Maholm gets a pie after pitching a beauty

 

 

 

 

The Pirates won 9-0 and took the Series win over the Astros.

Paul Maholm pitched an absolute gem. He had a complete game 3-hit shoutout. He is the first Pirate to pitch a complete game this season (before yesterday’s game, the furthest a starter has gone was 8IP.) It was also Maholm’s fourth career complete game, and his second career complete game shuout. He threw 103 pitches, 9IP, 3H, 0ER, 1K, 0BB. He was dealing too. After six innings Maholm threw just 58 pitches with two hits.

He is now (6-7) on the season and his ERA dropped to 4.03.

The Pirates bats came alive once again (who are these guys?!?) and accumulated 19 hits.

McCutchen 1-4, 2RBI

Tabata 3-5, RBI, SB, 2R

Walker 2-5, RBI

Jones 1-4, HR(12), 2RBI

Alvarez 2-5, R

Doumit 3-5, RBI, R

Milledge 2-4, RBI, R

Cedeno 4-4, 2 R

 

Roy Oswalt left the game with a left ankle contusion. He went 4IP, 7H, 2ER, 5K, 0BB.

 

It was definitely a fun game to be at. The Pirates in the last two games have been playing really well together and are feeling more comfortable at the plate. The Pitching has been great as well.

 

“When you put up runs like that, it makes it a lot easier to go out there and be aggressive,” said Maholm, still wiping off shaving cream after being pied in the face for the first time since his rookie season. “I tried not to throw too many of the same pitch in a row. I think that’s the biggest thing.”

“It’s been 2 1/2 years since I’ve had one,” Maholm said. “So with that pitch count, I would have stayed out there for 130 to finish it off.” 

 Pirates.com 

 

Before the game started I was selected for “Smile of the Game” I received a free Kodak Video camera and was on the jumbo tron. I was so excited! Of course, I had to take a picture for you guys. (Thanks to the Pirates and Kodak for the gift! I can’t wait to use it)

 

 

Other

 

 

Pirates News and Notes:

• McCutchen is batting .326, 3HR, 9RBI vs the Brewers this season.
• The Pirates are 24-17 when they score first this season.
• The Calvary (this season, stats entering Sat)

Neil Walker             Pedro Alvarez             Jose Tabata

.275 AVG                .214 AVG                   .241 AVG

10 2B                      5 2B                           7 2B

3 HR                        3HR                           6 RBI

12 RBI                     11 RBI                         8 SB

• Jose Tabata has not had an error in 32 games.
• Garrett Jones (last year post All-Star break)

.290 AVG, 79H, 19 2B, 16 HR, 37 RBI, 7SB

• Erik Kratz (on his baseball career)

“I love playing baseball. It’s a generic, corny answer, but I really do. And that’s what kept me going…you put the work in and at the end of the day, if you don’t measure up or you fall short of where you want to get to, you’ve put in what you could. That’s where I was in my career. That’s pretty much all that was pushing me.” -Pirates.com

• Prospect Watch (Hitters):

(Indy) Alex Presley .340 AVG, 9HR, 55 RBI, .921 OPS

(Curve) Gorkys Hernandez .274 AVG, 2HR, 25RBI, 17SB

(Curve) Josh Harrison .319 AVG, 1HR, 53RBI, 25SB

(Spikes) Adalberto Santos .346AVG, 2HR, 17RBI, .464OBP

(GCL) Exicardo Cayonez .346 AVG, 13RBI, .449SLG

• Prospect Watch (Pitchers):

(Curve) Justin Wilson 7-4, 2.85 ERA, 1.16 WHIP

(Curve) Rudy Owens 8-3, 3.00 ERA, 1.05 WHIP

(Curve) Jeff Locke 10-3, 3.35 ERA, 88K/14BB

(Bradenton) Nate Baker 6-6, 3.09 ERA,.212 OPP AVG

(Spikes) Zack Von Rosenberg 1-4, 4.85 ERA, 17K/6BB

• Bucs working on dealing Penn to Japan -Pirates.com
• Tim Alderson (Bradenton Debut) 1.2 IP, 7ER, 6H, 3BB, 0K
• The Pirates have had 36 hits in their past two games after totalling 33 in their previous five.
• Pirates suspend Right-handed pitching prospect Diego Moreno for “unprofessional conduct” -pirates.com 
• GM Neal Huntington on how he plans to evaluate the second half of the season -ByGoshItsLangosch
• Garrett Jones two run homerun yesterday was the first non-solo HR for the Pirates in 1,097 conecutive at bats.
• GFJ (last 17 games, entering Sat) .188/.211/.290 -70 PA. His OPS is down to .758 on the season.
• Pedro Alvarez has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games.
• Sunday was the first time the Pirates have had seven doubles in a game since June of 2003.
• The Pirates turned back-to-back season high hits, Sat (17) and Sun (19).
•  8 of Ronny Cedeno’s last 11 hits have been doubles.

  

 

After I got home from the game, I watched Pirates Pre-game, and had to take a picture of this. The Pirate Parot had Rob King held at gun point. I thought it was pretty funny.

 

 

 

 

 Today’s Pitching Matchup:

Chris Capuano (spot starter)

On the Road this season: 0-1, 5.79 ERA, .381 OPP AVG

Vs the Pirates: 2-6, 6.34 ERA in 11 Starts

VS

Jeff Karstens

At Home this season: 2-0, 4.97 ERA, .265 OPP AVG

Vs the Brewers: 0-2, 4.01 ERA in 5 Starts

 

 

 

Around the Ballparks:

• The Twins won their first walk off win yesterday against the White Sox, scoring four runs in the bottom of the ninth. (W 7-6) 19 of the 21 games this season have been decided by 3 runs or less.
• Major league pitchers 34 percent more likely to be injured than fielder, new study finds -ScienceDaily
• Doc Halladay yesterday went 6IP, gave up 6 R, 5ER, 7H, 3K, 2HRs.
• The Indians earned their first four-game home sweep over Detroit since 1991.
• Angeles designate Paul McAnulty for assignment -mlbtraderumors
• Beckett to throw side tuesday, to start friday for Red Sox -projo
• Astros designate Casey Daigle for assignment and purchase contract of RHP Gary Majewski from Round Rock.
• The Padres extend Manager Bud Black’s contract by three years.
• Manager Ken Macha says Milwaukee Brewers batters being hit too often -ESPN