McGhee Excels As Pirates Fall To Twins

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Grant Jefferies/Bradenton Herald

The Pittsburgh Pirates may have had a few holes to fill this off-season, but none were bigger than those at the corner infield positions.  Pedro Alvarez may still be the front runner and future of the third base position, but has yet to show that he intends to be the superstar one would expect from a number one draft pick.  Across the infield first base has been a huge question mark for many years with the Pirates and they still do not appear to have the long term answer to who will fill that position.  That is why Pittsburgh went out and traded for Casey McGehee.  McGehee is capable of playing both positions, is young, and if he can play more like he did his first two seasons in the Majors, will definitely give the Pirates the pop in the lineup we all are looking for.

Today McGehee started at third base and defensively looked like someone who has played the position for years.  The second inning alone made him look like a gold glove caliber player.  The first out came on a ground ball that appeared to head down the line, but with english on the ball, it began to spin towards the hole into short.  Casey was able to stop pick up the ball and gun the runner out at first.  He would then record the final out of the inning by diving to prevent a ball from going to the outfield and throw the runner out.  Offensively he showed signs of regaining that early career form going 3-3 with an RBI.

Erik Bedard had a great day on the bump for the Buccos as he would go three innings allowing one hit with three strikeouts.  If Bedard can build on starts like today he should be considered as an option to start on opening day.  Nate McClouth also looked like his old self today going 2-2 with a walk at the plate.  Chase d’Arnaud would collect a hit and an RBI today.  Joel “The Hammer” Hanrahan looked lights out again striking out two in an inning of work.

Unfortunately there were some signs that this was a spring training game.  McClouth would be caught stealing twice today, Rod Barajas was thrown out going from second to home on a ball that was hit to the outfield wall, and with the bases loaded and no outs Pittsburgh managed only one run.  Jo Jo Reyes had a rough outting allowing four runs on five hits while striking out two and walking one in three innings of work.  These mistakes were big factors in the Pirates losing to the Minnesota Twins 4-2.

Neil Walker is said to be back in action tomorrow as the Pirates will head to Port Charlotte to take on the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow at 1:05.  It was also reported that A.J. Burnett has been cleared to begin working out, as he looks to get back on track to recovering from an orbital fracture.

Grapefruit League Record:  3-5

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Drop Final Game Of 2011 At PNC Park

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

One of the storylines for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 2011 season was the inability to sweep a series.  The Pirates came into today with ten previous failed attempts to sweep a team after taking the first two in a three game series.  Their 5-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds today marked the eleventh time that has happened.

The Reds got out to an early lead by scoring three runs in the first two innings off of Buccos starter James McDonald.  McDonald would improve over the course of his final three innings as he would last five innings today allowing only one earned run and six hits, while striking out four and walking two.

Pittsburgh’s offense would battle back tying the game at three in the bottom part of the second inning.  After a Derrek Lee single and Ryan Ludwick walk, Chase d’Arnaud would triple both of them home.  Michael McKenry would then hit a sacrifice fly to bring d’Arnaud home and tie the game.

The sixth inning saw the Reds regain the lead and score what would be the game winning run off of relief pitcher Daniel Moskos.  With runners on second and third Dontrelle Willis would double home both runners.  The Pirates then cut into the lead in the bottom part of the ninth when Neil Walker doubled in Andrew McCutchen.  Unfortunately neither Garrett Jones or Pedro Alvarez were able to bring in Walker.

While the Pirates road record improved dramatically from 2010 this year.  The home record was a disappointment as they won five less games at PNC Park this year.  Pittsburgh will head to Milwaukee for their final series of the year against the N.L. Central champions Brewers.  Charlie Morton will make his final start of the season, while Shaun Marcum will go for the Brew Crew.

Record vs. Reds:  10-5
Record vs. N.L. Central 38-39
Record at PNC Park:  36-45
Overall Record 71-88

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Ciriaco Two Run Double Carries Pirates Over Cardinals

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates battled back and forth all night with the St. Louis Cardinals, and in the end it was the Buccos that came out on top with a 6-5 win.  Brad Lincoln got the start for Pittsburgh tonight and was ok during his 5.1 innings on the mound.  He would give up three earned runs on four hits while striking out one batter and walking two.  The Pirates bullpen was once again consistent as Jason Grilli would pick up his second win of the season, while Joel Hanrahan collected his 37^th save of the year, even though he gave up a run during his ninth inning appearance.

