Pirates' Slide Continues, Astros Complete Sweep With 2-0 Victory

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

The Houston Astros are the hottest team in baseball!  Ok, not really…but they have been playing their best baseball of the season in the last two weeks with a lineup that includes a number of AA and AAA players that have been given the chance to play, due to moves in the organization. 

As for the Pirates, they’re playing arguably their worst baseball of the season.  It has been an abysmal month for the Pirates, having won just eight games in August.  It was thought a series against the lowly Astros would help turn things around for Pittsburgh. 

It hasn’t quite worked out that way, as the Pirates entered tonight’s game at Minute Maid Park looking to avoid the sweep against the Astros.  James McDonald took the hill looking for his ninth victory of the season against Houston’s J.A. Happ, who came in sporting a 4-15 record and a 6.03 ERA.  This should have been the game the Pirates could turn things around…right?

Wrong.  Happ pitched seven scoreless innings, and the bullpen pitched two flawless frames as the Astros shutout the Pirates 2-0 to complete the three-game sweep tonight at Minute Maid Park.

The Pirates managed just four hits tonight, three of which against Happ, who earned his fifth victory of the season while lowering his ERA to 5.71.

McDonald suffered his seventh loss of the season for Pittsburgh, who gave up two runs (1 earned) on seven hits.  Tony Watson, Jose Veras, and Joel Hanrahan collectively threw two innings in relief.

The Astros showed some glimpses as to why they have the worst record in baseball in the second inning.  They loaded the bases against McDonald without recording a single out.  The Pirates’ right hander forced Humberto Quintero into a pop-out at second base, struck out Happ, and got Jordan Schafer to ground out.  The game was still scoreless after the second.

Houston put the pressure on McDonald again in the fourth inning, but, unfortunately for Pittsburgh, the Astros didn’t squander this opportunity.  With runners on first and third and no outs, Quintero hit a weak ball in between McDonald and Ryan Doumit, which the Pirates’ catcher looked the runner at third back to the base before throwing and recording the out at first base.  Jimmy Paredes, the runner at third, broke for home and, thanks to Garrett Jones’ throwing error, scored the game’s first run.  Schafer’s bunt single scored Angel Sanchez from third base, and the Astros led 2-0 after four innings.

That was the only offense Happ and the pitching staff would need, as they held the Pirates’ offense in check all night.  Jose Tabata, Alex Presley, and Andrew McCutchen combined to go 0-11, and the Pirates never really threatened to score all night.  They were shut out for the 12^th time this season.

The Pirates managed just 14 hits total in the three-game series, and after a great road record to begin the season, they’ve fallen to six games under .500 away from PNC Park.

Being swept by the last-place Astros capped off a horrible August for the Bucs, as they turn the page on this month with an 8-22 record.  They now sit 12 games under .500, the lowest they’ve been all year.

They’ll look to turn things around on a short one-game home stand tomorrow afternoon in a make-up game at PNC Park against the Los Angeles Dodgers, before traveling to Chicago for a three-game series against the Cubs.  Brad Lincoln will start for Pittsburgh tomorrow afternoon at 4:05pm.

Record Vs. Astros: 9-6

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 31-34

Record On The Road: 31-37

Overall Record: 62-74

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Embarrassed By Astros.....Again

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates scored the first and last runs in tonight’s ball game against the Houston Astros, unfortunately Houston scored eight runs in between for an 8-2 victory.

The Pirates opened the scoring in the third inning with an Alex Presley RBI single to center field that scored Ronny Cedeno.  The Astros would then tie the game in the fifth inning when Jose Altuve hit a solo home run to left field.  This lead to what would be a very messy sixth inning for the Buccos.

Charlie Morton pitched pretty well through the first five innings, but got into some trouble in the sixth inning and his bullpen did nothing to help the matter.  Morton would give up a single to the leadoff batter and then balk allowing that runner to advance to third.  With Jimmy Paredes now on second, he would steal third with one out in the inning, this lead to an intentional walk to Carlos Corporan.  Matt Downs, who was pinch hitting, hit a single down the third base line to give Houston a 2-1 lead.  Morton left the ball game after this and was replaced by Chris Leroux.  Leroux would allow two of the runners he inherited from Morton to score and then give up three earned runs of his own before being pulled, without getting an out, for Daniel McCutchen.  McCutchen would allow only one run in his 1.1 innings of work.

The Pirates then added their final run of the night in the ninth inning when Andrew McCutchen hit his 20^th home run of the year and second of the series.

Nothing good came from this game for the Pirates.  They struck out eleven times, drew one walk, left seven men on base, and had four hits in thirty at bats.  All of this came to the team with the worst record in baseball and basically a minor league roster since they traded their notable players away at the trade deadline. 

Pittsburgh will try to save face tomorrow and avoid a sweep to the Astros.  James McDonald starts for Pittsburgh, while Houston will counter with J.A. Happ.  First pitch is scheduled for 8:05pm.

Record vs. Astros:  9-5
Record vs. N.L. Central:  31-33
Record on the Road:  31-35
Overall Record 62-73

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Bullpen Gives Up Five Runs As Pirates Drop Game One To Astros

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

The Pirates were certainly relieved to be leaving St. Louis, where they completed a four game series yesterday in which they lost three games at Busch Stadium.  Following a series in a difficult series in St. Louis, it was a nice change of pace to pull into Houston for a three-game date with the Astros, baseball’s worst team. 

