Manager John Russell decided to give the lineup a shake-up on Saturday. The Pirates offense has been struggling; being held to just three runs or less in the last 16 of 27 games. But even with the new face lift, the Buccos weren’t able to pull a win and lost 3-2 to the Astros.

JR on the lineup shake-up:

“Looks good, doesn’t it? The five guys (at the top) are still the five guys; they’re just in a little different order. Left/Right, pretty much all the way through with a couple switch-hitters in there. It gives us a little more punch, a little bit higher, and aslo keeps the speed up top.”

The Pirates started the game off on a postive note. Andrew McCutchen hit a lead-off triple. Garrett Jones, who was hitting in the second spot for the first time in his carreer, followed up with a two-run home run quickly giving the Bucs a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Unfortunately, that would be the only runs the Pirates would score the remainder of the game.

 

 

Paul Maholm pitched 6.2 innings, three runs on nine hits, one walk and four strike-outs. Maholm pitched six strong innings but ran into trouble in the seventh. Paul gave off a lead-off single to Humberto Quintero then Bud Norris hit a sacrifice bunt moving pinch-runner Jason Bourgeois to second base. Angel Sanchez singled to tie the game at two. Hunter Pence gave the Astros the lead with a solo home run.

“To me I made three bad pitches and it cost us three bad runs,” Maholm said. “You wish we could have gotten a bigger lead, but I had a lead and I wish I could have made a pitch.”  

 

Bud Norris held the Pirates to just five hits through seven innings and struck out a career high 14.

“(Norris) had some good stuff today,” said Alvarez, who struck out in each of his four at-bats. “We swung at some stuff out of the zone. Maybe we were too anxious.”

“He was throwing everything hard,” McCutchen said. “He turned into somebody else after the first inning. We got on his fastball, so he changed sequence and started throwing his slider. He had it working for him.” 

 

 

Notes:

• The Pirates have lost six straight and are 0-8 at Minute Maid Park this season.
• Garrett Jones’ home run was the first Pirates home run in the first inning since May 17 (Delywn Young)
• Pedro Alvarez is tied with Pat Burrel and Adam Dunn with 11 RBI in the last 10 games (NL Leaders)
• Ross Ohlendorf (Since June 23rd) 9 starts, 45.2 IP, 2.19 ERA, 16/BB, 40/K, Record 1-3
• Bud Norris’ 14 Strike-outs are the most by an Astros pitcher since Wade Miller had 14 on May 30, 2003 at Chicago. Norris’s 14 Strike-outs are also second most in the Majors this year.
• John Bowker since Joining AAA-Indy: 10 games, .417 AVG, 5 2B, 5 RBI, 1 HR, .447 OBP
• Justin Wilson pitched a  GEM for AA Altoona 8IP, 0ER, 2H, 0BB, 11K, WIN. ERA down to 3.13.
• Mike Crotta tonight 6IP 0R 6H 2BB 6K, 4th straight solid start by the 25 year-old who was hitting 96 more than a few times. (via@ScottDMcCauley)

 

 

Sunday’s Pitching Matchup:

Jeff Karstens 2-8, 4.39 ERA

VS

J.A. Happ 2-1, 3.45 ERA

Karstens is just 0-6 since June 19 but that is not entirely Jeff’s fault. The Pirates have averaged 2.8 runs per game during that span. In Karstens’ last three starts he has an 2.65 ERA in 17 innings pitched.  

Happ has been inconsistent for the Astros since being traded by the Phillies in part of the Roy Oswalt deal. Happ tossed six shutout innings to beat the Brewers 2-0 in his debut game for Houston. His second start was a whole different story. He gave up seven earned runs on six hits and three walks in one inning of work against the Cardinals. Happ is 1-1 with an 2.40 ERA against the Pirates. 

