Brandon Cumpton faces Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers for his MLB debut.

Brandon Cumpton makes his Major League debut for the Pirates on Saturday afternoon facing the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park. If his promotion came as a surprise to Pittsburgh fans, it was even more surprising for Cumpton.

“I was shocked. I had no idea,” Cumpton said Friday. “I didn’t see it coming at all. I was blindsided.”

Cumpton told reporters he has had a “pretty consistent” season for Triple-A Indianapolis, posting a 3.31 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 65.1 innings since being promoted from Double-A in mid-April. He has gone at least five innings in his last seven starts, offering the ability to give the Pirates multiple innings Saturday.

Hurdle said Cumpton’s recent strong outings separated him from other candidates to pitch Saturday and put him on the “express lane” to Pittsburgh, including allowing two earned runs or fewer in every start but one since April 26. But one huge factor was the fact that Cumpton was already scheduled to start Saturday for Indianapolis.

“Let’s be very factual — this is his day to pitch,” Hurdle said. “There’s a handful of guys you talk about [who] can’t make the start.”

Andy Oliver has walked 60 batters this year, by far the most in the International League.

Left-hander Andy Oliver, who started seven Major League games with Detroit, was one of the names discussed. He pitched five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and three walks Friday night for Indianapolis, which Hurdle called “a much better outing.” However, Oliver needed 109 pitches to do so and is coming off three straight starts in which he walked six batters. He has not had an outing with fewer than three walks since April 29.

“His command has not been his best friend,” Hurdle said, but added Oliver will remain in consideration for future starts.

As it is, Brandon Cumpton will wear number 58 and take the PNC Park mound on Saturday for Hurdle’s team.

“It’s exciting when you can write a first time player’s name in the lineup. I get gassed up over these opportunities,” Hurdle said. “It’s one of the best parts of the job for me.”

Bonus Notes!

• Left fielder Starling Marte remains day-to-day with rib discomfort and has not played since Wednesday night. Alex Presley will start again in left field. If Marte cannot play in Cincinnati on Monday, the Pirates will consider placing him on the 15-day disabled list.

• Wandy Rodriguez (left forearm tightness) threw 15 pitches on flat ground before Saturday’s game, all fastballs. He said he felt good and will pitch a bullpen session Monday to integrate his offspeed pitches.

• 

  Brandon Inge faces another left-handed pitcher Saturday. (Photo Credit: David Hague)

  Brandon Inge gets his fourth start of the year in right field Saturday with the Pirates low on outfielders. Hurdle’s reasoning: ”I’m trying to give Inge some opportunities to get some type of consistency with at-bats, because we need his bat in play coming off the bench.”

• The Pirates face former Cy Young Award-winning lefty Clayton Kershaw on Saturday. Kershaw pitched seven shutout innings against the Bucs in April at Dodger Stadium (I love my recap of that game, by the way). ”We haven’t matched up as well as I thought we would against left-handed pitching,” Hurdle said. Pirates hitters have a .674 OPS against lefties this year vs. .687 OPS against righties.

• Why did Hurdle remove Jeff Locke after seven innings Friday night? ”It had nothing to do with Locke’s innings. It had nothing to do with him coming up [to hit]. It had everything to do with him walking seven last time out and pitching his backside off through seven and [Mark] Melancon needs to get back into play.”

• Left-handed pitcher Mike Zagurski cleaned out his locker Saturday after being designated for assignment. ”Sometimes things just don’t work,” Hurdle said. “The location was probably as much of a challenge for him at this level as anything. He wishes he would have done more.”

• If Jeanmar Gomez (right forearm strain) makes another rehab start, he would get into an every-fifth-day pattern in order to return to the rotation. The Pirates are in discussions about when to get Gomez back to the Major League roster. Gomez completed three innings in his rehab assignment Thursday for Indianapolis, but threw a less-efficient 63 pitches.

• The team is also discussing how to use James McDonald. The Pirates have until June 26 to put him back on the Major League roster, allowing him to make three more rehab starts. Rotation or bullpen? Hurdle said the team will “see what’s available and how it’s gonna best serve the ballclub.”

Clint Hurdle confirmed Brandon Cumpton will make his MLB debut Saturday afternoon.

Let’s review the Pirates’ scheduled starting rotation following the news that Brandon Cumpton will take the place of injured A.J. Burnett.

Dodgers Series

• Friday: Jeff Locke
• Saturday: Brandon Cumpton (MLB Debut)
• Sunday: Gerrit Cole

Reds Series

• Monday: Francisco Liriano
• Tuesday: Charlie Morton
• Wednesday: Jeff Locke
• Thursday: To Be Announced

Angels Series (not confirmed)

• Friday, June 21: Gerrit Cole
• Saturday, June 22: Francisco Liriano
• Sunday, June 23: Charlie Morton

Mariners Series (not confirmed)

• Tuesday, June 25: Jeff Locke
• Wednesday, June 26: Gerrit Cole

That takes the Pirates to Friday, June 28, when they return to Pittsburgh to face the Brewers. Such a schedule would give Wandy Rodriguez (scheduled to pitch a side session Saturday) a total of 22 days off from his left forearm tightness and A.J. Burnett 19 days off from his calf tear. Manager Clint Hurdle said the team will take a “wait and see” approach on Cumpton before committing to starting him beyond Saturday’s start.