With just 44 wins, the Astros are on their way to their first 100-loss season in franchise history.  The Pirates have had a lot of success against Houston this year, as has the rest of the league, but Pittsburgh is 9-3 against their divisional foes, so confidence should have been at an all-time high.

Unfortunately, the Pirates led an early lead slip away tonight, and Carlos Lee blasted a three-run homerun which would prove to be the difference as the Astros took game one over the Pirates, 6-3 at Minute Maid Park.

Houston’s starter Wandy Rodriguez pitched a great game, minus the fourth inning.  The lefty struck out a career-high 13 batters through his seven innings of work.  Despite giving up three runs in the fourth inning, Rodriguez only gave up a total of four hits on the night.

Ross Ohlendorf started out very well for Pittsburgh, making through the first three innings without surrendering a hit.  He ran into trouble, though, in the fourth and fifth innings, and was pulled after the fifth, having given up two runs on five hits.  His ERA now sits at 6.27 for the season.

The Pirates’ bullpen really struggled tonight, giving up the game-deciding runs to the Astros.  The trio of Jason Grilli, Jose Veras, and Tony Watson gave up five runs on eight hits in their three innings of work.  Veras has been particularly frustrating as of late, and that trend continued tonight, giving up two runs on two hits while recording just two outs.

The first hit of the ballgame came in the top of the fourth inning, courtesy of Josh Harrison, who sparked a flurry of extra-base hits that put the Pirates in front.  Andrew McCutchen’s two-run homerun scored Harrison, giving Pittsburgh a 2-0 advantage.  Neil Walker and Ryan Doumit hit back-to-back doubles, with Doumit’s two-bagger scoring Walker, and the Pirates owned a 3-0 lead as they headed to the bottom of the frame.

Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, after the fourth inning, the Pirates would tally only one more hit throughout the rest of the night. 

Houston got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by J.D. Martinez.  They’d add another run in the fifth inning on an RBI knock by Jordan Schafer, and the Astros were within a run after five.

The seventh inning ended up dooming the Pirates this evening, as the Astros tagged Grilli and Veras for four runs.  After Schafer was hit by a pitch and Jose Altuve doubled, Martinez smacked a ground ball to Brandon Wood at third base, who threw the ball to Doumit for the out at home.  The ball hit Schafer, who was breaking for the plate, and bounced away, allowing Schafer to score and tie the game. 

Carlos Lee delivered the knockout punch for Houston, hitting a towering fly ball to left field off Veras, giving the Astros a 6-3 lead.

The Astros added a run in the eighth to further pad the lead to 7-3, which would be the final.

After Ronny Cedeno tripled home Garrett Jones in the bottom of the ninth to trim the lead to 7-4, Jose Tabata struck out looking to end the game.

This loss certainly leaves a sour taste in the mouths of Pirates’ fans.  The Astros are a team who has been at the bottom of their division all season long, and they’ve dumped their two biggest stars in Hunter Pence and Michael Bourne.  Tonight’s win was just their 45^th of the season, and is just their fourth against the Pirates in 13 chances. 

If the Pirates want to finish up this season on a positive note, they need to win games against the teams who are below them, and compete against the teams that are above them.  They didn’t do that tonight.  Pittsburgh is a season-high ten games under the .500 mark, and after a great start against the N.L. Central, they now have a losing record against their divisional foes.

Pittsburgh will look to even the series tomorrow night when they send Charlie Morton to the mound.  First pitch is scheduled for 8:05pm.

Record Vs. Astros: 9-4

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 31-32

Record On The Road: 31-35

Overall Record: 62-72

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Cardinals Win Game And Series Over Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

The St. Louis Cardinals offense came out swinging this afternoon, and were able to counter any threat by the Pittsburgh Pirates, as they went on to take three out of four in a 7-4 win.  Jeff Karstens started for Pittsburgh and had one of his worst outings on the season.  He would only go 3.2 innings allowing five runs on five hits, while walking two batters and striking out only one.

The Pirates took the lead right out of the gate when Andrew McCutchen brought home Jose Tabata with a line drive single to center field.  St. Louis struck back in the bottom part of the inning with three runs of their own.   All three runs would come on ground balls.  The Buccos battled back in the second inning with three runs to give them a one run lead.  These would also come on ground balls.  Unfortunately this was all Pittsburgh could put on the scoreboard today.

The Cardinals would tie the game in the third with a single by Ryan Theriot.  They took the lead with a run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Allen Craig.  They would then add two more runs in the seventh to put away any chance of a Pittsburgh comeback.  Chris Resop was the pitcher that was touched up with the final two runs of the game.

Pitching was the story of today’s contest.  Both teams did not receive good starts, but the St. Louis bullpen was able to silence the Pirates bats, while the Cardinals offense used timely hitting to pick up the victory. 

This road trip for the Buccos will continue tomorrow with the start of a three game series with the Houston Astros.  Ross Ohlendorf will look to improve on his last start, while the Astros will counter with Wandy Rodriguez.  First pitch is scheduled for 8:05pm.

Record vs. Cardinals:  6-7
Record vs. N.L. Central:  31-31
Record on the Road:  31-34
Overall Record:  62-71

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pirates Rip Carpenter, Cardinals 7-0

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

After tough losses in the first pair of games at Busch Stadium, the Pirates entered this afternoon’s game against the Cardinals limping their way to the end of the month of August, which has been a brutal and devastating one for the Buccos.  Lance Berkman’s eighth inning homerun last night clinched the victory for the Cardinals, sending the Pirates to a season-high 17 games back in the N.L. Central.