 

 

I’m going to start a FREE JEFF CLEMENT tracker. In my opinion, Clement has much more upside than Lastings Milledge. Now, I know, Clement doesn’t play right field. My ideal situation would be to move Garrett Jones to Right, and to give Jeff another shot as the Pirates first baseman. Here’s why:

• Since being re-called from AAA-Indy Clement is batting .385 with two home runs, and three RBI. This is a pretty small sample size considering he has only gotten 13 at-bats. Since he got demoted, Jeff has been working on a whole new approach, read the interview here Clement also is power guy, and the Pirates don’t have many of those on the team. We need a guy that can hit for power and score us some runs.
• I like Lastings Milledge as a person. He always seems to be smiling and having fun, staying postive even though the Bucs have only 39 wins this year. As a player? I hate to say it, but the Pirates can do much better. Milledge is batting .272 on the season, which isn’t bad at all. League average for a right fielder is .267. Lastings is a very unpredictable hitter. He hits .361 with RISP but when bases are empty he is batting .240. This is a huge difference which is alarming. Milledge lacks power, BADLY. He has only three home runs on the season, very low for a right fielder. His OBP (.331) SLG (.374) and OPS (.705) are all very low for right fielder.
• Garrett Jones is a natural first baseman but struggles with making throws to second base. Jones also seems to bat better when he plays right, compared to first base. (7 Errors at first base this year) 

RF: .275 AVG, .351 OBP, .491 SLG, .842 OPS (71 games)

1B: .245 AVG, .297 OBP, .381 SLG, .679 OPS (47 games)

• To be honest, if I’m starting a Clement tracker, I should also start a BRING UP MOSS & BOWKER one as well. Both Moss and Bowker have power and can play OF/IB and are tearing it up in AAA-Indy.

Brandon Moss: .268 AVG, 20 HR, 81 RBI, .330 OBP, .477 SLG, .807 OPS

John Bowker since joining AAA-Indy (Part of the Javier Lopez trade from the Giants) .417 AVG, 5 2B, 5 RBI, 1 HR, .447 OBP  

 

 

• JEFF CLEMENT: Saturday night VS Astros:

2-for-4

•  Brandon Moss: 1-for-4, 2K 
• John Bowker: 1-for-4, 2K

 Pirates Lineup:

McCutchen 8

Jones 9

Tabata 7

Alvarez 5

Walker 4

Doumit 2

Clement 3

Diaz 6

Maholm 1

*The Buccos lineup is all kinds of crazy. Jones moves to the second spot and Walker drops down to fifth. Pedro moves up to cleanup and Tabata is batting third. I’m all for switching it up and seeing if it can get the boys hitting again. The Pirates have scored just 11 runs in their last 5 games. In the month of August they have been outscored 39-69 and are just 3-12.

I like the idea of giving Clement a start. Since he was re-called he is batting .333 with 2HR. He has a much different approach at the plate since the begining of the year when he struggled so bad. I think he deserves another shot.

I’m not happy to see Doumit back behind the plate. Synder just had the day off on Thursday. Yuck!

 

Astros Lineup:

Bourn 8

Sanchez 6

Pence 9

Lee 3

Keppinger 4

Michaels 7

Johnson 5

Quintero 2

Norris 1 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Pirates Pre-game, Greg Brown chatted with Chris Synder:

Greg Brown: “Chris, is it still special to come back home?”

Chris Synder: “It’s always good. This will be the first time I’ve come back here twice. I came back here earlier in the season with Arizona and now I”m back again. For the past few years, it’s just been the one time trip so now family and friends get the double dose.”

GB: “Now that your in the National League Central, you can count on at least two trips every year here. What about the family and friends? Still pretty good contingent on hand?”

CS: “Yeah it is. They already got their show early on in the season. There was close to 20 tickets that I think I left today.”

GB: “Chris when you grew up where you an Astros fan? And if you were, did you have any particular players that you watched closely?”

CS: “I was. I was a big Astros fan. As a young kid I’d probally say it would be easy to say Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott. As I grew up it was Biggio and Bagwell. All those guys, I loved watching the Astros.”

GB: “I assumed you went to games at the Astrodome and here.”

CS: “Yeah, I was there. I saw Randy Johnson’s first win as an Astro. I saw Mike Scott’s no-hitter. There are quite a few of them [that] I saw. A clinching game that they had, yeah it was fun.”

GB: “Now that you are with the club a couple weeks, do you feel comfortable calling yourself a Pirate or is it still kind of a strange feeling?”

