Breaking News

Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Central

Rodriguez falters early, Pirates fall to Cubs 3-2

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Wandy Rodriguez felt the jitters when he woke up Thursday morning preparing for his first start in nearly a year.The nerves faded by the time the Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander walked into PNC Park. After six increasingly promising innings, the Pirates could exhale, too.Though Rodriguez took the defeat in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs, he wasn't exactly ready to call his return to the mound a failure after missing most of the 2013 season with tightness in his left forearm."I threw well in spring training but today was different," Rodriguez said. "I was emotional. ...

Alvarez powers Pirates by Cardinals 12-2

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pedro Alvarez mashed two home runs that traveled an estimated 831 feet Friday night.It was a series of sprints by the burly Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman, however, that ignited a 12-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.Alvarez broke open a close game in the sixth by beating out a potential double play, followed it up with the fifth stolen base of his career then scored with a deft slide around St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina's tag that gave the Pirates the momentum they needed to pull away."I thought the stolen base was key," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He puts a lot ...

Pirates GM Huntington, manager Hurdle extended

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Clint Hurdle doesn't want to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates unless Neal Huntington is his boss. Huntington doesn't want to help run the club unless Hurdle is in the dugout.The combination that's returned the franchise to respectability will remain intact for years to come.Hurdle and Huntington agreed to new deals on Saturday that will keep them in Pittsburgh through at least 2017, giving the Pirates the kind of internal stability they haven't enjoyed in decades."There's no place I'd rather be," Hurdle said.Financial terms were not disclosed. The contracts include a club ...

Cardinals strike early, down Pirates 6-1

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Every time the St. Louis Cardinals faced Francisco Liriano in 2013, the Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander found a way to push the Cardinals around.At long last, St. Louis pushed back.The Cardinals jumped on the Pirates ace early, Yadier Molina hit his second homer of the season and Jhonny Peralta added a late two-run shot as St. Louis pulled away for a 6-1 win on Saturday night.The victory was the first by the Cardinals against Liriano, who went 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA against St. Louis last season, including a triumph in Game 3 of the NL division series."He's tough, man, but ...

Pirates’ Taillon set for Tommy John surgery

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Right-hander Jameson Taillon, considered the Pittsburgh Pirates' top pitching prospect, will have Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire season and likely part of 2015.Dr. David Altchek will perform the surgery in New York at a date to be determined.Taillon, 22, began feeling pain in his elbow with two weeks remaining in spring training after being assigned by the Pirates to their minor league camp. Doctors prescribed two weeks of rest, but Taillon again felt pain when he tried to throw again.While Taillon does not have a fully torn ligament, Altchek felt it was ...

Pirates slip past Cardinals for 2-1 victory

PITTSBURGH (AP) - For his first start with the Pirates, Edinson Volquez beat Adam Wainwright. That'll do nicely as an early return on that offseason contract he signed with the Pirates.Tony Sanchez hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Sunday.Singed to a one-year, $5 million contract as a free agent in December, Volquez was sharp in his first start for the Pirates as he gave up one run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts. That came after Volquez pitched two scoreless innings of ...