going 3 for 4, while Ronny Cedeno would have two of the Pirates three RBI.

A fourth straight loss hurt the Pirates tonight and Morton has been slipping in his recent starts.  Hopefully this will not be a continuing trend as they two teams will do battle again tomorrow night at 7:05.  James McDonald will look to have a strong outing so that the bullpen is not taxed again.

Record vs. Orioles:  0-1
Record vs. A.L. East:  0-1
Record at Home:  15-19
Overall Record:  35-37

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pirates Lose In Extra Innings, Swept By Indians

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: David Maxwell/Getty Images

For the third straight day, the Pirates were out-pitched and out-hit by the Cleveland Indians, and the result was a 5-2 loss and a series sweep at the hands of the team from the Mistake By The Lake (to quote our very own Zane Heiple).

The Buccos, despite tallying 11 hits on the day, scored just twice, while leaving 14 runners on base.  While they were unable to muster any type of offense in the first two games of the series, the Pirates got runners on base in every inning but the fourth, but still were only able to push a pair of runners across home plate.

Both runs came in the first inning.  Neil Walker singled home Xavier Paul, while Matt Diaz’s fielder’s choice scored Walker.  The Pirates took 2-0 lead into the second inning, but unfortunately for them, it was the last run they would score on the afternoon.

The loss certainly can’t be blamed on Jeff Karstens.  The Pirates’ right-hander delivered yet another impressive performance, giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits through seven hits, while walking two and striking out four.  While recording a no-decision today, he continued to improve his personal statistics, with his WHIP sitting at 1.08 and his ERA lowered to 2.54 for the season.

After a two-hour rain delay and eight innings of shutout baseball between the two teams, Cord Phelps of the Indians hammered a three-run homerun in the bottom of the 11^th, giving the Tribe the win and the series sweep of the Pirates.  Tim Wood gave up the long-ball, taking his first loss of the season. 

After a tremendous showing in Houston by sweeping the Astros, the Pirates followed that up with a dismal series this weekend in Cleveland.  The Indians’ pitching staff was beyond impressive, but there is no excuse for the lack of offensive production from Pittsburgh.  The Buccos were outscored in this series 15-4 in front of a number of fans who made the two + hour trip to Cleveland for the weekend. 

The Pirates now sit at 35-36, one game under that elusive .500 mark.  A very difficult homestand awaits Pittsburgh, as they welcome in the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox for a pair of three-game series at PNC Park.  Hopefully the Pirates can forget about this past weekend on their short plane ride home to Pittsburgh tonight, and get back to playing better baseball tomorrow night against the Orioles.

Record Vs. Indians: 0-3

Record Vs. A.L. Central: 2-4

Record On The Road: 20-18

Overall Record: 35-36

Indians Take Series With Win Over Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled with Interleague play in past years, add that to a lack of offense when Paul Maholm takes the hill for the Pirates, and it is easy to see how the Buccos dropped tonight’s game to the Cleveland Indians 5-1.

Maholm didn’t have his best start of the year tonight going 6.1 innings allowing four runs seven hits, while striking out three and walking two.  With the offense only able to muster one run, Cleveland put the game away when they scored their second run of the game in the bottom of the second inning. 

Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco carried a no hitter into the sixth inning while giving up only four hits in 6.1 innings.  He also struck out four and walked one batter.  The Indians bullpen closed the door for Carrasco, as they pitched 2.2 innings of no hit baseball.

The only run the Pirates could muster on the night came in the seventh inning when Lyle Overbay would bring in Garrett Jones from third on a single to right field.  This brought the Pirates to only a two run deficit.  The Tribe however would counter in the bottom part of the inning to shut down any chance for the Pirates to comeback.

Tonight was another tough loss and marked the sixth time in the last ten games that the Pirates have scored one run or less.  The Buccos will send Jeff Karstens to the bump, hopefully to salvage a game in this series and give the Buccos another winning road trip before returning to PNC Park.

Record vs. Indians:  0-2
Record vs. A.L. Central:  2-3
Record on the Road:  20-17
Overall Record 35-35

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pirates' Offense Struggles, Lose To Indians 5-1 In Series Opener

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Jason Miller/Getty Images

The Pirates once again struggled to score runs tonight, and the result was a 5-1 loss at the hands of the Cleveland Indians in the opening game of a three-game series at Progressive Field.