CS: “It’s still a little different. I’m starting to get a little comfortable around the guys and getting to know them and know the pitchers I think which is most important. And starting to get a good feel for them. It’s just one of those things where you got to be the same guy you’ve always been.”

GB: “First time you came over we asked you about your learning crash course, in terms of the pitching staff and low and behold, shortly after that, changes in the pitching staff. Is that a thing that concerns you at all? Or do you kind of roll with the punches?”

CS: “I guess you kind of roll with the punches. I hadn’t been here long enough to know the situation where the two guys who are no longer here . I didn’t know what kind of situation they were in or what was going on or which direction the organization wanted to go. I’m not unfamiliar with coaching, managerial, general manger changes. That’s something I’ve seen quite a bit of in the past couple years.”

GB: “Now that you’ve gotten to know the team, gotten to know the staff, what do you think about the direction of this club Chris? The record is abysmal, let’s be honest about it. But what about the short and long term future of this club?”

CS: “I think this last month and a half is going to be big. It’s going to be one of those things where we kind of have to learn how we play. I have to learn what makes the pitcher sucessful because there is very good arms in the rotation, in the bullpen. The young guys with Tabata, Alvarez, Jones, guys like that, Walker. These guys are getting their taste of a first full season out of the way and it’s tough. If you look at it, as if they were Septemeber call-ups, they get the one month where your riding on adrenaline, the ball looks like beach ball. That first full season where pitchers learn who you are, scouting reports get out and your going to take your lumps. And they are getting that out of the way this year and they’re having success. So i think taking that and finishing up strong and getting used to playing the full season because September will creep up on you and It’s tiring. You get through that and take that into next year with a hunger of you don’t want to be a last place team anymore. Or you don’t want to keep up the, however many years that this team has had losing seasons, you want that to finally come to and end and you want to be part of it.”

 

 

 

Ross Ohlendorf pitched a beauty tonight. He went 6.2 scoreless innings giving up four hits, two walks and struck out seven. He cruised throught six plus with a consistent fastball of 94-95. He retired 18 of the last 21 batters he faced. Unfortunatly for Ross, he got a no decision. In his last eight starts he has a 2.54 ERA but is just 1-3.

Our bullpen is so good, especially the back of it,” Ohlendorf said. “I know next time I’ll be completely confident they’ll get the job done, too. Everyone’s going to have a bad game.”

The Pirates held onto a 1-0 lead into the eighth inning. Evan Meek pitched his worst outing of the season. In just 1/3 of an inning Meek gave up five hits, four runs; which included a three-run homer from Carlos Lee and a walk. The four earned runs are the most he has give up in an inning.

“Ohlendorf has pitched exceptionally well his last few starts,” Meek said. “You just want to come in so bad and throw a zero up on the board, hand it over to Joel [Hanrahan]. . . and come out with a win. We scored one run and we battled. My job and our job down there in the bullpen is to hold the lead. . . It just went downhill from there.”

Everything was up. When the ball’s up, they’re going to hit it. I just didn’t execute any pitches,” Meek said. “We really battled to get that run. Ohlendorf, I can’t say enough about his outing. To go in there and [try to] do what I’ve done all year, and just to pitch how I pitched, was tough. I’m just kind of in a rut. Falling behind hitters. Walking guys. When you do that, it’s not going to be pretty. Location was absolutely terrible, and I paid for it.”

 

*Photo from AP, The bench after Lee’s three run homerun and the blown lead.

 

During the eigth inning Meek was having problems with his right foot. He shook it multiple times, and limped after he threw the pitch. Evan even altered his delivery trying to not put pressure on it. When asked about his foot he said “No, just occasional aches and pains, that’s all.” After the game, his left calf was wrapped in ice.

 

 

 

The Pirates have scored only 10 runs in their last five games. In the ninth inning the Bucs failed to take advantage of a great oppurtunity. Alvarez walked and then Milledge reached first on a miss communication between Hunter Pence and Geoff Blum. Neither called it and the ball dropped down the right field line. Lopez threw a wild pitch, but only Pedro advanced, Milledge stayed put at first base. Delwyn Young came into pinch hit and hit into a game ending double play.