St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse left the game after six innings of work with his team holding a 4-3 lead, but the Cardinals bullpen would falter in the eighth inning.  Former Pirate Octavio Dotel gave up the tying run when Ryan Doumit would double home Chase d’ Arnaud.  Marc Rzepczynski relieved Dotel and earned his fourth blown save of the year and collected the loss.  Rzepczynski intentionally walked Ryan Ludwick, struck out Josh Harrison, and then walked Jason Jaramillo to load the bases with two outs for Pedro Ciriaco.  Ciriaco then would hit a line drive to right field to score Doumit and Ludwick for what would be the win.

After a very sluggish series against the Florida Marlins the Pirates offense came through in clutch situations to keep their team in the game and ultimately pick up the win.  The Pirates starting lineup collected nine of the ten hits tonight, where as two nights ago they only had one.  Game two of this three game series will take place tomorrow night at 7:05pm.  Chris Carpenter will go for St. Louis while the Pirates will counter with Jeff Karstens.

Record vs. Cardinals:  7-7
Record vs. N.L. Central:  35-36
Record at PNC Park:  34-42
Overall Record:  67-80

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

McCutchen's 2-HR's Lifts Pirates Over Astros

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates played their 18^th and final game against the Houston Astros for 2011 tonight.  This game was a back and forth battle ending with the Buccos winning 5-4.  Andrew McCutchen was the star of tonight going 2-3 with two HR, four RBI, and drawing one walk.

Houston started the game off hot as they would score three runs in the first inning.  These runs would come off of back to back homers.  The first would come from Carlos Lee who smacked a two run shot to left field.  Matt Downs would follow that up with a solo shot to left field.  Pittsburgh would answer back in the bottom part of the inning with McCutchen’s first home run of the night this one to center field. 

The Astros regained that four run lead in the fourth inning when Clint Barmes hit a home run to left field to make the score 4-1.  That lead did not last long.  Cutch would come to the plate with two runners on in the fifth inning with two outs and gave the crowd at PNC Park plenty to cheer about as he hit his second homer of the night, this time to left field to tie the game.

The Pirates would score the winning run on a crazy play in the eighth inning.  With runners on first and second and one out, Jason Jaramillo would single home Chase d’ Arnaud.  After d’Arnaud scored the go ahead run, the inning ending double play was turned on a 9-2-6-9-2 double play.

With all these home runs tonight, both starting pitcher did not go very deep into the game.   Pirate’s starter Brian Burres would only last 3.2 innings giving up four runs on seven hits while allowing three home runs.  Astros starter J.A. Happ wasn’t much better going five innings giving up four runs on five hits, while striking out eight and walking four.  The Pirates bullpen stepped up tonight bridging the gap from starter to closer and Joel Hanrahan would earn his 36^th save of the year.

Another series win for the Buccos will lead them into a day off tomorrow.  They will return to action on Friday to begin a three game series with the Florida Marlins, which is a team that swept them back in April.  Ross “The Boss” Ohlendorf is scheduled to face Ricky Nolasco on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.

Record vs. Astros:  11-7
Record vs. N.L. Central:  35-36
Record at PNC Park:  33-39
Overall Record 66-77

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!

Pirates Salvage Series With Win Over Cardinals In Extras

by Zane Heiple

Photo by AP

The Pittsburgh Pirates came into Sunday’s game with the St. Louis Cardinals in the midst of a three game losing streak and were a day away from heading on a seven game road trip against the top two teams in the National League.  This game may have not been a must win, but it was very important to notch a win against their Central Division rival.

Charlie Morton had an ok start going 5.1 innings giving up three runs on six hits while striking out three and walking five.  This has seemed to be the trend of the pitching staff lately after they got off to a red hot start to begin the season.  Outings like this have showed how the Pirates lack of offense is of much concern to the team if they hope to remain a contender in the division race.

The offense received some help from some unlikely sources today.  This was important considering the likes of Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen went a combined 1-7.  Eric Fryer was able to come around and tie the game at one in the third inning.  He would reach base on a single and then while stealing second base, an error by SS Ryan Theriot would allow him to reach third.  Chase d’Arnaud brought Fryer home on a double.

After the Cardinals regained the lead in the top of the fifth, Pittsburgh was able to tie the game when Morton helped his own cause on a sacrifice fly that would score Ronny Cedeno.  St. Louis did not waste any time regaining the lead in the sixth as the first batter of the inning, Colby Rasmus, hit a solo home run to right field. 

