Prior to Sunday afternoon's Pittsburgh Pirates game against the Cincinnati Reds, manager Clint Hurdle pledged the team was trying new things, which made it so Billy Hamilton would not be as potent on the bases. The result? Four stolen bases (giving him a major league leading 43) and five total thefts from the Reds. "We weren't where we needed to be, and that's my responsibility," Hurdle said. "End it right there. It's my responsibility to take care of that and at the end of the day when ... Read More
Archives for August 2016
Pirates looking for series sweep
Following two wins this weekend over the Cincinnati Reds, the Pittsburgh Pirates will look for a sweep this afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates have gone 5-0-1 in their last six series at PNC Park and will send Gerrit Cole (7-6, 2.73 ERA) to the mound against Dan Straily (6-6, 3.80 ERA). Cole has not fared well against the Reds in his career posting an 0-5 record with a 5.30 ERA in seven career starts against the Reds. This season he is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in one ... Read More
Exclusive: Locke opens up about move to Pirates bullpen
It has been a season of ups and downs for Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jeff Locke, which has culminated to this point, a return to the bullpen. Locke was given the news by Hurdle on Friday, and it became public knowledge the next day. This placement in the bullpen seems to be more long term and may last through the entire season. Locke's last start was Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves, and he allowed five runs in 4.1 innings. Since the All-Star Break, Locke is 0-2 with a 9.89 ERA ... Read More
Nova’s performance, Kang’s catch secure Pirates win
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Neftali Feliz was in a jam when he allowed the first two Cincinnati Reds to reach base with Billy Hamilton at the plate. Hamilton hit a ball on a short hop that Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang quickly fielded. He got the out at third base and threw to Josh Harrison to get the out at second base. Kang did not have any chance to react until the 88 mph hit bounced into his glove but he quickly formulated a game plan. "I was thinking of throwing the ball ... Read More
Tony Watson closes to his own tune
When a new closer is named, there are a number of changes that need to be made. When the Pittsburgh Pirates' Tony Watson was named the team's closer after the departure of Mark Melancon, those changes included new walk-up music and a new video package. Watson chose “Sweet Emotion,” an Aerosmith song off the band's 1975 “Toys in the Attic” album. “The song was by default,” Watson said. “I wanted ‘When the Levee Breaks,’ but Jamo's got that one, and I'm not going to take it from him. We ... Read More
Ivan Nova set to make PNC Park debut
Tonight, the Pirates take on the Cincinnati Reds in Game Two of a three-game series. The game also serves as pitcher Ivan Nova's Pirates debut. With the New York Yankees this season, Nova was 7-6 with a 4.90 ERA in 21 games, 15 of which were starts. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle offered a checklist of what he's looking for in Nova's start. “He needs to follow the glove, display sinker command, have the ability to use some secondary pitches if need be and possess rhythm and pace,” Hurdle ... Read More
Louisville tops Riverhounds with 2 late goals
After dominating the Wilmington Hammerheads last weekend, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds fell to Louisville City FC on Friday night, 2-1. However, there were moments of hope for the Riverhounds against LCFC. The Hounds got on the board first, with a goal from forward Corey Hertzog in the 27’ minute, off an assist from defender Mike Green. “I think Kevin [Kerr] and Danny [Earls] played a quick one,” Hertzog said after the match about his goal. “Then Danny played a long ball to [Mike] Green. ... Read More
Sean Rodriguez’s home run leads Pirates to victory
It was a short night for Cincinnati Reds pitcher Ross Ohlendorf. At PNC Park, Ohlendorf's outing Friday night lasted all of four pitches — on a mound that previously served as home. This time, though, it wasn't so kind. The Pittsburgh Pirates' Sean Rodriguez led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a game-winning home run on a 2-1 fastball to secure the 3-2 victory over the Reds (44-64). Pittsburgh is now 54-53 on the season. The homer was Rodriguez's 11th of the season, and he's now ... Read More
Riverhounds announce the signings of two players
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds have announced the signings of two players to their roster on Thursday evening. The team announced the signing of defender Anthony Virgara and midfielder Melvin Snoh. “These are two young players that we wanted to take a good look at,” head coach Dave Brandt said. “They not only bolster our depth for the remainder of this season, but this also gives us a really good chance to evaluate them for the future. We have been thin recently due to injuries and so forth, so ... Read More
Column: Something needs to change for Pirates — and fast
What do the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves have in common? This isn't a trick question, and there isn't punchline — unless you consider the Pittsburgh Pirates (53-53) one for losing to both during this road trip, a fact secured with the team's 5-2 loss Thursday night to the Braves. It's a shame because Ryan Vogelsong pitched his heart out. The fact that Vogelsong even was on a Major League mound is beyond commendable. In late May, while in the batter's box, Vogelsong was hit ... Read More