Kevin Correia took the loss tonight, giving up just two runs on four hits through 5.2 innings. One run was given up by Correia’s balk in the third inning, which allowed Asdrubal Cabrera to score to give the Indians an early 1-0 lead. Carlos Santana added to the lead in the fourth inning with a solo homerun to deep right field. The Indians occupied a 2-0 lead as the fourth frame drew to a close.

The Pirates climbed back into the game in the sixth inning. After a Ronny Cedeno double, Xavier Paul smacked an RBI single to shallow right field, allowing Cedeno to score, but Paul was thrown out at second base trying to stretch a single into a double. Still, the Buccos had climbed back into the game, and trailed by only a single run as the inning came to a close.

Both bullpens did a satisfactory job keeping their respective teams in the game…that is, until the eighth inning. Reliever Daniel Moskos gave up three runs on three hits without recording a single out. The Indians took a commanding 5-1 lead into the final inning, in which the Pirates were unable to muster any type of a comeback. The Indians’ Tony Sipp closed out the game for the Tribe in the ninth, and the Buccos dropped the first game of the series tonight.

This was a game in which the offense simply couldn’t score runs. Correia, while not a shutdown performance, did well enough to earn a victory tonight. The offense managed only six hits total throughout the night. Garrett Jones led the way with two hits, while Paul, Neil Walker, Cedeno, and Josh Harrison added a hit a piece. Andrew McCutchen was held without a hit, dropping his average to .286 for the season.

The Pirates will try to even the series tomorrow night at Progressive Field against the Indians. Paul Maholm will make the start for the Buccos, who will look to stay above .500 in the second of this threel-game set against the Tribe.

Record Vs. Indians: 0-1
Record Vs. A.L. Central: 2-2
Record On The Road: 20-16
Overall Record: 35-34

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

FFTS Podcast: Episode Eleven!

Bucco Fans,


It's time for another edition of the Fans From The Stands' podcast! Zane and Chad come to you from Twinsburg, Ohio, where the guys are in town for the series between the Cleveland Indians and your Pittsburgh Pirates!

The FFTS guys discuss the Pirates' best record this late in the year since 1999, while looking ahead to the team's interleague play schedule during the upcoming homestand.

They also share their thoughts on their recent trip to Detroit and their experience at Comerica Park, while also talk about their anticipation for the experience tomorrow evening as they catch the Indians-Pirates game in person.

Zane and Chad also reveal the details as to how YOU can win two free tickets to PNC Park next Saturday, June 25, to see the Pirates take on the Boston Red Sox! You have to listen to the podcast for details of how you can win! It's easy!

FFTS Podcast: Episode Eleven

And...

As Always...

Let's Go Bucs!

Win Free Tickets To Pirates-Red Sox From Fans From The Stands!!!!!

Hey Bucco Fans! We are one week away from the most anticipated series of the 2011 season!  The Boston Red Sox come into town for a three-game set against our Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.  With the Pirates playing their best baseball in over a decade and the Red Sox one of the best teams in Major League Baseball for years, this is one of the most intriguing series to be played in Pittsburgh in years!

Want to be a part of it?  Fans From The Stands is giving away two tickets to the Pirates-Red Sox game on Saturday, June 25.  You can be the winner!  Be a part of the biggest home series of the season and watch your Pirates try to continue their winning ways against one of the most successful baseball franchises in recent memory!

How can you win the tickets?  Listen to the Fans From The Stands podcast TONIGHT at 6:30pm right here.  We will reveal the details on the podcast, so be sure to tune in for your chance to win the tickets! 

And...

As Always...

Let's Go Bucs!

Buccos Complete Sweep Of Stros

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

While the Pittsburgh Pirates have had much more success on the road this year than they did in 2010, the one thing that has eluded them is the sweep over their opponents.  The Pirates came into today’s matinee against the Houston Astros with a chance to break out the brooms.

The Buccos wasted little time gaining the lead over the Astros.  After Jose Tabata reached on a single and Andrew McCutchen walked, Garrett Jones blasted a three run home run to right field.  The Astros almost had a run in the third but a relay from Tabata to Ronny Cedeno to Dusty Brown had Hunter Pence out at home.  Houston did however score two in the bottom of the fourth.  They would then tie the game in the fifth when Pence hit a double that scored Michael Bourn.