The seventh inning looked like it could have been a big one for the Buccos, as Cedeno would lead off with a double and would be followed up by a Fryer single.  Unfortunately, Steve Pearce would ground into a double play, that would score a run, but would put an end to any thought of the big inning occurring.

The Pittsburgh bullpen closed the door on the Cards offense as the combo of Jason Grilli, Chris Resop, Joel Hanrahan, and Joe Beimel pitched 4.2 innings allowing only four hits and not allowing a run.  This type of pitching allowed the team to win it in the tenth inning.  Xavier Paul would single with one out to give the Pirates a sign of life.  He would then steal second and advance to third on a throwing error by Gerald Laird.  This allowed d’Arnaud to be the hero with a sacrifice fly to center allowing Paul to cross the plate and give the Pirates a 4-3 victory.

The Pirates stepped up and avoided the sweep today.  What impressed me the most was that they were able to capitalize on the mistakes made by the Cardinals, and they did it players that no one really knew about before the season started.  With this win and the Milwaukee Brewers loss, the Pirates will head to Atlanta tomorrow in a three way tie for first place.  The four game series with the Braves will begin tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 7:00.  The pitching matchup will feature James McDonald of the Pirates taking on Tim Hudson of the Braves.

Record vs. Cardinals:  3-3
Record vs. N.L. Central:  25-16
Record at Home:  26-25
Overall Record:  52-47

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Cardinals Rout Pirates 9-1, Clinch Series Victory At PNC Park

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: AP

For the second straight game, the Pirates entered play against the St. Louis Cardinals with the top of the N.L. Central on the line, and, for the second straight night, they were outslugged and outplayed by their opponent.  The Cardinals lit up the scoreboard, and Kevin Correia, on their way to a 9-1 rout of the Buccos tonight at PNC Park.

Correia lasted just 4.2 innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits, while walking three and giving up two homeruns, losing for the eighth time this season.  His ERA has ballooned to 4.38 for the year.

Jaime Garcia, on the other hand, pitched a strong game for St. Louis, surrendering just once run on eight hits through 7.1 innings, lowering his ERA to 3.01 on his way to his 10^th victory of the season.

The Cardinals took the lead early again tonight, tallying two runs in the second inning off RBI singles by Yadier Molina and Daniel Descalso.  After the Buccos cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning, St. Louis blew the game wide open in the fifth frame.

Albert Pujols smacked an RBI single to right center, scoring Skip Schumaker from third base.  Two batters later, Lance Berkman hammered a three-run homerun to deep center field, his 27^th on the year.  Molina added a solo homerun to make the score 7-1 after five innings.  The Cardinals added two more in the ninth to end the scoring. 

The Pirates’ offense continued to struggle tonight.  Chase d’Arnaud and Matt Diaz each had two hits, while Brandon Wood recorded the only RBI for the Bucs.  Still, the offense couldn’t muster together multiple hits at a time, and ended up leaving five men on base.  Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen were a combined 1-7 on the night, while Garrett Jones, Lyle Overbay, and Alex Presley all had the night off.  Where were we expecting the offense to come from?

This was arguably the worst performance by the Pirates this season.  Kevin Correia didn’t pitch well at all and the offense couldn’t score runs.  Walker and McCutchen, the two leaders of the club, didn’t do anything at the plate, and when the Pirates were able to put runners on base, they weren’t able to bring them home.

The game tonight was reminiscent of a game from last year or previous years.  So far this season, the Pirates have played to the level of their competition, meaning they play worse against the bad teams and good against the good teams.  Unfortunately, this weekend, they have looked like a far inferior team when compared to the Cardinals.  If they are going to stand any chance of competing in this division alongside the Cards as well as the Milwaukee Brewers, the Pirates are going to need to find a way to score runs. 

Pittsburgh will try to avoid the sweep tomorrow afternoon at PNC Park.  Charlie Morton will make the start for the Pirates against the Cardinals’ Kyle Lohse.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:35pm.

Record Vs. Cardinals: 2-3

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 24-16

Record At Home: 25-25

Overall Record: 51-47

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Cueto, Bullpen Shut Down Pirates As Reds Avoid Sweep At PNC Park

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

The Pirates entered this afternoon’s game against the Cincinnati Reds with the opportunity to stay atop of the N.L. Central standings by completing a three-game sweep of their divisional foes.  After scoring just three runs in the first two games of this series, the Buccos needed two things to come away successful today:  to score more runs and they would need another top-notch performance from their pitching staff.