Brad Lincoln took the hill for Pittsburgh tonight, looking for his victory of the season.  On the other side, his on-mound opponent, Chris Carpenter, was aiming to continue his dominance against Pittsburgh, coming into today’s game with a 12-2 career record against the Bucs.

The Pirates jumped on Carpenter and the Cards early and often, acquiring a huge lead and never letting up, beating the Red Birds in front of their home crowd this afternoon by a final score of 7-0.

Despite his impressive statistics in the past, Carpenter’s success against Pittsburgh didn’t continue today, as he was tagged for six runs on nine hits through five innings of work, inflating his ERA to 3.76 for the season.

The Pirates used some two-out magic to get on the board in the second inning.  Garrett Jones reached with a double, and Josh Harrison singled him home, giving the Bucs an early 1-0 lead.

Carpenter’s day would only worsen in the fourth inning, as he gave up four more runs.  Andrew McCutchen led off with a double, and later scored on an RBI double by Jones.  Harrison smacked another RBI single, scoring Jones along with Neil Walker, who reached base with a walk.  Even Lincoln got into the fun, smashing a two-out RBI double to left center, scoring Harrison.  Pittsburgh occupied a 5-0 advantage at the end of the fourth. 

Walker added to the lead in the fifth inning with a two-out solo homerun to center.  The round-tripper was his 11^th and his 76^th RBI of the season. 

McCutchen’s RBI single came with two outs in the sixth, scoring Lincoln, who led off the inning with a walk, giving the Pirates a 7-0 lead.

The Cardinals had an opportunity to get back in the game in the bottom half of the sixth inning.  After Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday hit back-to-back two-out singles, Berkman drew a walk to load the bases for Skip Schumaker.  After a long battle, Lincoln struck out the Red Birds’ second baseman to end the inning.

That ended the day for Lincoln, who finished his six innings without allowing a run to the top-hitting team in the National League, while also earning his first victory of the season and the second of his career.

Following the last two nights in which the Pirates were competitive but let it slip away in the latter innings, it was nice to see the offense take out some frustration on a divisional opponent.  While the Pirates’ post-season hopes are gone, they can still enjoy the experience of playing spoiler against teams like the Cardinals.

Garrett Jones and Josh Harrison led the way for Pittsburgh today, each tallying three hits while Harrison had 3 RBI’s.  Lincoln pitched a very strong game against a tough offense, making a strong argument for his case to be in the starting pitching rotation in 2012.

Pittsburgh will look to carry over the momentum from this victory to tomorrow’s game, as they will look to split this four game series with St. Louis.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 6-6

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 31-30

Record On The Road: 31-33

Overall Record: 62-70

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Berkman Lifts Cardinals Past Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

Tough losses have been a theme for the Pittsburgh Pirates throughout the 2011 season.  Tonight’s game can be added to that list.  James McDonald was on the hill for Pittsburgh tonight and other than a rough third inning that saw the St. Louis Cardinals score three runs, he was effective over the course of the six innings that he pitched.  He would strike out five batters, walk three, while giving up five hits.

The Pirates offense struck early off of Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook.  After Jose Tabata walked and Alex Presley doubled, Andrew McCutchen would single in a run with a hit to left field.  Ryan Doumit followed that up with a single of his own that brought Presley in to score.  To finish off the scoring for the inning, Josh Harrison would hit a sacrifice fly to right field.

After St. Louis countered with three runs of their own in the second, the Buccos would regain the lead in the fourth inning when Tabata hit a double to right field that brought home Ronny Cedeno.  This would be the final run Pittsburgh scored on the night and the fate of the game would rest on the bullpen beginning in the seventh inning.

Jason Grilli would replace McDonald, and take down the three batters he faced.  The trouble for the Pirates pen came in the eighth inning with Jose Veras.  Veras would begin the inning by striking out Albert Pujols.  After he walked Matt Holiday, Lance Berkman hit what would be a two run home run that put the Cards ahead for good.  The Buccos would go 1-2-3 in the ninth inning, and fall 5-4 to St. Louis.

Pittsburgh will get a third shot at the Cardinals tomorrow afternoon at 4:11pm on FOX.  Jeff Karstens will take on Chris Carpenter.  This will be an important game for the Pirates if they hope to earn a split with St. Louis.

Record vs. Cardinals:  5-6
Record vs. N.L. Central:  30-30
Record on the Road:  30-33
Overall Record:  61-70

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Cardinals Too Powerful For Bucs, Win Game One 8-4

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Dilip Vishwanat

After a 5-5 home stand, including a series split against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Pirates kicked off their road trip tonight in the first of four games against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. 

Both teams had been struggling coming into this series, as the Cardinals and Pirates trailed the first place Brewers in the N.L. Central by 10 and 15 ½ games respectively.  Pittsburgh returned to Busch Stadium tonight for the first time since the second series of the season back in April, when they took two of three games from the Cardinals. 

The Pirates and Cardinals battled back and forth for the better part of the game, but in the end, it was the Red Birds’ powerful offensive attack that was the difference, as they took game one of the series tonight by a final score of 8-4.

Charlie Morton made the start tonight and certainly didn’t pitch his best, giving up five runs on nine hits through 4.1 innings of work.  His ERA continues to rise, now sitting at 3.62.

St. Louis took the lead in the first inning when Allen Craig and Albert Pujols hit back-to-back doubles to put the Cardinals on the board, 1-0.  Lance Berkman’s RBI single scored Pujols, and the Bucs trailed by two runs after the first inning.