Pittsburgh’s offense would come back to life in the sixth inning with some help from Bourn.  Jones would hit a fly ball to center field, but Bourn was unable to handle the ball.  This mistake would allow Cutch to score from second.  Josh Harrison then doubled to score Walker from third.  Unfortunately Jones was thrown out at home by Houston second baseman Jeff Keppinger.

James McDonald finished his day with two outs in the sixth inning.  McDonald wasn’t at his best today but it was efficient enough to pick up his fifth win of the year.  He gave up three runs on seven hits, while striking out and walking four.

Joel Hanrahan was given the day off after pitching three straight days.  With a save on the line, Jose Veras was given the task to finish off the Stros.  After a leadoff single by Jason Bourgeois, Bourn would ground out.  Keppinger would single to bring home Bourgeois.  This would be followed by two straight ground outs to Pirates third baseman Brandon Wood to close the game and give the Buccos the sweep and a 5-4 win.

Great to see the Pirates finish off a series in a sweep.  This is the fourth straight game the Buccos have won and will now head to Cleveland for their first road interleague series of the year.

Record vs. Astros:  5-1
Record vs. N.L. Central:  16-10
Record On The Road:  20-15
Overall Record:  35-33

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Roadtrip To Comerica Park

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Zane Heiple

On Wednesday June 15, Fans From The Stands attended the Cleveland Indians vs. Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan.  This was the ninth baseball stadium that FFTS has been to over the past four years.  Even though the Pirates were not playing in Detroit, Chad and I still gave our insight into the game and the ballpark.

Pregame Show:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Jk22cDeb8

Postgame Show:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyd94R2YG9c

Our ballpark tour will continue on Saturday when we visit Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio to see our Pittsburgh Pirates take on the Cleveland Indians.  Be sure to check back with fansfromthestands.com for complete coverage of the game.

Offensive Comes Alive, Pirates Beat Astros And Clinch Series Victory

By Chad Carlson



Photo Credit: AP

 The Pirates’ victory in the opening game of their three-game series against the Houston Astros was the team’s 18th road win of the 2011 season, surpassing their road in total from a year ago. The Pirates have been doing a lot of that lately: exceeding expectations and impressing critics, other teams, and even themselves.


Charlie Morton put together another satisfactory outing and the offense finally put a significant amount of runs on the board, leading the Pirates to their second straight victory over the Astros by a final score of 7-3.

With the win, Morton improved his season mark to 7-3, giving up three runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out three batters. While this wasn’t the shutdown performance we’ve seen from Charlie previously this season, he put his team in a position to win the game, and he got himself out of some pretty tough jams throughout the early innings.

The offense finally woke up tonight in Houston, and the onslaught began early. After an Andrew McCutchen walk in the first inning, Neil Walker crushed an RBI triple to right, giving the Buccos an early lead. Real Deal would tally his second RBI of the day in the third inning on an RBI single to shallow center, scoring Matt Diaz.

After the Astros scored a run a piece in the next three innings, Pittsburgh stormed back in the sixth for three runs of their own. Garrett Jones’ single to right scored Xavier Paul to tie the game, 3-3. McCutchen then reached base on Brett Wallace’s throwing error. Jose Tabata scored on the play. Walker then finished the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Jones to tag and score from third.

Paul added a couple insurance runs in the seventh inning with a two run homerun to left field, which also scored Michael McKenry.

Once again, the bullpen came in and did a great job. Daniel McCutchen pitched three innings tonight, giving up only three hits, while Joel Hanrahan relieved Chris Resop in the ninth, tallying the final two outs of the game and picking up his 19th save of the season.

The Pirates are now 34-33, one game over .500 with a chance to sweep the Houston Astros tomorrow afternoon. This marks another road series victory for the Buccos, something that seemed nearly impossible a year ago. While the pitching has been solid all season for Pittsburgh, the one worry we’ve had has been the lack of consistent offensive production. Tonight’s game was hopefully a stepping stone for the offensive to get back on track and start putting together a string of more productive performances.

The Pirates will look for the sweep of the Astros tomorrow at Minute Maid Park. James McDonald will get the start for the Buccos.

Record Vs. Astros: 4-1
Record Vs. N.L. Central: 15-10
Record On The Road: 19-15
Overall Record 34-33

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!