Unfortunately, a pair of costly errors and a lack of offense contributed to the Pirates’ 3-1 loss to the Reds today at PNC Park.

On paper, this matchup looked to have the potential of being an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel with the Reds’ Johnny Cueto facing off against the Bucs’ Jeff Karstens.  Both starters held the opposing offenses in check for the majority of the afternoon.  Karstens gave up three runs, just one of them earned, on seven hits while walking one and striking out one, lowering his ERA to 2.28 but falling to 8-5 on the season.  Cueto bested his on-mound opponent slightly, giving up just one run on four hits through six innings, earning his sixth win of the season.

The Reds got on the board first this afternoon by scoring a run in each of the first pair of innings against Karstens. 

Chris Heisey led off the game by reaching first base and advancing to second on Chase d’Arnaud’s throwing error.  Joey Votto’s sacrifice fly eventually allowed Heisey to score to give the Reds the early advantage.

Similarly in the second inning, Jay Bruce led off the inning by reaching first base.  This time, the Reds’ first batter reached on a walk from Karstens.  After stealing second base and advancing to third on Jonny Gomes’ single,Bruce tagged and scored on Miguel Cairo’s sacrifice fly.  The Reds occupied a 2-0 lead after two innings.

The Pirates cut the lead in half in the fourth inning.  After Neil Walker led off the frame reaching base after being hit by a pitch, Andrew McCutchen crushed an off-speed pitch to the wall for an RBI double, scoring Walker.  Unfortunately, though, Lyle Overbay, Garrett Jones, and Brandon Wood were set down in order, and Cutch was stranded.

Cincinnati responded the very next inning with another unearned run.  After setting the first two men down in the order, Karstens forced Cueto to ground to d’Arnaud, who bobbled the place and elected not to try to throw out the Reds’ pitcher.  Heisey and Edgar Renteria hit back-to-back singles to score Cueto, giving the Reds a 3-1 advantage.

That would be the last of the scoring on the day, as both bullpens shut down the opposing offenses throughout the latter innings.  The Pirates, in particular, had a number of chances to score more runs, leaving five men on base in the fifth-seventh innings.  In all, the Pirates left eight men on base.

The Pirates failed to complete the three-game sweep of the Reds today, but still come away from the first a tough four-series stretch taking two of three from an N.L. Central opponent.  The pitching staff continues to be the dominant story, giving up just three total runs this series against the National League’s highest scoring offense.

Unfortunately, as impressive as the pitching has been for Pittsburgh, the offense has been just as frustrating.  The Buccos only managed a total of four runs this entire series.  That type of offensive output won’t win many games at the Major League level….in fact, it’s pretty incredible that given the fact they only score four runs in a three-game series, they were able to win two out of three games.

So the Pirates are off to a good start in this difficult stretch of games to close out the month of July.  Hopefully, they’ll be able to carry over some this momentum to this weekend’s series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Record Vs. Reds: 7-2

Record Vs. N.L. Central: 24-14

Record At Home: 25-23

Overall Record: 51-45

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Karstens Rolls For Complete Game Shutout Victory Over Astros

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

After four days of rest and relaxation, the Pittsburgh Pirates were back in action tonight to start a three game set against the Houston Astros.  Jeff Karstens had a very good first half of the season and looked to continue that with his start tonight.  The Astros would counter with Jeff Myers.

It did not take long for the Buccos to get on the board.  After a leadoff single by Alex Presley, he would steal second, and then advance to third on a sacrifice fly by Chase d’Arnaud.  Neil Walker would bring him home for his 60^th RBI of the season.  Two innings later, with Presley and d’Arnaud on base, Andrew McCutchen would hit a bases clearing triple to put Pittsburgh up 3-0.

Astros starter Myers would exit the game after six innings of work and was replaced by Fernando Rodriguez.  Even though he gave up three runs, Myers pitched well as he struck out eleven and only walked three batters.  Rodriguez would leave the game after one inning. 

Garrett Jones would lead the eighth inning off with a walk.  He was then replaced by Xavier Paul to give the team more speed.  This move paid off quickly.  After a wild pitch by Houston reliever Sergio Escalona allowed Paul to move up to second base, Lyle Overbay would bring him home on an error by Astros second baseman Jeff Keppinger.