Skip Schumaker’s RBI single in the second inning scored Rafael Furcal, and the Cardinals looked as if they were going to run away with the game against Morton.

The Pirates battled back in the third inning, thanks, in large part, to Cardinals’ starter Edwin Jackson’s control problems.  After Michael McKenry reached on an error to lead off the inning, Morton sacrificed him over to second base.  With two outs, Alex Presley, who was recalled earlier in the day from Indianapolis, singled home McKenry to get the Bucs on the board.  After Jackson walked Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker to load the bases, Garrett Jones delivered a big two-run single on a full count to tie the game, 3-3.

McKenry’s RBI double in the fourth scored Ronny Cedeno, who led off the inning with a double of his own.  The Pirates owned a 4-3 advantage.

The Cardinals regained the lead in the fifth inning on a two-run single by David Freese, which scored Craig and Pujols. 

The best chance for the Pirates to tie things up came in the eighth inning.  Jones led off with a single, and Xavier Paul, who was called in to pinch run, stole second base.  With a runner in scoring position and no outs, the Bucs were unable to bring the tying run across the plate. 

St. Louis added three insurance runs in the bottom half of the eighth to seal the victory.  After John Jay reached base with a double, Puljos was intentionally walked for the second time in the game, putting two runners on with two outs.  Matt Holiday crushed a three-run homerun off Tony Watson to extend the lead to 8-4.

This was certainly not the way the Pirates wanted to start this road trip.  The Bucs aren’t going to out-hit too many teams in this league, and that definitely includes the Cardinals, who, when at their best, can hit with the top teams in baseball. 

While Morton didn’t have his best game, the bullpen didn’t exactly hold up their end of the bargain either.  Watson gave up the big three-run shot in the eighth which effectively put the game out of reach.

Chris LeRoux pitched very well in relief, giving up just one hit in his 2.2 innings of work.  Garrett Jones continued his hot streak at the plate, going 2-4 with a double, single, a walk, and two RBI’s.  In his return to the club, Alex Presley had an RBI single, while Michael McKenry added two hits and an RBI of his own.

Jose Tabata, Andrew McCutchen, and Neil Walker went a combined 0-10.  Tabata’s hitting streak ended at 10 games.

The Pirates will try to get back on the winning track tomorrow evening at Busch Stadium.  James McDonald will start for Pittsburgh, opposed by the Cardinals’ Jake Westbrook.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 5-5

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 30-29

Record On The Road: 30-32

Overall Record: 61-69

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Thomposn Deals, Bullpen Closes Out Brewers

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

Aaron Thompson probably had a million emotions running through his body before he made his Major League debut today, but nervous had to be near the top as he would be facing a very potent Milwaukee Brewers lineup.  With the Pittsburgh Pirates recently placing Kevin Correia on the DL, Thompson got the call for the final game of this four game series and he did not disappoint.  He would only last 4.1 innings, but in that short amount of time he held the Milwaukee off the scoreboard while holding them to four hits.

Pittsburgh’s offense was not the high powered machine we saw in game two of Monday night’s game, but with the Brewers being shutout, the one run they scored in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Andrew McCutchen, would be more than enough.  The Pirates added an insurance run in the fourth inning on another sacrifice fly, this time off the bat of Neil Walker.

Jason Grilli was called into action with one out in the fifth inning and runners on second and third.  Grilli held his ground and got Corey Hart to strikeout and Jerry Hairston to ground out to end the threat.  Jason would pitch two more innings of scoreless baseball after that, before handing the ball over to Jose Veras in the eighth inning.  Veras did not disappoint either in his one inning of work allowing one hit, walking a batter, and striking out the side.  This led the way for Joel Hanrahan, who has been shaky at times, but today he was the hammer.  After allowing a single and walk to start the inning, Hanrahan would follow Veras’s lead by striking out the next three batters he faced to Raise The Jolly Roger for the Buccos.

This was a big win for Pittsburgh as they split a four game series with the N.L. Central leading Brew Crew.  Milwaukee has owned the Pirates for much of the past few years, so this split hopefully gives the Buccos confidence for future series against the Brewers.  The Pirates will head back on the road starting tomorrow night for a four game series against the St. Louis Cardinals.  Charlie Morton will take on Edwin Jackson with first pitch scheduled for 8:15.

Record vs. Brewers:  2-10
Record vs. N.L. Central:  30-28
Record at PNC Park:  31-37
Overall Record 61-68

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Bucco Beat: Episode 19

The Pirates beat the Brewers!  The Pirates beat the Brewers! 

That’s right, our battlin’ Buccos concluded a ten-game home stand this afternoon with a 2-0 victory over the hated Milwaukee Brewers, earning a series split and finishing their week and a half run at PNC Park with an even 5-5 record.

Zane and Chad discuss the recent home stand, as well as the roster moves the Pirates have made in the past week.  Paul Maholm and Kevin Correia, along with Steve Pearce and Ryan Ludwick, were all placed on the DL, while Aaron Thompson, Ross Ohlendorf, and Pedro Ciriaco have all been recalled.  What a busy week!

The FFTS guys also look ahead to the Pirates’ upcoming road trip against the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros, their quick one-game makeup home stand against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and their road series against the Chicago Cubs to kick off the month of September!

September means roster expansions and call-ups, and Zane and Chad weigh in on what they’re looking forward to for the rest of the 2011 season.  Lots to get to, lots to discuss, and the guys love it! 