 

The Pirates are 0-7 at Minute Maid Park this season and have now lost five in row, eight straight on the road.

 

Brett Myers continued his consecutive streak of six or more innings pitched to 24. He is only the 22nd pitcher to do so since 1920, Curt Schilling in 2002 with the Diamondbacks was the last.  

 

 

 

Other News and Notes:

• Ronny Cedeno was out of the lineup for a second straight game. He is dealing with a left shoulder impingement. Cedeno is not sure how the injury occured.

“I woke up this morning and I felt sore,” Cedeno said. “I can take ground balls but I can’t swing.”

Ronny has been checked out by doctors and is expected to only miss a few days.

 

• Neil Walker in his last 24 games is batting .354 with 20 RBI and 11 multi-hit games.
• The Pirates signed Daniel Grovatt (11th round pick from the University of Virgina) .289 AVG, 9 2B, 4 3B, 8HR, 56 RBI as a JR last season
•  The Pirates have released Jeff Sues. Just two years ago Sues was the Pirates top minor league pitcher. He has been on the suspended list.

 

Just for fun, since it is Friday the 13th, here is a list of all the “bad luck” or the strange things that happened for the Buccos:

 

1. For the second game in a row Jose Tabata went 0-for-4. Your probally thinking, that’s no big deal. Well, it is the first time this season that he has gone hitless in back-to-back games.
2. Speaking of jinxes, the Astros had an umbrella giveaway tonight. During the seventh-inning stretch, the public address announcer asked fans to open their umbrellas and wave them. Many of them did just that … indoors (Minute Maid Park’s roof was closed) … on Friday the 13th. The only things missing were a black cat and broken mirrors. -TRIBLIVE
3. Today’s loss means the Pirates are only six games away from the 18th consecutive loosing season.
4. Evan Meek pitched his worst outing of the season giving up four runs on five hits through just 1/3 of an inning.
5. Ross Ohlendorf got a No-Decision after pitching one of his best starts of the season. Although, I’m not sure that’s bad luck per-say. It doesn’t help when the Pirates offense only scores one run.
6. Ross Ohlendorf also extened “the most consecutive starts with less than four runs of support to 24. (Ted Lilly- 22 09/13/08-08/13/10, Jonathan Sanchez- 22 07/25/08-09/22-09, Randy Jones- 21 05/29/80-05/15/81, Ed Whitson 21 08/30/78-06/07/80)
7. Neil Walker gave the Pirates their first lead in 38 innings with the RBI Single in the third inning. The lead only lasted five innings after Carlos Lee hit a three-run home run in the eighth.
8. Pedro Alvarez went 3-for-3 with a walk. The last time he did this? Exactly a month ago, on the 13th.
9. Ronny Cedeno, who is number 13, woke up Friday morning with left shoulder. He’s not sure how he injured it.
10. The Pirates have only 13 road wins this season.
11. Andrew McCutchen ended his 0-for-13 drought last night, with two consecutive singles.
12. Evan Meek looked like he injured his right leg during his outing last night. Now, I don’t want to look too much into it but I can’t help myself. He kept shaking it and was trying not to put much pressure on it during his delivery. After the game when asked about it, he said ”No. Just occasional aches and pains.” But he did kind of dodge the question a little and changed the subject quickly. Let’s hope its nothing serious. He was spotted with ice on his LEFT calf after the game.   
13. The Pirates play the Astros for the 13th time this season on the 13th home game in the month of September.

 

*Okay, So maybe some of those weren’t really bad or strange. It was harder than I thought coming up with 13. I hope I atleast entertained you.

  

 

 

Today’s Pitching Matchup:

Paul Maholm 7-10, 4.90 ERA

VS

Bud Norris 4-7, 5.63 ERA

Maholm is making his 150th career start. In his last outing he gave up eight runs, six of them earned, in 2 2/3 innings. Paul has been inconcistent since his shutout back in July, going 1-9 with an 9.90 ERA since then.

Norris got a no-decision his last time out, pitching 6 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits.  

