In 2021, the Milwaukee Brewers won first place in the NL Central, despite having the 19th best wOBA and the 23rd best wRC+ in baseball. They were eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS in...
The Pittsburgh Pirates look like they need a day off. Fortunately for Pirates fans, Thursday's action will feature top prospects Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler on the mound.
That might take the sting off the series sweep...
Blue Jays 5, Pirates 3 The Pirates lost to the Blue Jays at McKechnie Field this afternoon. Pitchers Mike Crotta, Chris Resop, and Joel Hanrahan each pitched a scoreless inning for the Pirates, with both Crotta and Hanrahan retiring the side in order. Crotta was aided by a leaping catch by SS Pedro Ciriaco. Starter Paul Maholm pitched 5 innings and allowed 4 runs -- a solo homer in the 1st, then a 2-run homer in the 3rd. Another run scored in the 3rd on a walk, a stolen base and a single. Jose Veras allowed one run in the 8th on two singles and a sacrifice bunt, but he struck out the last two batters he faced to get out of the inning.
2B Neil Walker tied the score in the bottom of the 1st with his second home run of the spring. 1B Lyle Overbay and RF Garrett Jones added a run in the 4th. Overbay walked, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Jones' single through the right side of the infield brought Overbay across the plate. The Blue Jays helped with the Pirates' final run in the 8th. With two outs, CF Corey Wimberly singled up the middle, and he also moved up to second base on a wild pitch. Three straight walks, to 3B Josh Rodriguez, pinch-hitter Andy Marte, and Jones, forced in Wimberly. The Pirates tried a last-minute rally in the 9th, when C Wyatt Toregas singled and 2B Jordy Mercer walked. A fly out by Wimberly ended the rally, though.
Also in the game today: LF Josh Fields, C Dusty Brown, RF John Bowker.
In Minor League Camp: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 6, Indianapolis Indians 5 The Indians had an early lead, as they faced Phillies' star Roy Halladay this afternoon. DH Tony Sanchez picked up 2 RBI with a timely double in the 1st inning, and C Travis Scott added an RBI double in the 2nd inning. The Indians had runners on first and third in the 5th inning, when RF Miles Durham (on third) and DH Gorkys Hernandez (on first) pulled off a double steal, for the Indians' fourth run off Halladay. 2B Christian Colonel made it 5-3 in the top of the 8th with a solo home run. But the Iron Pigs tied the score with 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th, taking advantage of two Tribe errors and a sacrifice fly. Reliever Anthony Claggett then surrendered a double, which drove in the go-ahead run and gave Claggett the loss.
A 2-run homer by 2B Neil Walker in the top of the 6th gave the Pirates the go-ahead run and one more for insurance, as the Pirates beat the Phillies in Clearwater, FL. A solo homer by Phillies' DH Ben Francisco off Pirates' starter Paul Maholm put the first run on the board in the bottom of the 2nd. It was the only run Maholm allowed in his 3 innings of work. He did not walk any batters and struck out two. Jeff Karstens took over for Maholm to begin the 4th. He also gave up a run, when Francisco and 2B Delwyn Young both doubled. Karstens retired the side in order in the 5th inning.
1B Lyle Overbay had 3 hits for the Pirates, beginning with a lead-off single in the 2nd inning. That time, he was forced out at second on a subsequent play. Overbay led off the 4th with a double into left field. He moved to 3rd base on Neil Walker's ground out, then scored on DJ Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly. RF John Bowker tied the score in the top of the 5th, when he doubled into left field, then scored on ground outs by SS Chase d'Arnaud and CF Andrew McCutchen. Overbay's third hit of the game was a line drive single in the top of the 6th, and Walker followed that with his blast over the right field wall to give the Pirates a 4-2 lead.
Tony Watson came on to pitch the 6th inning. He had two runners get on base, with a walk and a throwing error by d'Arnaud. But d'Arnaud redeemed himself moments later, when he took the throw from Watson on a bouncer back to the mound, and turned the inning-ending double play. Watson gave up a run in the 7th on a pair of singles, a sacrifice bunt, and an RBI single. That inning also ended on a double play, when Watson struck out former Pirate Brandon Moss, then C Dusty Brown threw out the runner from first as he tried to steal second base. Sean Gallagher buzzed through three batters, retiring all on a total of 5 pitches in the 8th inning. Chris Leroux took the top of the 9th, and he also got out of a jam with a spectacular double play. A walk, a sacrifice bunt, and another walk put two runners on base with one out. SS Freddy Galvis lifted a long fly ball to left center field, but LF Alex Presley tracked it down with a long running catch, then whirled and fired in to the infield. A relay by SS Brian Friday, then to 1B Garrett Atkins, and the runner from first base was doubled off, ending the game. Leroux was credited with the Save, and Karstens got the win.
Also in the game: 2B Pedro Ciriaco singled in the 8th and stole second base. CF Corey Wimberly, 3B Josh Fields, PH/DH Andrew Lambo, an PH/RF Steve Pearce all got into the game.