Bucco Beat: Episode 19

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Meet Your Bucs: Aaron Thompson

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Justin K Aller/Getty Images

In a season full of roster moves, the latest Pirate to wear the uniform for the first time is pitcher Aaron Thompson, who was recalled on Tuesday and was named the starter for today’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Thompson was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the first round (22^nd overall) of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft.  After the 6’2”, 190lb lefty dominated in the Marlins’ minor league system, he was acquired by the Washington Nationals at the 2009 trade deadline for first baseman Nick Johnson.

The Pirates claimed Thompson off of waivers from the Nationals on December 24, 2010, and was designated for assignment on June 24, 2011, after recording a 4.97 ERA in 67 innings with the Altoona Curve.

After struggling somewhat in Altoona, Thompson pitched very well in his three outings in Triple-A Indianapolis, and, after the Pirates placed Kevin Correia on the 15 day DL, Thompson was called up yesterday and was named the starter for this afternoon’s series finale against the Brew-Crew.

Thompson threw 4.1 innings, giving up only four hits and walking two batters, before reaching his pitch count limit.  The Pirates shutout the Brewers, 2-0, earning the series split.

Stay tuned to Fans From The Stands for the latest moves as the September 1^st, the day of roster expansion, approaches.

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Ohlendorf Roughed Up In Return As Brewers Rout Pirates

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

Fresh off a huge 9-2 victory over the Brewers in the nightcap of the doubleheader last night, the Pirates entered this evening’s game looking to take their second consecutive game from the N.L. Central leaders.  Ross Ohlendorf made the start for Pittsburgh tonight for the first time since early April, hoping to put forth a strong end of the 2011 season.

It didn’t work out for Ohlendorf tonight.  The Brewers tattooed the right-hander for seven runs (four earned) on 11 hits on their way to a 11-4 blowout of our Buccos at PNC Park.

After a brief break in their dominance over the Pirates last night, the Brewers were back at it tonight, stomping all over Buccos’ pitching from the very beginning.  In all, Pirates’ pitchers were tagged for 17 hits, with five different players recording at least two hits.

Milwaukee jumped on Ohlendorf in the second inning, scoring all seven runs in the frame, burying him and eliminating much chance of a Pirates’ comeback.

The second inning was highlighted by a two-run double by Ryan Braun and a two-run homerun by Casey McGehee.  Jonathan Lucroy and Nyjer Morgan also added RBI singles.

Prince Fielder added another run in the sixth inning with his 100^th RBI on a double off Daniel McCutchen, scoring Braun. 

There were VERY few bright spots for Pittsburgh tonight, but one of them, without a doubt, was Josh Harrison, who hit his first Major League homerun in the fifth inning. 

Jose Tabata went 1-4 tonight, extending his hitting streak to nine games, while Neil Walker and Garrett Jones each had triples.  Jones’ three-bagger scored Walker from first base after he had singled home Xavier Paul for his 74^th RBI of the season.

I, like many fans out there, had high hopes for the Pirates tonight.  After finally beating the Brewers last night in convincing fashion, the hope was that the Buccos would have the momentum to carry over to tonight’s game, and have a nice shot at winning their second game of the series, setting up a chance to actually win the series tomorrow.

Now, it seems that game two last night didn’t even happen.  Pittsburgh added some late inning runs, but it was after the outcome wasn’t in doubt and Milwaukee had sat many of their regular starters.  The Brewers went right back to their usual beat down of Pittsburgh, and frustration is back at an all-time high for the Buccos and their fans.

In other news, the Pirates placed Steve Pearce on the 15-day disabled list with a broken right index finger and recalled Pedro Ciriaco.

The Pirates will try to salvage a split with the Brewers in the series finale tomorrow afternoon at PNC Park.  Aaron Thompson, who is expected to officially added to the roster tomorrow, is rumored to start for the Buccos, facing off against Milwaukee’s Shaun Marcum.

Record Vs. Brewers: 1-10

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 29-28

Record At Home: 30-37

Overall Record: 60-68

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Take Game Two, End Skid Against Brewers

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

After being beaten easily in game one of the doubleheader, the Pittsburgh Pirates had little time feel bad for themselves, as they only had 30 minutes to prepare for game two against the Milwaukee Brewers.  The pitching matchup in this game looked to heavily favor Milwaukee as they would send former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke to the mound to take Brad Lincoln, who was making only his second start of the season.

The Brewers did not wait long to get on the board as leadoff batter Corey Hart took the second pitch of the game deep to centerfield.  With one out Nyjer Morgan would score from third when Prince Fielder reached safely on a fielder’s choice.  Pittsburgh answered with a run of their own, when Neil Walker brought home Jose Tabata with a single to left field that cut the Brew Crew lead to only one run.  In the fourth inning, Ryan Doumit tied the game with a solo home run to right center field.

Lincoln held his own tonight against a very formidable Milwaukee lineup.  He would go six innings allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout.  Daniel McCutchen would replace Lincoln in the seventh and keep the Brewers off the board in an inning of work. 