Pirates Starting Lineup:

McCutchen CF

Tabata LF

Walker 2B

Jones 1B

Alvarez 3B

Milledge RF

Snyder C

Diaz SS

Ohlendorf P

 

* Ronny Cedeno is out of the lineup with a left shoulder inpingement.

 

Astros Starting Lineup:

Bourn CF

Sanchez SS

Pence RF

Lee LF

Blum 2B

Johnson 3B

Wallace 1B

Quintero C

Myers P

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other News and Notes:

 

• The Pirates traded AAA RHP Travis Chick to the Rangers for PTBNL or cash.
• 54 games into his career, Pirates Jose Tabata (0 for 4 Thurs) is yet to go hitless in back-to-back gms. Last player do it: Ichiro (87 gms) (via @RobBiertempfel)
• The Pirates signed 11th-rd pick OF Daniel Grovatt and assigned him to short-season A State College.
• LHP Danny Moskos was demoted from Triple-A Indy to AA-Altoona. Moskos has been struggling as of late.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Before the game started, Ohlendorf was 1-1 with a 0.90 ERA, 16 K in 20 IP (in his last 3 starts)

Ross exited the game tonight just after 1.1 IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 1K.

Normally, this would be a disaster of a game for the Pirates but tonight, it was the exact opposite.

The Pirates beat the Astros 12-6 and they had 17 hits on the night. I’m not kidding. I can’t even remember the last time the Pirates scored 12 runs, heck I can’t remember the last time they scored 8! I wasn’t at the game so here is the box score:

McCutchen 1-4, 2R, 1BB, SB

Tabata 2-5, 2R, 2RBI, 2 doubles (#8 &9)

Walker 3-5, 3R, 2RBI, K, 2B(11)

Jones 2-5, 2R, 2RBI, L, 2B(20)

Alvarez 2-5, RBI, K, 2B (6)

Milledge 2-5, R, 2RBI, K

Kratz (ML Debut) 2-5, R, 1RBI

Cedeno 2-4, R, RBI, BB, K, 2B

Church 1-1, 1RBI

LaRoche 0-1

Ohlendorf 1.1 IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 1K, 1HR

Carrasco 3.1 IP, H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 2K

Lopez 0.1 IP, 1H (W, 2-1)

Donnelly 1 IP, 1K (H,8)

Meek 1.0 IP (H,6)

Hanrahan 1.0 IP, 2K (H,15)

Dotel 1.0 IP

 

After the game, Kratz got greeted with a nice pie by D.J.

 

 I loved this! I had to take a picture!

 

Other Pirates Notes:

• Tabata leads all MLB Rookies with 9 Stolen Bases.
• Pirates in multirun homer drought -pirates.com
• Sarah Kratz (on husband Erik’s promotion to the Pirates)

“To see my husband in that major league uniform right now, I just can’t explain it. Even if this is the only game, even if it is just one game, Erik can say he was a major-leaguer.”

John Russell:

“It’s a good story. He’s worked really hard to get here, a lot of years to get here. It doesn’t matter if you are 21 or 30, the oppurtunity to play in the major leagues is what you play for.”

-Pittsburgh Post Gazette

 

 

Minor League Update:

• Brandon Moss 2H, 2RBI, 2K, HR, 2B
• Alex Presley 3H, 3R, 3RBI, 3B
• Jeff Clement 2H, 2R, HR
• Jason Jaramillo 2H, 2RBI
• Charlie Morton 5.1 IP, 5R, 4ER, 11H, 2BB, 2K, 2HR -99 pitches, WP
• Gorkys Hernandez 1-4, extends hit streak to 16 games
• Bryan Morris 4.2 IP, 5H, 6ER, 3K, 4BB (No decision)
• Nathan Baker (High A-Debut) 6IP, 5H, 3ER, 5K, 1BB (L,0-1)
• From Fri games:

Brian Bixler (Indy debut) 2-5, 3B, RBI

Jeff Locke (AA Debut) 5IP, 4H, 0ER, 5K, 0BB

Gorkys Hernandez 2-4, RBI (.272)

Josh Harrison 2-4, RBI (.314 AVG) Leads E.L

Quincy Latimore 2-5, Walk off HR, 2 RBI

 

 

 

Around the Ballparks:

• The Phillies activate third baseman Placido Polanco from the DL and released OF Juan Castro. (He batted just .198 with 13 RBI in 54 games this season)
• Entering Sat night, the White Sox have won 26 of last 32 games.
• Jered Weaver won his 60th Career game yesterday.

