Kevin Gorman stories, Page 79
Pirates SS Rodolfo Castro remains confident while learning hard lessons in majors
Rodolfo Castro was right where he wanted to be to celebrate his 23rd birthday Saturday, playing his favorite position in the major leagues and hoping to prove he’s a fast learner. The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie started at shortstop for the eighth time in nine games Saturday night, a day after...
‘It means the world’: Pirates backup catcher Tyler Heineman makes good 1st impression
The Pittsburgh Pirates gave Tyler Heineman time to test the waters before putting him behind the plate, allowing their new backup catcher the chance to catch bullpen sessions and learn the pitching staff. Then they threw Heineman into the deep end. Two days after being claimed off waivers from the...
Pirates can’t solve Adam Wainwright, as Cardinals use 4-run 6th to win
Derek Shelton was well aware of Adam Wainwright’s mastery of the Pittsburgh Pirates, as the 40-year-old St. Louis Cardinals ace was 9-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last 11 starts against them. “We’ve got to do something different,” Shelton said. “The formula, so far, has not worked.” Nothing Shelton...
Pirates searching for answers to reverse slumping offense after no-hitter, 2 shutouts
Over the past three games, the Pittsburgh Pirates have found themselves in an unfathomable offensive funk where they have been no-hit once and shut out twice — against two teams sitting below them in NL Central standings. The struggles at the plate actually have stretched longer than a week. Since...
Pirates done in by defensive lapses, blanked by Cubs in back-to-back games
After going 48 hours between hits, the Pittsburgh Pirates continued their search for offense. They might want to look for their defense while they’re at it. JT Brubaker recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts, but the right-hander couldn’t count on Pirates infielders to make even the most routine defensive plays. The...
Tyler Beede brings pedigree to Pirates, seeking fresh start with solid debut
As one of only 20 players drafted twice in the first round and a former top prospect in the San Francisco Giants’ system, Tyler Beede brought plenty of pedigree to the Pittsburgh Pirates. What Beede wants more than anything is a fresh start after Tommy John surgery sidetracked his once-promising...
Willson Contreras’ grand slam caps 8-run 1st as Cubs shut out Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates had no answer for Chicago Cubs leadoff batter Willson Contreras in the first inning — or left-hander Wade Miley for the first seven innings. Contreras hit a double and a grand slam in an eight-run first, and Miley tossed a one-hitter over seven scoreless innings as the...
Pirates claim C Tyler Heineman off waivers, DFA Andrew Knapp
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a pair of moves at catcher Monday, claiming Tyler Heineman off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays and designating Andrew Knapp for assignment. Heineman, 30, is a 5-foot-10, 190-pound switch hitter who has slashed .221/.284/.324 with four doubles, one home run and four RBIs in 30...
‘My job is to beat the pitcher’: Pirates DH Daniel Vogelbach a must-hear voice on hitting
From the end of the dugout where Derek Shelton watches games, the Pittsburgh Pirates manager can hear the constant chatter coming from their biggest player, in terms of size and volume. With every pitch, Daniel Vogelbach is earning a reputation as hitter’s hitter, someone who analyzes everything from a pitcher’s...
‘I’m never going to forget this day’: Pirates LHP Jose Quintana celebrates 10 years in majors
On a day when Hunter Greene no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates for seven-plus innings, Jose Quintana quietly matched the Cincinnati Reds rookie zero for zero in the line score. Quintana celebrated 10 years of major-league service Sunday – a major milestone for the 33-year-old left-hander – by tossing seven scoreless innings...
Reds rookie Hunter Greene dominates, but Pirates win without getting a hit
The Pittsburgh Pirates found Hunter Greene to be unhittable, as the Cincinnati Reds rookie right-hander mixed a 100-mph fastball with an electric slider for seven-plus scoreless innings on Sunday. So the Pirates drew a line by drawing balls. After three consecutive walks to load the bases with one out in...
Zach Thompson extends scoreless streak to 12 innings; Pirates snap skid
Zach Thompson looked spent as the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-foot-7 right-hander stood on the mound, enduring a muggy, 78-degree day from the first pitch and a scoreless streak that gained gravity with every inning. Thompson faced the first 19 Cincinnati Reds batters Saturday night without allowing a hit, until Brandon Drury...