Burnett Update

A.J. Burnett said he suffered a Grade 1 calf tear this week while slowing down during a regular running routine, feeling a combination of a “pop, tug and pull.”

“It was a freak thing,” Burnett said. “I kind of wish I had done it goofing off.”

The pitcher’s right leg is in a protective boot and will have to stay off the leg as the calf gets aggravated when Burnett bends his ankle. He says he feels day-to-day.

“We’ll see how it feels every day,” Burnett said. “Hopefully I can get back sooner than later and not turn it into a six-week thing.”

Burnett was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday after what Hurdle called a “freak incident.” He would be eligible to return for the Seattle series June 24.

“This start’s not a chance, to push it to the next one doesn’t make sense,” Hurdle said. “When you look at the options, why not give him ample time to recover, to get 100 percent?”

Left fielder Starling Marte remains day-to-day and is not in Friday’s lineup. Hurdle said Marte felt discomfort in his ribs after sliding head first into second base during the 6th inning of Wednesday’s game against the Giants and sat out Thursday’s contest.

Mattingly, McGwire, Belisario Suspended

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, hitting coach Mark McGwire and relief pitcher Ronald Belisario will all sit out Friday’s game in Pittsburgh to serve their suspensions for Tuesday’s brawl with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mattingly and Belisario were suspended one game, McGwire for two. Relief pitcher J.P. Howell and second baseman/outfielder Skip Schumaker each appealed his two-game suspension. Bench coach Trey Hillman will act as the team’s manager Friday night.

Mattingly called himself a “peacekeeper” and said he was “surprised” at the suspension for Schumaker. Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy received the longest suspension, 10 games for throwing at Zack Greinke to start the fight.

“[Kennedy] seemed like he was kind of the instigator that started it and then piled on,” Mattingly said. “He got the most, which seems fair.”

David Manel of Bucs Dugout asked Mattingly if he expected to find the Pirates 12 games over .500 in mid-June.

“I can’t say that I actually seen it coming,” Mattingly said. “I just knew they had a good club and that when we prepared for them, they had a lot of the same guys… their regular everyday players just getting more experience.”

Charlie Morton returns after nine rehab starts in the minor leagues.

Pirates right-handed pitcher Charlie Morton returns to the mound Thursday night at PNC Park, facing the San Francisco Giants almost one year to the day since his reconstructive elbow surgery.

Morton becomes the 10th different starting pitcher Pittsburgh has used, yet the Pirates still maintain the 5th-best rotation ERA and 8th-best FIP in the National League. The average-to-above-average numbers are a testament to unexpectedly solid contributions from Jeff Locke, Jeanmar Gomez and Francisco Liriano.

The arsenal of pitches Morton throws will be pretty much the same as you remember. Here is how he threw his pitches over the 2011 and 2012 seasons, per BrooksBaseball:

1. Sinker – 91.7 miles per hour (57% of pitches)
2. Curveball – 78.8 mph (18% of pitches)
3. Fastball – 92.5 mph (9% of pitches)
4. Changeup – 84.3 mph (7% of pitches)

Morton was previously working on a cutter but has scrapped it. Will Graves of the Associated Press asked Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, is there anything different about Morton?

“He’s got a kid,” Hurdle joked.

Cheeky. As for what Hurdle will be looking for from Morton, who has gotten up to 98 pitches in his rehab from Tommy John surgery:

• Get past the fifth inning
• Command and location of pitches
• Mound presence and tempo

Once Morton makes his 2013 debut, his Major League future is unknown. Both Hurdle and Morton say they “don’t know” what his role will be going forward. Hurdle “will know more after watching him” and is hoping to see the Morton that posted a 3.80 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .711 OPS in the first half of 2011 with his then-new sinker and three-quarters arm slot.

With starters Burnett and Rodriguez on the disabled list, and James McDonald still on his rehab, Morton has the “first opportunity” to move on a spot on a starting rotation spot. However, Hurdle acknowledges he may not have the luxury to see more than one or two starts from Morton before making a decision.

“That will be the challenge,” Hurdle said. “This won’t be an opportunity for us to bring guys back and say, ‘Okay, you’ve got 3-4 starts. We hope you get better each time out.’”

Moves Made Today

The roster moves made the Pirates are detailed here. Let’s get up to speed on everything that has happened.

• A.J. Burnett (right calf strain) was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 9, opening a 25-man roster spot for Morton.
• Jose Contreras was released unconditionally, opening a 40-man roster spot for Morton.
• Charlie Morton was activated.
• Starling Marte was scratched after originally appearing in Thursday’s lineup. He is day-to-day with rib discomfort. Alex Presley will start in left field.
• Outfield prospect Gregory Polanco was promoted to Double-A Altoona.
• The team provided updates on their many injured players.

Mercer Starting Again

Jordy Mercer is starting at shortstop for the second night in a row. Since his recall on May 15 and including Thursday night, Mercer has started 10 of 27 games at shortstop, one game at second base and has appeared in 19 games. During that time, Mercer has posted a .292 average, is coming off a 3-for-5 performance Wednesday night and has played “solid defense” according to Hurdle.