Fewest decisions to 60 career wins (active right handed pitchers)

ATL- Tim Hudson (86 decisions)

HOU- Roy Oswalt (86 decisions)

CWS- Freddy Garcia (89 decisions)

LAA- Jered Weaver (92 decisions)

• Bronson Arroyo (last 6 starts)

5-1, 2.20 ERA, 1.00 WHIP

2 ER or fewer in 5 of the 6 starts

• Worst Road Records (AL) -Entering Sat- win pct%

Orioles 13-34 .277%

Mariners 14-31 .311%

Indians 17-31 .347%

Tigers 16-26 .381% (who are 32-13 @ Commerica Park)

A’s 18-26 .410%

• Strasburg (last nights start) 6IP, 4H, 0ER, 7K. 99 Pitches, Nats beat the Marlins, 4-0.

Strasburg has 2 ER or fewer in 7 of his 8 career starts.

• 5 + Strikeouts and 3 ER or fewer (in each of first 8 career starts)

CIN G. Nolan 1967, 11 starts

LAD F. Valenzuela 1981, 8 starts

WSH S. Strasburg 2010, 8 starts

• Brett Myer is the only pitcher in MLB to go atleast 6 innings in each of his 19 starts this season.

Consecutive starts of 6IP + (to start season)

Brett Myers 19 games (2010)

Joe Niekro 14 games (1977)

Mike Hampton 14 games (1998)

Bob Knepper 14 games (1988)

Jose Lima 13 games (1998)

• Zack Greinke (First 19 starts, last 2 seasons)

Record:          (2010) 5-9              (2009) 10-5

ERA:              (2010) 3.67            (2009) 2.08

K’s:               (2010) 104              (2009) 136

HR Allowed:   (2010) 13                (2009) 4

• Adam Wainwright is the first Cardinals player to win 10 consecutive starts at home since John Tudor in 1985.
• The Rays are now 9-0 on the road this season when Jeff Niemann (5-0 individual record) takes the mound. (3.41 ERA 60.2IP, 23ER)
• Cliff Lee is the first player to pitch at least 9 IP in each of his first two games (with new team) and go winless in both since Bill Parsons in ’71 with the Brewers. 
•  Ichiro tied Yogi Berra in career hits (2,150, which is 190th on all-time list. Unlike Yogi, Ichiro had 1,278 more in Japan.
• Tony Gwynn of the Padres is the first NL player with two inside the park HR in the same season since Jimmy Rollins did back in 2004.
• The Giants gave away Tim Lincecum bobbleheads tonight. Apparently, they ran out 30 minutes after the gates opened. It’s actually pretty awesome:

 

 

 

 

Sadly, I had to miss the game tonight. I hate when I can’t be there but that’s life. I went to a Bridal Shower so i did enjoy hanging out with friends and family. It was “Garden themed” and were told to wear our favorite hat.

 

 

No, the Red Sox are not my favorite team calm down. Any chance to wear a ball cap I jump on the oppurtunity. I am a lover of baseball. I cheer for the Pirates because I grew up watching them, but I also root for many other teams and many other players. You will find me in all different team gear, at all different ballparks, I’m not a bandwagon fan, Im a lover of the game. (Plus it looked cute with my dress )

 

 

Tomorow’s Pitching Matchup:

Roy Oswalt

6-10, 3.08 ERA

Oswalt threw a one-hit shutout in his last start. The win put him one win behind Joe Niekro for the most wins in Astros history.

VS

Paul Maholm

5-7, 4.37 ERA

Maholm deserved a better fate after a fine outing in his last start before the All-Star break. Maholm held the Brewers in check before a rare bullpen lapse led to a 5-4 extra-inning loss.