The story of the night however was Mr. Jeff Karstens.  He would pitch a complete game shutout allowing five hits, zero walks and striking out two.  His story so far this year is unreal.  After coming into the season scheduled to be the long relief option out of the bullpen, he has become one of the most consistent pitchers in the Majors since becoming a starter when Ross Ohlendorf went on the DL back in April.  Jeff did have help from his defense, as any pitcher does when he goes the distance.

A few side notes on the day for the Pirates.  After Daniel Moskos was sent back to AAA Indianapolis on Thursday, Joe Beimel was activated to the roster on Friday.  Jose Tabata had a set back while rehabbing in Bradenton.  Steve Pearce is on a rehab assignment in Indianapolis and Ronny Cedeno will begin his assignment in the next few days. 

The Buccos and Stros will battle in game two of this three game series tomorrow night.  Paul Maholm will get the nod for Pittsburgh, while Houston will send Bud Norris to the bump.

Record vs. Astros:  8-2
Record vs. N.L. Central:  21-12
Road Record:  25-21
Overall Record:  48-43

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Astros Avoid Sweep With 8-2 Victory Over Pirates

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

A lot as gone right for the Pittsburgh Pirates of late, but tonight against the Houston Astros in one inning everything went wrong.  Charlie Morton was cruising again tonight for the Pirates until the sixth inning when a pair of errors, a bad defensive decision, and some timely hitting dug the Buccos in a hole that they could not climb out of.

Pittsburgh actually jumped out on top early in the first inning, when Andrew McCutchen singled home Alex Presley.  Neil Walker then flew out to Carlos Lee in left field and then doubled off Garrett Jones, who made a bad read on the ball, at second base.  After that both teams were held scoreless until the Stros piled on in the sixth.

It all started on a fielding error by Chase d’ Arnaud on a groundball by Michael Bourn.  Angel Sanchez would then have an RBI double and advance to third on an error by McCutchen.  Carlos Lee would then triple when Cutch dove for a ball and missed, allowing the ball to roll to the centerfield wall.   Lee would score on a Jeff Keppinger double.  Two batters later, Keppinger would come around to touch home plate on a single by Clint Barmes.  Morton would exit the game after facing Barmes.  After five decent innings, he could not go any longer after poor execution by his defense.  His final stat line read 5.1 innings pitched, allowing four runs on eight hits, with one walk and six strikeouts.

The Pirates would add a run in the bottom part of the inning when McCutchen would ground out to third, allowing d’Arnaud to score.  While this closed the gap to 5-2, three runs would be all the closer our Battlin’ Buccos would get on the night.  Houston starter Bud Norris pitched very well to help his team salvage a game in this series.  He would go seven innings allowing two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

Even the bullpen had a rough night.  After Chris Leroux pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, Daniel McCutchen was touched for two runs on three hits in the ninth, and Daniel Moskos would give up one more run before getting the final out.  The Bucco bats went 1-2-3 in the bottom part of the ninth to give Houston an 8-2 victory.

This game had some flashbacks to 2010 in my opinion, one bad inning leading to a blowout victory.  The offense never seemed to be really into the game after the first inning and there seemed to be a lot of mental mistakes in the field and on the base paths.  The best thing to remember is that it is a long season and games will be lost.  On a plus note, this was the 17^th series that the team had won on the year.  The Pirates will have tomorrow off before welcoming the Chicago Cubs to town to begin a three game series.  James McDonald will start for the Buccos, while the North Siders will send Rodrigo Lopez to the bump.  First pitch is schedule for 7:05.

Record vs. Astros:  7-2
Record vs. N.L. Central:  18-11
Home Record:  21-21
Overall Record:  45-42

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Old Glory And Jolly Roger Raised In Pirates 5-3 Win Over Astros

by Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

Sloppy Joes may be on some of your 4^th of July cookout menus, and early on it looked like sloppy defense was on the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Today’s game against the Houston Astros didn’t start off great, but great pitching and timely hits allowed the Buccos to go three games over .500 for the first time since 1999 with the 5-3 win.

Paul Maholm once again pitched very well and gave his team the chance to win.  He would go six innings allowing only one earned run on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.  His counterpart, Brett Myers, gave up fourteen hits, four earned runs, and one strikeout in six innings of work.  For the 25^th time this season, Joel Hanrahan closed out the game and sent Pirates fans home happy.