“He’s finishing games,” Hurdle said. “How much more confidence can you show in a guy when he’s finishing games at shortstop?”

Offensive Comparison, 2013:

Mercer – .278/.296/.494 in 82 plate appearances
Barmes – .201/.235/.270 in 170 plate appearances

I asked Hurdle if we will see more of Mercer in the future.

“We’re not quitting anybody. We’re not putting anybody aside,” Hurdle said. “We know the impact that Barmes has been able to provide for us in the last year-plus defensively up the middle. We do think there are times when that bat will still play and help us out offensively.”

Still, Hurdle says Mercer’s “confidence level has never been higher. His game is as fresh and as solid as it’s ever been.”

Players and managers alike were impressed by the velocity and command on Cole’s fastball. (Photo Credit: David Hague)

We all watched Gerrit Cole impress in his Major League debut Tuesday night. I wrote about it. You (hopefully) read it, and now it’s on to the next one.

But before it is on to the next one, I wanted to compile the best insight about Cole becoming a part of the Pirates’ rotation. Enjoy –

Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants Manager:

“He pitched well. He pitched real well and we knew what a good arm he has and he showed it tonight… He had good command [of his fastball]. he located pretty good and threw some good offspeed pitches. He showed poise out there for his first outing.”

Russell Martin, Pirates Catcher:

“Today, he didn’t even really have to work too hard to get off the gameplan. It was just fastball, fastball, fastball, and every once in a while he would mix in a curveball. He didn’t even really show how good a pitcher he was, because he’s able to mix his pitches when he needs to and stuff, but today he didn’t have to do that.”

Travis Sawchik, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

“Indianapolis pitching coach Tom Filer thinks Cole’s 86-90 mph changeup could be his best pitch if he can harness command of it. He thinks it could be a true strikeout pitch. He has stuff similar to Strasburg’s but he does not enter the majors with the command Strasburg possessed. Cole was very good Tuesday, but he is just scratching the surface of his pitching potential.”

Clint Hurdle, Pirates manager on Cole’s fastball:

“It’s not straight as a string. There’s finish to it. There was conviction. Plus there’s downhill plane. It’s downhill angle and it’s down in the zone, and that’s very hard to hit.”

John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall.com:

“When everything is right with Cole, he throws quality strikes with four pitches and looks like a number one starter. But everything isn’t always right. Despite the glowing reports, the whole is not always equal to the sum of the parts and Cole will have occasional outings where he gets lit up. His delivery is clean but lacks deception, and quality hitters sometimes take him apart if his location is off.”

Jon Paul Morosi, FOXSports.com:

For Pittsburgh to finish with its first winning record since… 1992, Cole needs to pitch his way into the company of Matt Harvey and Shelby Miller among the league’s top young starters — and do so very quickly. This wasn’t a charming, pitch-count-controlled start buffered by diminished expectations. Cole isn’t here to blossom on his own schedule, according to developmental timetables. Effective immediately, Cole is a vital part of the Pirates’ rotation.

Gerrit Cole’s pitches were classified as sliders by MLB, but they were curveballs. (Photo Credit: David Hague)

Marc Hulet, FanGraphs on Cole’s last minor league start:

Cole’s heavy fastball is so good he used it almost exclusively the first time through the lineup. He displayed a mature approach and clearly wasn’t worried about striking out batters… His slider, though, was inconsistent. The best breaking ball I saw in the game was a downward breaking curveball… What worried me was that both his slider and his changeup came in around 86 mph to 88 mph and I’d prefer to see more separation in velocity between the two offerings.

Howard Megdal, Sports On Earth (he also linked to us, which was nice):

Cole struck out just two hitters all night. And as the game wore on, the Giants started making better contact. How much of this was by design, from an organization that is famous for wanting its pitchers to pitch to contact, and how much was a product of a still-developing set of secondary pitches, we’ll only find out in the coming games of Cole’s career.

Tony Sanchez, Triple-A Indianapolis catcher, to ESPN 970′s David Todd:

“He gets fired up. He’s gonna look pissed off. He reminds me of A.J. Burnett. When A.J. pitches, A.J. looks pissed. He doesn’t look happy. He hates every hitter. And Gerrit’s similar to A.J., he’s gonna go out there and throw his 100 mph fastball, and then you’re gonna see him mix in a 90 mph changeup and it’s gonna have hitters out in front… One of the big reasons for his recent success is that change in velocity.”

Other Notes

• After Francisco Liriano starts Wednesday night, the rotation will go as follows:
  
  • Thursday: RHP Charlie Morton
  • Friday: RHP A.J. Burnett (vs. Dodgers)
  • Saturday: LHP Jeff Locke (vs. Dodgers)
  • Sunday: RHP Gerrit Cole (vs. Dodgers)

• Weather forecasts in Pittsburgh indicate a low chance of rain Wednesday night until 10 p.m. Both teams took batting practice outside, which would not happen if there was even the possibility of pre-game rain. If there is a delay, manager Clint Hurdle says his policy will be to end a pitcher’s evening if the delay goes an hour or more.

• Cole’s breaking balls looked like sliders to Hurdle, but catcher Russell Martin insists they were curveballs. Martin spoke to Cole before his debut, and the pitcher said he felt confident in his curve.