The bottom part of the inning saw the Pirates open up the offense.  It all started with a Garrett Jones single and Matt Diaz being hit by a pitch.  With two runners on, Josh Harrison hit an RBI double to shallow left field.  With one out Andrew McCutchen would pinch it for D-Cutch and walk on a wild pitch that scored Diaz from third.  Jose Tabata then doubled home Harrison, which would be followed up by a Xavier Paul single that scored Cutch.  Ryan Doumit kept the hitting going with a bases loaded single that brought home Tabata.  Jones was up again and brought home another run with a sacrifice fly to the warning track to right field.  With Diaz at the plate a wild pitch would bring home Walker to bring home run number seven of the inning and give the Buccos a 9-2 lead heading into the eighth inning.

Recently called up Chris Leroux, who took the place of Kevin Correia on the 25-man roster after he headed to the DL today, finished off the last two innings to give Pittsburgh their first win over the Brew Crew in 2011.  This was a huge win for the Pirates since Milwaukee has owned them over the past few seasons.  It was great to see the Buccos capitalize on another teams mistakes and come up with a big inning like they did during the seventh inning tonight.  That being said though, Pittsburgh has two more games left with Milwaukee in this series and they don’t want to let the Brewers gain any momentum back after this win.  Tomorrow’s game will begin at 7:05pm with the Brew Crew starting Marco Estrada and Pittsburgh sending Ross Ohlendorf to the mound for his first start since early April.

Record vs. Brewers:  1-9
Record vs. N.L. Central:  29-27
Record at PNC Park:  30-36
Overall Record:  60-67

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Brewers Continue Dominance Of Pirates With 8-1 Victory In Game One Of Double-Header

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

The first-place Milwaukee Brewers came into town for a double-header against our Pirates tonight, and proved in game one why they are the hottest team in baseball.  The Brew-Crew beat down our battlin’ Buccos, who certainly didn’t battle at all, by a final score of 8-1 at PNC Park.

Pittsburgh fell to 0-9 on the season against the Brewers, who are playing better than anyone in baseball.  Jeff Karstens, who suffered his seventh loss of the season, pitched a nice game this evening.  The Buccos’ right hander gave up two runs on six hits through his seven innings of work. 

The big blow for Karstens came in the fourth inning.  After allowing two runners on with two outs, the Pirates intentionally walked Craig Counsell to load the bases for the Brewers’ pitcher, Chris Narveson.  The plan backfired for Pittsburgh as Narveson slapped a 2-run single to right field, giving the Brew-Crew a 2-0 lead.

Narveson pitched a dynamite game as well, giving up just five hits in 5.1 innings before leaving with an injury.  Kameron Loe and Takashi Saito shut the Pirates down through the seventh inning.

Milwaukee opened the game up in the eighth inning, scoring four two-out runs against Tony Watson.  Yuniesky Betancourt’s RBI double scored Corey Hart from first base to get things started.  After Casey McGehee was intentionally walked, Counsell delivered an RBI single, which scored Betancourt.  Jonathan Lucroy’s two-run double scored McGehee and Counsell, stretching the lead to 6-0.

After Ryan Ludwick blasted a homerun in the bottom of the eighth to get the Pirates on the board, Ryan Braun hammered a two-run shot in the ninth off Joe Beimel to make it 8-1.  Pittsburgh went peaceful in the ninth, with Ryan Doumit recording the final out.

As usual, the Brewers were better than the Pirates in every aspect of the game.  Their starting pitcher was better, they performed better with runners in scoring position, they fielded better, and their offense was more productive. 

Karstens pitched a solid game, giving up just two runs.  The bullpen, as has been the case as of late, led the game slip away.  Watson and Beimel combined to give up six runs on five hits through two innings of work.  To add to the frustration, the Brewers were able to score eight runs in a game in which Braun and Prince Fielder combined to go 1-10.  The Pirates, on the other hand, tallied eight hits, but were 0-8 with runners in scoring position. 

On a bright note, Jose Tabata continued his hot streak at the plate, going 3-4, while Josh Harrison added two hits, including a triple.

In other news, Steve Pearce was injured during the game, while Kevin Correia was placed on the DL.  That’s right…more injuries to the Pirates.

The two teams have a quick half hour break before taking the field again the second game of the double-header. 

Record Vs. Brewers: 0-9

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 28-27

Record At Home: 29-36

Overall Record: 59-67

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Reds Get Best Of Hammer, Take Series From Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo By AP

The All-Star break seems like it has been a curse for the Pirates as a team and for the two pitchers that represented the Pittsburgh Pirates in Arizona.  We all know of Kevin Correia’s struggles as of late, but even Joel Hanrahan has not been immune to the teams shortcomings in his recent outings, today was just another sign that the early good season fortune has gone by the way side.

Today’s series finale against the Cincinnati Reds started off great for the Pirates as they would jump out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on a home run by Andrew McCutchen.  This lead would hold tight until the sixth inning when Reds first baseman Joey Votto hit a three run shot to center field off of Buccos starter James McDonald.  McDonald would leave the game after this inning, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out five and walking three.

Pittsburgh would counter in the bottom part of the inning off of another two run blast, this time by Garrett Jones.  The bullpen combination of Jason Grilli and Jose Veras would keep Cincinnati off of the scoreboard and set the stage for The Hammer to nail down another home victory.  Unfortunately Hanrahan was not his early season self today.  After giving up a leadoff single and a one out walk, Ramon Hernandez would single to left field to tie the game at four.  After another single, Brandon Phillips would ground into a force play at second, but the go ahead run would score for the Reds.  Hanrahan would walk the bases loaded and then get pulled from the game.  His replacement, Daniel McCutchen would strike out Votto to end the inning, but the damage was done as the Pirates fell to Cincinnati 5-4.