The Pirates played two split-squad spring training games this afternoon (Monday):
Orioles 6, Pirates 4 The Pirates were held to 5 hits at McKechnie field this afternoon, but one of the big ones was a 2-run homer over the left field wall in the bottom of the 9th by RF Miles Durham, who was up from minor league camp. 1B Lyle Overbay also singled for the Pirates, scoring the first Pirates' run of the game in the 5th. 3B Pedro Alvarez knocked in the remaining run for the Pirates, in the 6th inning. LF Jose Tabata led off the inning with a single, stole second base, then scored on Alvarez's single Alvarez also doubled for the Pirates.
LF John Bowker, SS Brian Friday, CF Mel Rojas, 3B Andy Marte, 1B Steve Pearce, 2B Chase d'Arnaud, 2B Jim Negrych, and C Wyatt Toregas all got into the game for the Pirates.
Paul Maholm took the loss for the Pirates. He gave up a run in the 1st inning on a double and a single, then another on a solo homer in the 2nd. Jeff Locke allowed a run on two hits in the 6th. He allowed a single and a walk, then with two outs, an RBI single brought in a run. Justin Wilson got the first out, then walked the next three batters to load the bases in the 8th. A double and a sacrifice fly drove in all three of the base runners. Jeff Karstens pitched 2 scoreless innings, then Tyler Yates, and Mike Crotta each pitched a scoreless frame. Cesar Valdez finished up the 8th for Karstens, then pitched a scoreless 9th, facing only 4 batters.
After several games in which the Pirates struggle to find hits, today they busted out with 15 of them, beating the Houston Astros 13-1 in Grapefruit League play.
CF Andrew McCutchen got things started with a 2-run homer in the 1st inning, and another run came in on an RBI single by 1B Jeff Clement. McCutchen tripled in the 2nd inning, and RF Garrett Jones' homer brought him in, to give the Pirates a 5-0 lead. �In the 3rd inning, it was 3B Andy LaRoche's turn to send one over the fences, following another single by Clement. �When starter Paul Maholm (batting 8th, in the Pirates' new plan) also singled, and 9th slot hitter SS Bobby Crosby also got on base,�2B Aki Iwamura brought both of them in with a 3-run homer. �That gave the Pirates a 10-0 lead after 3 innings. �Clement picked up his third hit of the day and his second RBI with a double in the 4th inning. �Iwamura also had 3 hits for the afternoon, and in the 5th, C Ryan Doumit hit his second double, for an RBI. �The Pirates also added one more run in the 8th.
Besides going 1-for-3 at the plate, Paul Maholm had a good day on the mound. �He earned the win with 5 innings of work, and allowed one run, which came on former Pirate Matt Kata's RBI single in the 4th inning. �Maholm gave up 6 hits and 3 walks, but worked himself out of trouble, aided by a timely double play in the 4th. �The rest of the pitching staff allowed only one baserunner, who got on with a walk in the 9th inning. �Octavio Dotel pitched for the second day in a row. �Dotel, Evan Meek, and Jack Taschner each pitched a 1-2-3 inning of relief. �Javier Lopez allowed that walk in the 9th, but retired the other three batters he faced.
Also in the game: 2B Brian Friday, C Luke Carlin (scored a run), and LF Evan Chambers (walked).
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The Indianapolis Indians were scheduled to play a AAA game against the Las Vegas 51's this afternoon -- no word on the results at this point.
Home runs were the order of business in Bradenton today, as the Pirates lost to the Red Sox in Grapefruit League play. �Pirates' starter Paul Maholm gave up three home runs in his 5 innings of work, as he was charged with the loss. �Maholm struck out 7 batters, and didn't walk any. �Of the 5 hits he allowed, 3 were homers. �A single and a homer gave the Red Sox a 2 run start in the top of the 1st. �Solo home runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings, made it a 4-1 game. �In the 5th, a double and a sacrifice fly accounted for another run charged to Maholm. �The Red Sox' other run came in the 6th, on two singles and a sacrifice fly off reliever DJ Carrasco. �Javier Lopez, Brendan Donnelly, and Octavio Dotel each pitched a scoreless inning for the Pirates, and Donnelly struck out two batters. �Dotel made his first Grapefruit League appearance, coming back from a strained left oblique muscle. �He was a little wild -- only 10 of his 22 pitches were strikes, with one wild pitch, and he walked one batter and hit another.
The Pirates scored in the bottom of the 1st inning. �2B Aki Iwamura doubled, then stole third base. �LF Lastings Milledge walked, then RF Garrett Jones brought Iwamura in with a ground ball right to the Sox' first baseman. �The Pirates didn't score again until the bottom of the 9th. �3B Jeremy Farrell, up from minor league camp, had the best hit of the day: �a huge blast over the center field wall for a home run, smacked in front of his father, who is the Sox' pitching coach, John Farrell. �Another minor leaguer, PH Kris Watts, worked a walk, and scored when PH/2B Delwyn Young also homered. �In the innings between the scoring, the Pirates struck out 16 times, with Red Sox starter Josh Beckett collecting 9 of those strikeouts in his 5 innings of work.
Also in the game: �SS Jordy Mercer, 1B Steve Pearce, RF Quincy Latimore, and C�Luke Carlin.