• RHP James McDonald (shoulder discomfort) threw 89 pitches over six innings Tuesday night for Triple-A Indianapolis, his fourth rehab start. Hurdle was encouraged by his sequences and improved control of baserunners, but said McDonald “wasn’t as sharp as he needs to be,” including issues with command. His fastball sat 89-93 mph, slider at 76-79 (which is low). Hurdle wants to see more separation in velocity among his breaking pitches and more first-pitch strikes.

• Brandon Inge is starting in right field Wednesday night behind strikeout/flyball pitcher Francisco Liriano. Hurdle’s explanation: “We look at the flyball lanes, and where they’re it. There’s times not every statistical analysis situation you’re gonna put in the right compartment. Inge needs to play for me. He needs to get some at-bats against a left-handed pitcher.”

• Giants bench coach Ron Wotus will manage San Francisco. Manager Bruce Bochy has been suspended one game after being ejected Tuesday night and will serve it immediately. RHP George Kontos was suspended three games for hitting the Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen. Since Kontos was sent down, he will have to serve his suspension (or appeal it) when he returns to the Major Leagues.

• The Pirates will continue to use metal-detecting wands Wednesday night after stopping their use at game time Tuesday. The new policy created long lines for fans entering the ballpark. Karen Price has the story for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, including President Frank Coonelly’s statement.

2011 No.1 overall pick Gerrit Cole will make his Major League debut tonight at PNC Park against San Francisco.

Cole, of course, was the No. 1 overall selection in 2011 out of UCLA and thanks to a combination of stuff and need will take the mound for Pittsburgh this evening to face the visiting San Francisco Giants. It will be the first time a pitcher taken with top selection in the draft has made a Major League debut since Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 for Washington nearly three years ago to the day.

Expectations for Cole are high, but most would consider anything close to they type of debut Strasburg had a major success but even if he does not dominate the Giants a solid start leading to a win for the Pirates are is what Pirates manager Clint Hurdle is hoping for.

“We chatted earlier today. He gets to blaze his own trail,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “I share with all the players when they get here to respect everything and fear nothing. First thoughts count for a lot.”

Hurdle said that Cole, along with the rest of the starting rotation, will not be on a strict pitch count the rest of the season and that the goal is to get through seven innings, see where they are at both physically and mentally and then go from there.

Where Cole is at entering Tuesday’s game has been a good place. He pitched well in his final two appearances at Triple-A Indianapolis, but the International League is one thing and the defending World Series champions are another.

“Once the first pitch or two gets out of the way I think he’ll get to the place he needs to get but he might get there before then,” Hurdle said. “I’m just looking forward to watching him.”

Several of the Pirates veterans spoke about Cole and said that while it is a memorable moment for any player to make his big league debut guys have to settle down and take care of the job at hand.

“When you get through the first inning you don’t feel your legs,” Pirates closer Jason Grilli said.  ”There’s a lot going on. You finally get to the point where you get to experience and live out your dream for the first time. There’s only one time that you get to do that and for Cole tonight it’s going to be special. We’re excited. We know what he’s capable of doing and he’s arrived. Hopefully it’s a good show for everybody involved tonight.”

The confidence in Cole extends beyond his fellow pitchers. Andrew McCutchen said what the team saw from him during Spring Training was good and they expect that to carry over to the big leagues.

“We know what he’s capable of doing,” McCutchen said. “We saw what he did all of Spring Training this year. Just seeing that alone, there’s nothing else that needs to be said. He definitely has the stuff to get people out.”

**

Wandy Rodriguez officially went on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday after complications during a catch session on Sunday in Chicago. Hurdle said Charlie Morton is “Plan A” to make his 2013 debut on Thursday.

James Santelli has more from Morton about what to expect from his Thursday start.

**

James McDonald will make a rehabilitation start for Indianapolis tonight. Hurdle said the goal is get McDonald to 90 pitches.

Alex Presley said “it’s definitely an exciting time to be here.” (Photo credit: David Hague)

Vinnie Richichi from 93.7 The Fan asked manager Clint Hurdle what was most encouraging about the first third of the season.

“There’s more there,” Hurdle said. “I’m not sure there is any more out of our bullpen, but there’s more out of our starting rotation. There’s more out of our offense.”

Other areas Hurdle liked:

• Defense (Pirates are 1st in MLB in defensive efficiency, 3rd in DRS, 12th in UZR)
• Baserunning (Pirates are 8th in FanGraphs’ baserunning stat, 14th in stolen base percentage)

So how does Hurdle intend to overcome Bucco Collapse Syndrome (the new B.C.S.)?

“I think there’s been growth along those lines for the guys, in particular, that have been here now for the third year,” Hurdle. “We’ve got some guys that have been here externally that really don’t have that on them anyway. There’s no barnacles.”

Just for fun, let’s see what some of the Pirates are on pace for. All we have to do is multiply by three:

• Starling Marte: .290, 15 home runs, 30 doubles, 108 runs, 153 strikeouts, 42 stolen bases
• Andrew McCutchen: .290, 21 HR, 42 doubles, 105 runs, 81 RBI, 42 stolen bases
• Garrett Jones: .272, 15 HR, 36 doubles, 78 RBI
• Travis Snider: .263, 6 HR, 30 doubles
• Pedro Alvarez: .200, 30 HR, 177 strikeouts
• Russell Martin: .262, 18 HR, 30 doubles

Isn’t “on pace” fun?

