The Pittsburgh Riverhounds lost their third-straight match against the Harrisburg City Islanders on Sunday night. Harrisburg was the same team that the Riverhounds, three matches ago, recorded their first shutout against. The Riverhounds head coach, Dave Brandt, was not pleased with the performance, despite some positive plays from Kevin Kerr and Mauricio Vargas. “Frustrated, disappointed, upset, all the above,” Brandt said following the loss. “We can start with that. We can get better. We ... Read More
Archives for July 2016
Pirates top Nationals in 18 innings
On the surface, it was only two runs, but that was enough for the Pittsburgh Pirates to defeat the Washington Nationals in a season-high 18 innings while also avoiding a series sweep. Though the game was long and each of the team's relievers were used, Monday is an off day allowing for everyone to get some rest. The winning hit came from Starling Marte off former Pirate Oliver Perez with two outs in the 18th inning. Marte swing at the first pitch and hit it deep into the left field ... Read More
Column: Three strikes eliminate Pirates chances of win
Baseball is a game where several elements can change the outcome of a game at any time. Saturday was one of those cases where the Pittsburgh Pirates did not do much right falling 6-0 to the Washington Nationals. This series loss is the first since June 20-23 against the San Francisco Giants and it was poor play all around which cost the Pirates. Strike one: Indifferent fielding/base running The image I will take from this game came in the fourth inning. By that point, this game had ... Read More
Pirates fall to Nationals 5-1 in first game after All-Star break
Prior to the All-Star break, the Pittsburgh Pirates (46-44) fought hard to get back into contention for not just a National League playoff berth, but an NL Central spot, making Friday night's 5-1 loss to the Washington Nationals (55-36) all the more disappointing. Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg has had a 2016 season of historic proportions, and this victory boosts his record to 13-0 on the season. He's the second pitcher in the last 30 years to start a season that way. And despite how ... Read More
Riverhounds fall to Richmond Kickers in rain-delayed match
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds might not have consistency in net with the rotation of Mauricio Vargas and Hunter Gilstrap, but there is one thing that stays constant: It always rains when the Riverhounds have a home game. Against the Richmond Kickers on Thursday night, that didn’t change. And neither did the outcome; the Riverhounds (2-10-4) lost 2-0. The first of three consecutive home games for the Riverhounds was delayed two hours due to a power outage in Station Square, PA (where Highmark ... Read More
Few surprises among Steelers 53-man roster projections
Two weeks from today, the Pittsburgh Steelers will officially get their season rolling when players and coaches arrive in Latrobe, PA, to open training camp at St. Vincent College. There will be plenty of storylines to follow as the Steelers prepare for the season and battle for roster spots, but one of the big questions is what the final 53-man roster will look like when they open their season in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 12. Here's a (very) early 53-man roster projection for ... Read More
Riverhounds name Dan Visser assistant coach
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds have been adding more players to their roster since the arrival of Dave Brandt. Danny Earls came back, Jack and Nick Thompson (both brothers) both joined Pittsburgh in June and Ryan Adeleye joined up last week. Now the Riverhounds have added a new member to their team. However, this time it’s not a player, but a new assistant coach. Dan Visser was named the Riverhounds new assistant coach on Wednesday afternoon, the club announced. Visser and Brandt have history ... Read More
Penguins re-sign Schultz to 1-year deal
This morning, general manager Jim Rutherford announced that defenseman Justin Schultz would remain with the Pittsburgh Penguins for one more year after signing a one-year, $1.4 million contract. In total, Schultz finished playing in 33 games - both regular and post-season - with Pittsburgh, contributed a total of 12 points (1 G, 11 A) and was a major part of the team's championship run. This signing adds some much needed depth at the blue line and brings back an elusive and fast-paced player ... Read More
Pittsburgh’s Meghan Klingenberg’s role in the Olympics
Moments ago, the United States Women’s National Team roster for the Rio Olympics was revealed. To no surprise, Meghan Klingenberg made that list. Klingenberg has started in every single match the USWNT has participated in this year, in both friendlies and qualifiers. Klingenberg helped the USWNT lift the trophy in the first ever SheBelieves Cup in March. Now, Klingenberg has the chance to bring a gold medal back to the United States - and back to Pittsburgh. Klingenberg, who grew up in ... Read More
Bonnett, Johnson quietly ensure Pirates have good All-Star experience
The MLB All-Star Game is commonly referred to as three or four of the busiest days in a baseball season, so when Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Starling Marte and closer Mark Melancon were named to the National League All-Star team, there was a lot of work to be done. Work that doesn’t actually even happen on the field. When Marte and Melancon were named to the All-Star team, clubhouse manager Scott “Bones” Bonnett and traveling secretary Greg Johnson had to immediately go to work, ... Read More