Tough loss today for the Buccos, would have been big to take the first two series in this home stand with the Milwaukee Brewers coming to town for a four game series tomorrow.  Pittsburgh did have a chance to win it in the ninth, when Neil Walker hit a one out double, unfortunately Xavier Paul and Brandon Wood were unable to bring him home.  Tomorrow will be a double header against the Brewers.  Game one is scheduled for 5:05pm with Jeff Karstens taking on Chris Narveson.  Game two will begin at 8:35pm with Brad Lincoln making a spot start against the Brew Crew’s big offseason signing Zack Greinke.

Record vs. Reds:  8-4
Record vs. N.L. Central:  28-26
Record at PNC Park:  29-35
Overall Record:  59-66

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Pre and Post Game Videos From Pirates vs. Reds August 20, 2011

Fans From The Stands was on site for the Saturday afternoon contest between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds.

Pregame Show:

Postgame Show:

 

Pirates Beat Reds In Another Close Game At PNC Park

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Last night’s game against the Reds was frustrating in the fact that the Pirates battled hard, making comeback after comeback, wasting a few opportunities down the stretch and coming up just short in the end.  After opening this most recent home stand with two wins over the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pirates had dropped their last two games at PNC Park.  It was an important game this afternoon as the Bucs looked to revert back to their winning ways against the Reds.

That’s exactly what they did today, scrapping their way to a 5-3 victory to even the series with the Reds, setting up the rubber match tomorrow afternoon.

Charlie Morton pitched a nice game for the Pirates, giving up two runs on seven hits through his six innings of work, while Tony Watson earned the victory on the night, the first of his MLB career.

Joey Votto’s RBI single got Cincinnati on the board in the first inning, scoring Brandon Phillips to give the Reds the early advantage.

The Pirates tied the game in the fourth, and took the lead in the fifth with two more runs.  Ronny Cedeno singled home Andrew McCutchen to even things, 1-1.  RBI singles by Ryan Ludwick and Neil Walker gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead.

Votto’s RBI single, once again scoring Phillips, cut the lead to one run in the sixth, and Ramon Hernandez’s RBI double in the seventh tied the game, costing Morton a victory.

As they have done pretty consistently on this home stand thus far, the Pirates battled back, scoring two runs off Aroldis Chapman in the seventh inning on RBI singles by Walker and Brandon Wood.  For Walker, it capped off a game in which he went 3-4 with two RBI’s.

Joel Hanrahan came in and set the Reds down in order in the ninth, securing his 31^st save of the season.

Walker’s 3-hit performance led the way for Pittsburgh, who also received multi-hit games from McCutchen and Ludwick.  This was a well-earned team victory for the Pirates, and it was a very nice response to last night’s nail biting loss.

The Pirates had 11 hits tonight, 10 of them being singles, and they scrapped and battled their way through to a well-earned victory over the Reds today.  They improve to 8-3 against Cincinnati this season, with the rubber match now set for tomorrow afternoon.

Record Vs. Reds: 8-3

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 28-25

Record At Home: 29-34

Overall Record: 59-65

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Reds Win Back And Forth Game Over Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The last time the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds met, both teams were battling for the top spot in the National League Central title.  That was in mid-July and things have changed quite a bit.  Now both teams seem to be in a battle for third place in the division as the Reds held a one game lead over the Buccos entering the start of this three game series.  Pittsburgh has played quite well against Cincinnati this year compiling a 7-2 record, so there was hope that the Pirates could lead over the Reds and possibly make up some ground on the St. Louis Cardinals for second and possibly move closer to that elusive .500 record. 

Kevin Correia took the ball for the Buccos on this night and while he has struggled at home this year looked pretty good the first time through the lineup.  The second time through however, Cincinnati would put two runs up on the scoreboard when Joey Votto hit a home run to deep centerfield. 

The Pirates were able to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Brandon Wood hit a sacrifice fly to score Andrew McCutchen.  Ronny Cedeno would tie the game with a RBI single to shallow centerfield.

The Reds did not take long to regain the lead, Ryan Hanigan hit a solo home run to left field.  Correia continued to give up the long ball as Brandon Phillips hit a three run shot to left field giving Cincinnati a 6-2 lead.  Pittsburgh did add a run in the bottom part of the inning on a sac fly by Neil Walker.  The Pirates would cut into the lead once again in the sixth inning with another run.

Correia would leave after six innings allowing six runs on eight hits with one K and one walk.  The bullpen would allow a run in the seventh, after Brad Lincoln got two outs, he would leave the game with runners on first and second.  Joe Beimel would give up a hit to shallow centerfield and then walk a hitter to load the bases before being pulled.

With the Pirates down three with two outs and runners on second and third, Wood doubled into left field to bring Pittsburgh to within one run.  Cincinnati then added a run in the eighth.  After Paul Janish reaced first on a missed call by the first base umpire, he would steal second and then score when Phillips hit into a fielder’s choice.

The Pirates battled back in the bottom part of the inning.  They would cut the Reds lead to one on a Garrett Jones double that scored Xavier Paul.  McCutchen then brought home Jose Tabata on a single to left.  With the game tied though, Pittsburgh would have two runners thrown out at home plate.

Things feel apart in the ninth for Joel Hanrahan as he gave up three runs in the ninth as the Reds would go on to win 11-8.  This was another one of those games where the offense shows up and the pitching has a poor outing.  Hopefully the Pirates can pull it together for a afternoon game that will be airing on FOX.