• A.J. Burnett: 9-15, 2.72 ERA, 267 strikeouts, 87 walks
• Jeff Locke: 15-3, 2.25 ERA, 126 strikeouts, 78 walks
• Wandy Rodriguez: 18-6, 3.58 ERA, 123 strikeouts, 27 walks
• Jason Grilli: 1.09 ERA, 74 innings, 114 strikeouts, 15 walks, 66 saves
• Mark Melancon: 0.93 ERA, 87 innings, 87 strikeouts, 6 walks
• Justin Wilson: 1.41 ERA, 96 innings, 90 strikeouts, 42 walks

Presley’s Back

The Pirates made several roster moves today, adding pitchers Atahualpa Severino, Graham Godfrey to the system and promoting pitcher Zack Thornton from Altoona to Indianapolis. They also reinstated Chase d’Arnaud from the 60-day DL to Indy, while placing pitcher Kyle Waldrop on the Triple-A disabled list.

But the only move that affects the Major League roster is the promotion of outfielder Alex Presley and demotion of Josh Harrison. Bill Brink of the Post-Gazette pointed out the Pirates face three right-handed starting pitchers against the Reds this weekend, and the only main left-handed reliever of concern to Hurdle is Aroldis Chapman.

Hurdle also said he will be looking to give a day off to Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte over the next two series with the Pirates in the midst of 16 games in 16 days. Presley hit .281 for Indianapolis with a .798 OPS, stealing 9-of-12 bases.

“[I'm] just trying to work on a lot of the speed aspects of my game and stuff like that to get them ready and tune them up,” Presley said. “I’ll have a chance to do some of that here, hopefully.”

And it’s an exciting time for Presley to join the club.

“Any time we play the Reds, it’s a big series and especially the team’s playing really well,” Presley said.

Other Roster Tidbits

• RHP James McDonald will pitch for Double-A Altoona in Portland, Maine on Saturday aiming for five innings and 80 pitches.
• RHP Charlie Morton will pitch for Triple-A Indianapolis in Columbus on Sunday going for 80 pitches.
• IF John McDonald was scheduled to play in the minors Thursday, but was scratched.
• Bullpen Availability: LHPs Tony Watson and Justin Wilson plus RHP Vin Mazzaro likely will not pitch unless they are really needed. Jason Grilli is available to close.
• 3B Pedro Alvarez was originally in Friday’s lineup after missing Thursday for wisdom teeth extraction, but was then scratched.

Lineups!

Cincinnati Reds (33-21, 3rd place in NL Central, 2.5 games back)

1. CF Shin-Soo Choo (.295 average, 10 home runs)
2. SS Zack Cozart (.242)
3. 1B Joey Votto (.345, 10 HR)
4. 2B Brandon Phillips (.287, 8 HR)
5. RF Jay Bruce (.266, 7 HR)
6. 3B Todd Frazier (.230, 6 HR)
7. LF Derrick Robinson (.342)
8. C Ryan Hanigan (.173)
9. RHP Johnny Cueto (2-0, 2.76 ERA)

Pittsburgh Pirates (34-20, 2nd place in NL Central, 1.5 games back)

1. LF Starling Marte (.290)
2. 2B Neil Walker (.273)
3. CF Andrew McCutchen (.290, 7 HR)
4. 1B Garrett Jones (.272)
5. RF Travis Snider (.263)
6. C Michael McKenry (.250)
7. 3B Brandon Inge (.211)
8. SS Clint Barmes (.212)
9. LHP Wandy Rodriguez (6-2, 3.58 ERA)

• 93 runs scored in first five innings (0.34 per inning)
• 103 runs scored from the 6th-9th inning on (0.49 per inning)

Clint Hurdle called Neil Walker the “hottest hitter on the club.” (Photo Credit: David Hague)

I don’t know whether this difference shows a team that makes good offensive adjustments as the game goes on or if it’s just random variance. Either way, the difference is a big reason for the Pirates’ 15 comeback wins (3rd in MLB behind Oakland and Atlanta).

Wednesday night’s 5-3 comeback victory was a prime example, as Neil Walker was the only Pirates player who reached base on Detroit starter Anibal Sanchez before the Bucs scored four runs in the 7th inning off him.

“He hadn’t left anything up yet, let’s just keep battling, and they did,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said Thursday. “It’s that World Cup soccer game. It’s overtime hockey. All you’re doing is working extremely hard and you’re not seeing any benefits from it. But you wait for an opening.”

Most of the conversations about in-game adjustments run through hitting coach Jay Bell. Players can also review video with new assistant hitting coach Jeff Branson, whom Hurdle called “a wonderful addition” to the Pirates’ staff.

“Sometimes it’s good to actually walk away from the dugout,” Hurdle said, “And see what the guy’s throwing on a video screen and just kind of go ‘Wow. It felt nasty at the plate. It really is.’”

Pedro Not in Clubhouse

Third baseman Pedro Alvarez is home resting after having two wisdom teeth removed Thursday.

“We sent him home,” Hurdle said. “If he feels better, he’ll come back.”

If you were wondering, and I know you were not, Hurdle still has his wisdom teeth.

