Pirates pass first half test, but there is work still ahead

July 18, 2014

During any given school year between first grade and senior year of high school, I stressed out at least four times every 10 weeks.When the end of the grading period was approaching I had my calculator out trying to figure out my average grade in each class for that term."Oh, sweet. That 94-percent on the biology pop quiz will really boost my grade. Oh, no. That 55-percent on the the biology exam will totally bring my grade down."It went something like that - four times a year - for 12 years.Thankfully, those years are behind me. Kids, sorry if you're still stuck in that phase. But be ...

Pirates’ resiliency leads to come from behind victory

July 19, 2014

PITTSBURGH - Travis Snider's pinch-hit double in the eighth scored Neil Walker to spark the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night.Walker trotted home when Colorado right fielder Carlos Gonzalez couldn't track down Snider's sinking line drive off reliever Matt Belisle (2-5). All-Star Josh Harrison added a sacrifice fly one batter later.Tony Watson (6-1) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Mark Melancon got Troy Tulowitzki, representing the tying run, to ground out to third to end it for his 17th save.Starling Marte tripled and drove in ...

ON A ROLL

July 20, 2014

By WILL GRAVESAssociated PressPITTSBURGH - Jordy Mercer doubled home Neil Walker with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.Walker led off the inning with a single against Colorado's Chad Bettis (0-2), moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored one batter later when Mercer hit a drive deep into the gap in left-center.Jared Hughes (5-2) earned the win after escaping a two-on, one-out jam in the 11th by snagging a line drive from Charlie Blackmon and turning it into a double play.Walker ...

How sweep it is

July 21, 2014

PITTSBURGH - Taking the extra base was the key for the Pittsbur'gh Pirates in completing a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies.Andrew McCutchen hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning, Neil Walker followed with a home run and the Pirates overcame a three-run deficit to beat the Rockies 5-3 Sunday.Walker advanced to second on right fielder Carlos Gonzalez's throw following his second-inning single. Jordy Mercer stole second in the sixth inning, and Josh Harrison swiped second in the seventh.All three wound up scoring."We're going to be aggressive," Walker said. "We're going to ...

Bucs’ home win streak snapped

July 22, 2014

PITTSBURGH - A sharp Hyun-Jin Ryu and some clutch hitting enabled the Los Angeles Dodgers to overcome the absence of two top sluggers.Ryu pitched seven strong innings, Adrian Gonzalez reached base five times and Los Angeles beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Monday night.Ryu (11-5) joined Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw in making the Dodgers the first team in the majors with three 11-game winners. The left-hander allowed two runs and five hits with a walk and five strikeouts."He had a good fastball, a good curveball and he threw his fastball to both sides of the plate," Los Angeles ...

Pirates get back to winning ways

July 23, 2014

PITTSBURGH - Clint Hurdle watched rookie Gregory Polanco scuffle for the better part of two weeks before giving the talented but raw right fielder a needed night off on Monday.The downtime paid immediate dividends.The 22-year-old smacked a solo home run and delivered a tiebreaking two-run single in the sixth inning, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 12-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.Polanco entered the game hitting .133 since July 5 but smacked a bases-loaded single with two outs in the sixth off Los Angeles reliever Jamey Wright to put Pittsburgh in front for ...