‘Of course I want to hit more home runs’: Pirates 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes focuses on hard hits
Ke’Bryan Hayes knows the old baseball adage — home runs are thrown, not hit — so the Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman isn’t focusing on the fact that he has yet to hit a homer this season entering Saturday. Hayes has good reason to pay more attention to the positive numbers...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton doesn’t hide disgust after Reds pound Mitch Keller
With Mitch Keller still searching for his first major-league victory in almost a year after getting lit up by the Cincinnati Reds, Derek Shelton didn’t bother to disguise his disgust. The Pittsburgh Pirates manager made no excuses for Keller giving up five runs on five extra-base hits, blaming it squarely...
Pirates RHP Duane Underwood Jr. ‘ready to go’ after tossing scoreless inning at Altoona
ALTOONA – Duane Underwood Jr. has pitched in rehabilitation assignments at three levels of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league system, and the right-hander doesn’t know where he’s headed next. He’s hoping it’s back to PNC Park. After tossing one scoreless inning for the Altoona Curve on Tuesday night, Underwood is...
Pirates rookie OF Jack Suwinski finally flashes power with 1st major league home run
The swing felt “super clean” off the bat to Jack Suwinski when the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie outfielder connected with Robbie Erlin’s 1-0 slider, so he took off around the bases with hope in his heart. “I thought it had a chance,” Suwinski said, “but I never would have assumed.” As...
Pirates No. 1 overall draft pick Henry Davis makes smashing debut at Double-A AltoonaVideo
ALTOONA — Before Henry Davis made his Double-A debut, the Pittsburgh Pirates top catching prospect discussed how he has developed a sense of pride in becoming a magnet for getting hit by pitches. “It’s a compliment, right?” Davis said with a smile Tuesday as he sat atop the home dugout...
Jose Quintana becomes 1st Pirates starter to earn a win this season by beating Dodgers
The Pittsburgh Pirates had to wait until the 28th game of the season to finally get a win by a starting pitcher, so it only makes sense that they snapped their historic streak against arguably the best team in baseball. Jose Quintana tossed six scoreless innings, and Michael Perez and...
Pirates farm director on Henry Davis’ promotion to Double-A Altoona: ‘We think he’s ready’
While the Pittsburgh Pirates are dealing with difficulties at catcher at the major league level, their top prospect at the position is being promoted to Double-A Altoona because of his performance. After slashing .341/.450/.585 with three doubles, one triple, five home runs and 22 RBIs in 22 games at High-A...
For Pirates, worst fears behind the plate catch up to them with injury to starter Roberto Perez
When Roberto Perez stumbled and fell while rounding second base Saturday and lay facedown in the infield dirt in Cincinnati, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ worst fears caught up to them. The Pirates signed Perez last November after trading Jacob Stallings to Miami, replacing the 2021 NL Gold Glove winner with a...
Colin Moran blasts 2 home runs, including a grand slam, as Reds roll past Pirates
Colin Moran might have been seeking fastballs more than revenge against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The red-bearded Cincinnati Reds first baseman ended up getting both in the course of two swings. Designated for assignment by the Pirates in late November, Moran made them pay with a pair of home runs. His...
Pirates lose catcher Roberto Perez to injury, set HR record in doubleheader split with Reds
The Pittsburgh Pirates saw their backup catcher get ejected, their starting catcher exit with an injury and were forced to break glass on their emergency catcher and ended up losing to the worst team in baseball. Then the Pirates made history. A dizzying doubleheader at Cincinnati ended in a split...
Pirates turn to Josh VanMeter at catcher after starter Roberto Perez injured, backup ejected
The Pittsburgh Pirates endured a double whammy when starting catcher Roberto Perez went down on the bases in the eighth inning Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds, leaving them without a backup. Perez collapsed while rounding second base on a Ben Gamel single and exited the game with left hamstring discomfort....
Chase De Jong embraces grinder persona, multi-inning pitching role for Pirates
When the Pittsburgh Pirates purchased his contract last month, Chase De Jong received a text message from his agent that read: Congratulations. You deserve it. You’re the epitome of resiliency. A second-round draft pick who made his major league debut at age 23, De Jong never would have imagined his...
Friday’s Pirates-Reds game postponed by rain, rescheduled as July 7 split doubleheader
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ game against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night at Great American Ball Park has been postponed due to rain and rescheduled as part of a split doubleheader on July 7. The Pirates and Reds already were scheduled to play on that date. Now, Game 1 will start...