Injury Updates

• OF Jose Tabata (oblique strain) resumed physical activity Wednesday. Hurdle said he also had a root canal operation. The Pirates ought to get some 2-for-1 deals at the dentist.
• RHP James McDonald (right shoulder) will pitch Saturday in Portland, Maine with the Double-A Altoona Curve, expected to throw five innings or 80 pitches. In his last start, McDonald walked four batters and did not get out of the 1st inning.

Morris Escapes Lion’s Den

Rookie reliever Bryan Morris faced a difficult task Wednesday night: keep the Pirates within two runs in the 7th inning against All-Stars Torii Hunter, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder.

“Obviously [they] are three of the better hitters in baseball,” Morris said. “Whoever I’m facing, my job is to get them out.”

Morris hit Hunter with a 1-2 fastball, but then drew ground balls from Cabrera and Fielder for a double play and the third out. The Pirates followed it up with their four-run offensive inning.

Bonus Hurdle!

On Thursday starter Jeff Locke, who has pitched 14 straight scoreless innings: “The transformation is special… Locke’s showing up going for six straight [quality starts] tonight. I didn’t have that going in. Did you? Coming out of Spring Training?”

On if he puts more weight on this weekend’s Reds series: “No, I don’t. I’m not wired that way… I need to be the guy they can depend upon every day to show up the same way every day. If I show up with a heightened sense of awareness, that might electrocute some in a good way, that might electrocute some in a bad way. Every game has value to me.”

On his involvement with the Pirates’ draft: “I’ve just asked questions, basically, and every once in a while I’ll get asked to look at some tape and give some feedback if it’s a position player.”

Starting Lineups

Detroit Tigers (29-21, 1st place in AL Central)

1. 2B Omar Infante (.296 batting average)
2. RF Andy Dirks (.250)
3. 3B Miguel Cabrera (.368, 15 home runs)
4. 1B Prince Fielder (.272, 9 HR)
5. SS Jhonny Peralta (.337)
6. LF Matt Tuiasosopo (.320)
7. C Brayan Pena (.314)
8. CF Avisail Garcia (.231)
9. RHP Doug Fister (5-2, 3.65 ERA)

Pittsburgh Pirates (33-20, Tied for 2nd place in NL Central)

1. LF Starling Marte (.296)
2. 2B Neil Walker (.266)
3. CF Andrew McCutchen (.289, 7 HR)
4. 1B Garrett Jones (.270)
5. C Russell Martin (.250, 6 HR)
6. RF Travis Snider (.263)
7. 3B Brandon Inge (.224)
8. SS Jordy Mercer (.291)
9. LHP Jeff Locke (5-1, 2.45 ERA)

Justin Wilson may see more late-inning relief outings in place of Mark Melacon. (Photo credit: David Hague)

That success has not come without a cost, though, or at least a mortgage. Mark Melancon (0.96 ERA, 1.74 FIP) has pitched the 10th-most innings in the NL, while Justin Wilson (1.45 ERA, 3.10 FIP) has pitched the 4th-most. Tony Watson is on pace to throw the most innings of his career by far, Jason Grilli could pitch many more than last year, and Vin Mazzaro has been used in many games during his first season as a full-time reliever.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle monitors the innings of his high-leverage relievers, but points out that “on pace” innings often do not come to fruition for several reasons, specifically citing a point last year when Joel Hanrahan was on pace to make 90 appearances.

“And I had trouble getting him a save opportunity the last month of the season,” Hurdle said. “One thing I think we’re gonna need to do a better job of is to create some separation offensively. That’s one way to take care of that.”

Possible fatigue for Melancon is probably of greatest concern, as the set-up man has appeared in 28 of the team’s 52 games this season. Hurdle said that number is “high,” and that he may back away from some of Melancon’s opportunities going forward.

If Melacon can’t pitch every 8th inning with the lead, Hurdle named Wilson, Mazzaro and Watson as candidates to start pitching more of those high-leverage situations. Wilson is ready for such outings in his first full Major League season.”

“When the phone rings and your name is called, you just get ready like it’s any other inning,” Wilson said.

Jaws In The Clubhouse

The bullpen’s “Shark Tank” nickname got some teeth Wednesday afternoon, as an aquarium was plopped into the Pirates clubhouse. It was Jason Grilli’s idea, and the tank has three inhabitants: a yellow and black banded cat shark, a coral cat shark and a blowfish.

Blowfish?

“They said [Mike] Zagurski brought that,” Hurdle said. “You need to have some fun in this game.”

Grilli told me he saw the buccaneer-themed aquarium accessories like a pirate ship and skull and got an idea. The tank was donated by Gary Knabe, a Pirates season ticket holder who owns Elmer’s Aquarium in Monroeville. They are small sharks, but Grilli doesn’t mind.

“They’re kind of just dormant until feeding time. That’s kind of how we are in the bullpen,” Grilli said.

The two sharks do not have names yet, but Grilli suggested “Teke” for one as an homage to Pirates bullpen great Kent Tekulve.

Morton Still Rehabbing

Charlie Morton’s rehab starts have gone since April 18, due to a setback in early May.

Charlie Morton is scheduled to make another rehab start Sunday in Columbus for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians with a pitch count of 80 pitches and a focus on pitch selection.

