Pirates/MLB category, Page 73
Mitch Keller tosses complete game, Edward Olivares hits grand slam as Pirates top Angels
Mitch Keller was soaked with sweat from the heat and humidity and just seven pitches shy of reaching 100, but the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander made it clear that he wanted the ball for the ninth inning. “Just empty the tank,” Keller said. “They’re giving me the opportunity, just give it...
Mark Madden: Umpires hardly at root of Pirates’ offensive struggles — and other sports notes
In the seasons of wither, we’ll stand and deliver. Be strong and laugh and shout at the refreshing sports notes. I’m sure you’ve heard it all before… • Andrew McCutchen is hitting .182 with 31 strikeouts in 88 at-bats. The Pirates have scored 121 runs, ranking 24th in MLB. They...
Tim Benz: Blaming assistant coaches won’t fix Pittsburgh’s plodding sports teams
During a recent episode of “The Carton Show” on FS1, retired Pittsburgh Steeler Willie Colon said his former coach Mike Tomlin is in hot water. “I love Mike Tomlin. But I have to officially say he is on the hot seat,” Colon said. “When you talk about his overall record,...
After being target of fan frustration, Pirates 1B Rowdy Tellez starting to turn it around at plate
Rowdy Tellez understood the optics of getting caught admiring his work when his 100.6-mph line drive to right field ricocheted off the top of the Clemente Wall and bounced back into the outfield. In an instant, Tellez went from watching what he thought was a home run to sprinting and...
‘Looking out for us’: Pirates deliberate in development of Jared Jones, Paul Skenes
Yasmani Grandal has had a front-row seat for two of the featured attractions in baseball, starting behind the plate for Paul Skenes at Triple-A Indianapolis and Jared Jones for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the span of five days, the two-time All-Star catcher was witness to why they are more than...
Pirates farm report for May 5, 2024: Anthony Solometo, Bubba Chandler help end Curve’s 15-game skid
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 16-14) topped Buffalo (Blue Jays), 8-3. SS Nick Gonzales (.360) had two doubles, a walk and an RBI. 1B Jake Lamb (.403) was 2 for 3 with a walk. DH Malcolm Nunez (.261), 2B Liover Peguero (.306) and LF Matt Gorski (.236) all had RBIs. RF Dustin Peterson...
Pirates rally to beat Rockies, win 1st series since early April
If the last few weeks have served as any guide, the three-run hole the Pittsburgh Pirates found themselves in early Sunday afternoon should have been more than enough to sink them and lead to yet another loss. After all, the Pirates have managed three or more runs only twice in...
Paul Skenes surrenders 1st homer as a pro, as Pirates top prospect starts on 4 days of rest
The Pittsburgh Pirates wanted to see top prospect Paul Skenes check off an important box in his development by having the 6-foot-6½-inch right-hander make his first start on four days of rest. Skenes checked off another by surrendering the first home run of his professional career, as Buffalo’s Will Robertson...
Pirates GM Ben Cherington offers thoughts on Paul Skenes’ path, Henry Davis’ demotion
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington conducted his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan on Sunday afternoon, wrapping up as the club’s top prospect, Paul Skenes, prepared to make his seventh start for Triple-A Indianapolis. With Skenes posting a 0.39 ERA, 41 strikeouts and six walks to date at...
Pirates farm report for May 4, 2024: Ji Hwan Bae, hitting .404, collects 2 hits for Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 15-14) was blasted by Buffalo (Blue Jays), 9-3. LF Ji Hwan Bae (.404) went 2 for 3 with a run scored, an RBI and a walk. SS Nick Gonzales (.355) went 1 for 4 with a triple and a run scored. RF Jake Lamb (.392) went 1 for...
‘It’s just atrocious’: Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen rips strike zones of MLB umpires
When it comes to major-league batters’ recognition skills and their ability to win pitch-by-pitch battles with their mound opponents, Andrew McCutchen was unflinching in identifying a key component that’s out of a hitter’s control and subject to change nightly. “The strike zone’s horrible,” the Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter said before...
Jared Jones sizzles, Jack Suwinski delivers walk-off single as Pirates beat Rockies
As Jared Jones walked off the field in the seventh inning, a chorus of cheers erupted from the rain-drenched fans in honor of the best start yet by the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander. Jones allowed only one hit in seven scoreless innings while tying his career best with 10 strikeouts...