Record vs. Reds:  7-3
Record vs. N.L. Central:  27-25
Record at PNC Park:  28-34
Overall Record:  58-65

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Craig Hits Two HR's As Cardinals Avoid Sweep With 7-2 Victory

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

The Pirates entered tonight’s game at PNC Park in search of a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.  As is the case with the better teams in the league, it would be no easy task to defeat the Cards in three straight games.  Additionally, the Cardinals needed to start playing catch-up immediately, as they had fallen seven games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers.

Paul Maholm continued his struggles against St. Louis tonight, as he was tagged for three runs on eight hits in five innings of work.  The Cardinals defeated the Pirates tonight at PNC Park by a final score of 7-2.

The Cardinals jumped on the board early tonight against Paul Maholm.  In fact, the first four batters reached base, including Allen Craig, who blasted a two run homerun to deep center field.  Yadier Molina also singled in the inning, driving home Matt Holliday.  St. Louis led 3-0 before the Pirates even came to the plate.

Pittsburgh battled back to make it interesting in the fifth inning, as Jose Tabata smashed a two-run homerun to right center field, scoring Ronny Cedeno from second base. 

Unfortunately, that was as close as the Pirates would get, as the Cardinals added a runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth to break the game wide open.  Craig hit his second homerun of the game in the seventh inning, and Lance Berkman added a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth, stretching the lead to 7-2, which would eventually be the final.

The Pirates did not play well tonight at all.  It’s awfully frustrating, especially considering how well they played the previous two games, and the fact that they were going for a sweep of an N.L. Central divisional foe.

Mental mistakes and errors certainly hurt the Bucs tonight.  After getting behind early, they couldn’t afford to make these types of mistakes and expect to come back.

Ronny Cedeno’s mistake in the sixth was particularly aggravating.  With runners on first and second and one out, the Cardinals’ Kyle Lohse hit a ground ball at Cedeno, who was playing in for that exact reason.  Rather than throwing the ball home to save a run, Ronny took a quick look toward Ryan Doumit before tossing the ball over to Jones for the out.  The Cardinals scored, adding another run to their lead.  Garrett Jones and Brandon Wood each had errors as well. 

The first inning seemed to set the tone for the entire night.  After the Cardinals scored three runs to take the early advantage, the Buccos put runners on first and second with one out, and later had the bases loaded with two outs. Doumit and Ryan Ludwick couldn’t deliver, and the Pirates ended the inning empty-handed.

The bullpen didn’t fair too well tonight either.  Brad Lincoln gave up two runs on three hits in two innings, while Daniel McCutchen surrendered two runs in one inning of work.

Kyle Lohse pitched a nice game for the Cardinals, limiting the Pirates to two runs on five hits through his seven innings, while the bullpen held the Bucs in check in the eighth and ninth innings.

Pittsburgh has the day off tomorrow before opening up a series against the Cincinnati Reds this weekend.  Saturday’s game will be televised on Fox, and Fans From The Stands will be in attendance.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 5-4

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 27-24

Record At Home: 28-33

Overall Record: 58-64

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Walker Ties It, Jones Wins Game For Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates used the long ball to win 5-4 in extra innings over the St. Louis Cardinals.  It started in the third inning, with the Pirates down 1-0, Andrew McCutchen would step to the plate with runners on second and third.  He would then tuck the ball inside the foul pole for a three run homer that gave the Buccos the lead.

The sixth inning saw the Cardinals tie the game at three.  Albert Pujols would hit his thirtieth home run of the year on a solo shot to right field.  After Lance Berkman walked with one out, David Freese would double to right field, scoring Berkman from first base.

Joel Hanrahan came into the game to begin the ninth inning and did not show his best stuff tonight.  He would allow the leadoff batter to double, which was followed up by a sacrifice bunt.  With one out and a runner on third Pujols was intentionally walked to set up the double play.  Matt Holliday hit a sacrifice fly, which at the time looked like the winning run.

Neil Walker had other plans though.  He would lead off the bottom part of the inning with a solo home run to right center field and tie the game at four.  This game would head to extra innings, which had Pirates fans a little worried since Jerry Meals was the umpire behind home plate.  For those of you who don’t remember, he was the umpire during the Pirates-Braves nineteen inning debacle back in July.

This time however Meals opinion at the plate had no bearing on the outcome of this game.  After neither team scored in the tenth, the Cards would get a base runner in the top of the eleventh, but would leave him at first base.  This would allow Garrett Jones to blast a walk off home run over the right field seats and one hop into the Allegheny River.

This was another big win for the Buccos tonight as they look to make up ground in the National League Central Division.  While the playoffs may no longer be in sight, this team is playing to end the 18 year losing curse, and many players are looking to show the deserve to be on the team in 2012. 

Jose Tabata was back on the 25-man roster tonight.  Pedro Alvarez was sent to AAA Indianapolis to make room on the roster.  Pittsburgh management was also able to sign their first and second round picks from the 2011 draft prior to the deadline.  These two signings brought the number of draft picks that the Pirates signed this year to 24.  Tonight’s win gave the Pirates 58, which is one more than they had for all of the 2010 season.

These two teams will wrap up their series tomorrow night PNC Park, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.  Paul Maholm will look to pitch well and receive some run support from the Buccos Bats, while the Cardinals will counter with Kyle Lohse.

Record vs. Cardinals:  5-3
Record vs. N.L. Central:  27-23
Record at PNC Park:  28-32
Overall Record:  58-63

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!