“He’s gotta nail the sinker, throw the curveball and the changeup,” Hurdle said.

Morton was in the clubhouse talking about his newborn baby, Charlie V, who was born last Thursday.

As for Morton’s spot when he returns to the Pirates? Hurdle said “there are a lot of different things to consider,” but gave kudos to Jeanmar Gomez for the job he had done in the rotation.

“He was one of the guys we took a flier on,” Hurdle said. “The way it’s played out? Nobody had that. He deserves a lot of credit.”

K-Town

Prepare for plenty of strikeouts Wednesday night at PNC Park. Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez has struck out the fifth-most hitters in the AL and Burnett has struck out the most in the NL.

The PNC Park game record for most pitcher strikeouts is 16, set by Randy Johnson on August 28, 2001. Never in the ballpark’s history have two pitchers recorded 10+ strikeouts in the same game.

Bonus Hurdle!

On appreciating the job the Pirates have done so far: “I do think you need to enjoy the ride. Too many times we get caught up on ‘head down, go hard’ and when we do well, we’re supposed to, and when we don’t, then we punish ourselves. That’s not a way to live.”

On Miguel Cabrera, who he compared to Barry Bonds and Albert Pujols: “He’s as good as we’ve got going in the industry… You know if he’s gonna hit again [in the game].”

On avoiding DH Victor Martinez in a National League ballpark: “It looks like he’s starting to get hot too, so I’ll be glad we’re done with him in about two more days.”

On opposing manager Jim Leyland: “[He] can do this in his sleep, National League or American League. The game’s not going to present anything to Jimmy that he can’t handle or that he’s not ahead of.”

Lineups

Detroit Tigers (29-20, 1st place, AL Central)

1. LF Andy Dirks (.252 batting average)
2. RF Torii Hunter (.312)
3. 3B Miguel Cabrera (.373, 14 HR)
4. 1B Prince Fileder (.273, 9 HR)
5. SS Jhonny Peralta (.339)
6. C Alex Avila (.177)
7. 2B Omar Infante (.303)
8. CF Don Kelly (.186)
9. RHP Anibal Sanchez (5-4, 2.38 ERA)

Pittsburgh Pirates (32-20, 3rd place, NL Central)

1. LF Starling Marte (.297)
2. 2B Neil Walker (.259)
3. CF Andrew McCutchen (.290, 7 HR)
4. 1B Garrett Jones (.269)
5. C Russell Martin (.255, 6 HR)
6. 3B Pedro Alvarez (.197, 10 HR)
7. RF Travis Snider (.262)
8. SS Jordy Mercer (.288)
9. RHP A.J. Burnett (3-5, 2.57)

Wandy Rodriguez won his fourth-straight start Sunday. (Photo credit: David Hague)

One moment in particular struck me about the Pirates’ 5-4 win in Milwaukee on Sunday. If Wandy Rodriguez had been able to retire Norichika Aoki or Jean Segura or Ryan Braun in the 5th inning, the Bucs would have exited Miller Park having given up only five total runs in the three-game series.

You can play the “if, and, but” game all day long, certainly, and the Brewers have a very good top of the lineup for a reason. But what that sequence tells me is that the Pirates had a tremendous weekend at their usual haunted house, and that they are on a roll in preventing runs.

Bill Brink from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweeted out this stat after the game:

#Pirates have not allowed more than four runs in 12 consecutive games.

— Bill Brink (@BrinkPG) May 27, 2013

Let’s put those numbers into some context. The Pirates are the only team this season to go more than 10 straight games allowing four runs or fewer, and this is the franchise’s longest such streak since doing it for 15 straight games in May 2005 (with a combination of Josh Fogg, Kip Wells, Mark Redman, David Williams and Oliver Perez)

The franchise record, at least as far as Baseball-Reference’s Play Index goes back to 1916, is 18 straight games set by the 1968 Pirates (Al McBean, Bob Veale, Steve Blass, Jim Bunning, Al McBean, Bob Moose and Luke Walker). You may recognize 1968 as the last year the pitcher’s mound was 15 inches high instead of its current 10 inches to increase offense.

This group of Jeanmar Gomez, Jeff Locke, Francisco Liriano, A.J. Burnett, Rodriguez and the bullpen have been phenomenal the last two weeks, but how long will it take until this streak reaches Major League records?

Longest Streaks with Four Runs or Fewer (Since 1969)
1. **2010 Giants (23 straight games)
1. 1972 Cubs (23 games)
3. 1981 Athletics (21 games)
4. 2002 Diamondbacks (20 games)
4. *1979 Orioles (20 games)
4. 1970-71 Angels (20 games)
7. 1973 Cardinals (19 games)

*American League Champions
** World Champions

(Courtesy of Baseball-Reference’s Play Index)

One commonality between those two streaks: neither Pirates team used that run-prevention to win games. The 2005 Bucs had an 8-7 record during the run, and the 1968 team went 9-9. On the other hand, the current Pirates used their strong pitching and defense, plus some below-average competition, to go 10-2 over the 12-game streak. Despite an offense that has underachieved, the 2013 Bucs are better offensively than the 2005 version and have a chance to be better than the 1968 team that finished 80-82.