The errors that occurred today for Pittsburgh all came in the third inning.  One was by Lyle Overbay on a throw to third base.  The other two came from Josh Harrison who had trouble fielding a groundball by Hunter Pence and then three batters later made a throwing error to first.  Harrison would be taken out of the game in the fourth inning because he was complaining of dizziness that occurred after he collided with the catcher in the second inning. 

Pittsburgh tied the game in the second inning when Michael McKenry singled to left field bringing Overbay home.  After Houston went up 3-1 in the third, the Buccos answered in the bottom part of the inning.  It started when Andrew McCutchen doubled home Chase d’Arnaud.  The tying run came around two batters later when Overbay singled home Cutch.

The Pirates took the lead for good in the fifth on a Neil Walker single to right field that brought d’Arnaud home.  Insurance was added in the sixth by the Buccos when Alex Presley tripled home Brandon Wood from second.

The bullpen bridge from Maholm to Hanrahan included scoreless innings of work from Daniel McCutchen and Jose Veras.  D-Cutch picked up his fifth hold of the year, while Veras picked up hold number 17 on the season.  Hanrahan also set a team record for most saves to start a year without blowing one, with 25.  Game two of this series will be tomorrow night at 7:05.

Happy Independence Day to all of our readers, from Fans From The Stands.

Record vs. Astros:  6-1
Record vs. N.L. Central:  17-10
Record at PNC Park:  20-20
Overall Record:  44-41

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!

Correia Earns Eleventh Win As Pirates Rout Nationals in Series Finale 10-2

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Pirates lost two of the past three games against the Washington Nationals due to the fact that they were unable to score runs late in the game.  Today, they seemed to fix that problem as the offense exploded for 16 hits as they pounded the Nationals 10-2 to earn the series split.

After only tallying nine runs through the first three games at Nationals Park, the Buccos tagged starter Jason Marquis & Co. for ten runs on their way to a rout of the Nats.  Marquis lasted just 1.1 innings, giving up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits, inflating his ERA to 4.11 for the season.

The Pirates jumped on him right away in the opening inning, scoring three runs to take an early advantage that they would never surrender.  Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, and Lyle Overbay smacked three consecutive RBI singles to give the Buccos a 3-0 lead.  All three players recorded three-hit afternoons, leading the offensive surge.

Garrett Jones got into the act in the second inning on a two run double, scoring Alex Presley and Chase d’Arnaud.  Jones scored on Cutch’s RBI double to deep right field. Walker added an RBI single, and later scored on Overbay’s RBI double.  When all was said and done in the Pirates’ half of the second, the Nationals found themselves in an 8-0 hole.

That was more an enough insurance for Pirates’ starter Kevin Correia, who earned his 11^th victory of the season in another solid performance.  He gave up two runs on six hits through six innings, while striking out six batters and walking only one.  His ERA sits at 3.74.  His only real blemish came in the second inning when the Nationals’ Wilson Ramos hit a two-run homerun.

Despite Correia’s strong start, most of the attention belonged to the offense.  While Cutch, Overbay, and Walker led the charge, nearly everyone on the roster contributed to the win this afternoon.  Five different Pirates tallied multi-hit games, including Presley and d’Arnaud.  Overbay had three RBI’s on the day, while Cutch and Walker added two a piece, along with Garrett Jones.  Michael McKenry recorded his first Major League RBI with a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning. 

The bullpen came in and closed out the ballgame for the Pirates in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings.  Daniel Moskos and Chris LeRoux combined to throw three innings of shutout baseball.  As a team, the Pirates limited the Nationals to just nine hits, one fewer than the Pirates had runs today.

This was another strong response to a loss by the Pirates this afternoon.  This was a game that the Buccos needed to win, and the energy and determination of the team were evident from the start.  They earn a split in the series, earn another winning road trip, and return home to PNC Park with a 43-41 record.

The Pirates will return to Pittsburgh for the start of a six-game homestand, which will conclude the first half of the season.  The final homestand before the All-Star break will prove to be a big one for the Buccos, with an opportunity to add to improve their N.L. Central record as they will play host for a pair of three-game series against the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs.

Fans From The Stands would also like to congratulate Joel Hanrahan on being selected to represent the Pittsburgh Pirates at the All Star Game. 

Record Vs. Nationals: 4-4

Record Vs. N.L. East: 10-14

Record On The Road: 24-21

Overall Record: 43-41

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: 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.