Pirates farm report for May 3, 2024: Jake Lamb collects 2 more hits for Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 15-13) was knocked around by Buffalo (Blue Jays), 10-4. RHP Wily Peralta (5.40) started and was mostly effective, giving up one run on three hits with four strikeouts and no walks. RHP JC Flowers (2-1, 6.59) came on and allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits and...
9th inning rally falls short, as Pirates fall to lowly Rockies for 5th straight loss
If their Friday night loss to the Colorado Rockies proves anything for the Pittsburgh Pirates, it’s that playing one of MLB’s worst teams offers no antidote to their ongoing issues, namely figuring out how to emerge from a frustrating multi-week offensive slump. The Rockies, who came to PNC Park with...
Amid offensive struggles, Pirates demote catcher Henry Davis to Triple-A
As one of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ No. 1 overall draft picks closes in on a highly anticipated MLB debut, Friday afternoon brought news that another will navigate an early career disruption. All eyes are on pitcher Paul Skenes, selected atop the 2023 MLB Draft by the Pirates, who is expected...
After adjustment period, Pirates counting on improved outfield with Michael A. Taylor in CF
When the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Michael A. Taylor, it was with the intention of adding a pure center fielder with a Gold Glove on his resume to improve their outfield defense. What they got for the first eight games of the season was a player whose bat was better than...
A look at Pirates’ offensive numbers finds little reason for immediate hope
I’m not sure the phrase “swept by the Oakland A’s” really needs much contextualizing, but let’s do that from a Pittsburgh Pirates’ perspective as they return home from a brutal California swing. Not only did the Pirates lose three in a row against the vagabond franchise from Oakland, but they...
Pirates farm report for May 2, 2024: 2 Bradenton pitchers take no-hitter into 9th
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 16-13) beat Buffalo (Blue Jays), 6-4. LF Billy McKinney went 2 for 4 with a double and a two-run homer, his second of the season. 1B Jake Lamb (.388) went 1 for 3 with a double. DH Canaan Smith-Njigba (.281) went 2 for 4 with a double and...
U mad, bro?: Some fans didn’t like the Steelers’ draft (or my opinions on it); ‘ruff’ debut for Pirates’ pup
Despite a draft that has gotten positive reviews, not all Pittsburgh Steelers fans are happy about the organization’s efforts last weekend. Others just didn’t like my coverage of it. We also have some angst over the Steelers’ QB situation, baseball pitch counts and general disdain over how the Pirates “have...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: After bottoming out in the Bay, Pirates need to find answers fast
The Pittsburgh Pirates bottomed out in the Bay, especially when they had chances to cash in. If the Pirates (14-18) losing 13 of their past 16 games to complete a freefall from first place in the NL Central to the basement of division standings in a two-week stretch isn’t alarming,...
Pirates farm report for May 1, 2024: Yasmani Grandal gets 3 hits on rehab assignment in Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 14-12) played small ball in a 14-5 win over Buffalo (Blue Jays). C Yasmani Grandal (.250) hit three singles and had three RBIs, DH Jake Lamb (.391) smacked two doubles and a single and drove in two runs, and Ji Hwan Bae (.391) hit three singles and a...
Pirates fail to deliver with runners in scoring position in shutout loss as A’s sweep series
The Pittsburgh Pirates ended their West Coast trip to the Bay Area the same way they started it: by getting shut out. The Oakland Athletics got an early lead on solo home runs from Abraham Toro and Tyler Nevin and cruised to a 4-0 win Wednesday afternoon to sweep the...
Pirates’ hitting woes continue in 5-2 loss to A’s
Numbers painted a sorry picture Tuesday night for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Oakland Coliseum, and the result was another loss, 5-2 to the A’s. It was the third in a row, fourth in five games on the current West Coast road trip and 12th in the past 15. But...
Pirates farm report for April 30, 2024: Nick Gonzales hits 3rd homer for Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 13-12) defeated Buffalo (Blue Jays), 4-3 in 11 innings. RHP Paul Skenes (0.39) struck out seven, walked one and gave up four hits in six scoreless innings, his longest outing a professional. He has struck out 41 in 23 innings with Indy. DH Yasmani Grandal (.231) hit a...
Pirates prospect Paul Skenes works 6 scoreless innings for Triple-A IndianapolisVideo
Paul Skenes’ sixth Triple-A start ended much like the previous five — with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2023 No. 1 draft choice taking command on the mound. In his longest outing of the season Tuesday for the Indianapolis Indians, Skenes pitched the game’s first six innings — scoreless for the fifth...