If you wanted to expand a little, you could also say the Pirates have not allowed more than five runs in 19 consecutive games, which is also a very nice run of success. Over those 19 games, the Bucs have gone 14-5. Yes, playing the Brewers, Cubs, Astros, Mets and Mariners over that span takes some of the shine off, but no one can say the Pirates did not take advantage of a relatively easy slate.

Now it gets more difficult: a four-game home-and-home series vs. Detroit, three games vs. Cincinnati and three games at Atlanta over the next 10 days. All of those teams feature strong offenses, and represent a significant test for the Pirates and their winning ways. If the pitchers and the defense can continue to shut opponents down, these Pirates will look more and more like a true contender.

Travis Snider could regress a bit from his .346 BABIP, but the power is there. (Photo Credit: David Hague)

Maybe Brad Lincoln hits a pinch-hit home run if you give him a chance.

Travis Snider did so to lead the Pirates to a 5-4 victory Tuesday, all a part of a successful 2013 campaign with the Pirates after being swapped for Lincoln.

His approach has been strong this season: swinging at the fewest pitches in his career, especially outside the strike zone; making the most contact on pitches in his career. Thus, Snider has reduced his strikeout rate to a career-best level, and is maintaining a walk rate above his career average. All of that has been in only 119 plate appearances, though, so there is more to see before we declare Snider a changed man in terms of plate discipline.

The results have been among Snider’s career best offensive: with highs in on-base percentage and wRC+, and his numbers could be even better had he gotten more lift on a couple doubles off the wall. If he will never live up to the expectations of an elite power prospect, Snider can still be very effective attacking right-handers at the top or middle of the order. For his part, Snider does not consider himself a power hitter, but his manager might.

“We seem to be the only ones here not concerned about the power,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “We wanted him to focus again on being a good hitter, because I think that’s one of the things that had escaped him a little bit.”

On the left is Travis Snider’s stance in 2001, with his knees more bent. On the left is Snider’s stance Tuesday night, more straight from top to bottom.

Don’t forget, he is still only 25 years old. Hurdle noted the Pirates have been re-building Snider’s swing since he arrived from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 30, 2012.

“When we got him, we felt that the basic stroke and the strengths of the stroke had kind of disconnected,” Hurdle said. “We felt confident that once he got the swing back, the power will follow.”

As for Lincoln? He is moving back and forth between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo. Snider appears to be with the Pirates to stay.

The Pitchers Three

Hurdle provided updates on the rehabilitations of starting pitchers James McDonald, Jeff Karstens and Charlie Morton.

• First, McDonald: He threw a successful bullpen session Tuesday and is scheduled for a side session Friday before his rehab starts are scripted out. (“So far, so good,” Hurdle said.)
• Now for Karstens: His bullpen session Tuesday went well too, and an announcement about his next rehab start should come today.
• Finally, Morton. He had a “productive outing” for Double-A Altoona on Tuesday, Hurdle said, throwing a four-pitch mix with increasing comfort and good stamina, even touching 96 miles per hour. Next up are six innings (90 pitches) in Buffalo for Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday, then seven innings (100 pitches) on May 31 in Columbus.
• What role will Morton play after those rehab starts? ”We all believe that starting is Charlie’s niche,” Hurdle said, though he says the team still has time to decide.

Bonus Hurdle!

• On the Pirates’ 14 comeback wins, tied for the most in MLB: “The mindset was developed after the last month of the [2012]. I think the guys came to spring with a little bit of a rock in their shoe, and rightfully so. They didn’t like the way things finished. We’ve moved on past it, but I think there are times you need to hold on to that angst.”
• On the Pirates’ MLB-best 2.54 ERA in May: “We’re throwing strike one efficiently enough that it’s setting us up for the rest of the at-bat,” and that ”many men have been left on base” by the bullpen.
• On facing the Cubs’ Jeff Samardzija, who shut out the Bucs for eight innings, with two hits and 9 strikeouts: ”We need to put other uniforms on, because he only picked up his second win of the season last week, and he had to hit a two-run homer to do it. He’s been nails against us… I tell my guys, ‘We’re due!” If he comes up with that stuff we saw Opening Day, it’s going to be a challenge.”

Starting Lineups

Chicago Cubs (18-26, 10.5 games back in NL Central)

1. CF Julio Borbon (.222 average)
2. SS Starlin Castro (.271)
3. 1B Anthony Rizzo (.267, 10 homers)
4. LF Alfonso Soriano (.270)
5. RF Scott Hairston (.115)
6. C Welington Castillo (.286)
7. 3B Cody Ranson (.302)
8. 2B Darwin Barney (.223)
9. RHP Jeff Samardzija (2-5, 3.49 ERA, 64 K, 21 BB)

Pittsburgh Pirates (27-18, 2.0 games back in NL Central)

1. LF Starling Marte (.309)
2. RF Travis Snider (.278)
3. CF Andrew McCutchen (.274, 6 homers)
4. 1B Garrett Jones (.282)
5. 2B Neil Walker (.241)
6. C Russell Martin (.269, 6 homers)
7. 3B Pedro Alvarez (.197, 8 homers)
8. SS Jordy Mercer (.279)
9. LHP Francisco Liriano (2-0, 1.64 ERA, 16 K, 5 BB)