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Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Central

Homeland Security exercise in Pittsburgh ballpark

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A homeland security exercise is taking place around Pittsburgh's PNC Park.The riverfront home of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team will be used Tuesday for authorities to practice responding to a series of suspicious-package reports during an event. The Pittsburgh Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the Army National Guard, the Ohio State Civil Support Team and PNC Park officials will participate.Parts of Mazeroski Way, a street in front of the park, will be closed from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pirates beat Castro (2 HRs) and Cubs 7-6

CHICAGO (AP) - The Pirates had a four-run lead in the first inning and were up two runs after five.Both times the Cubs came back, with Starlin Castro providing much of the power.In the end, the Pirates were finally able to shut down Chicago.Pedro Alvarez had two hits and two RBIs, and Russell Martin drove in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning as Pittsburgh beat the Cubs 7-6 on Tuesday night.Jason Grilli closed with a perfect ninth for his second save in three chances."We just kept playing," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "It's not about what's not happening. ...

5 HRs not enough as Pirates fall to Cubs 7-5

CHICAGO (AP) - Russell Martin struggled to recall the last time he witnessed such wacky production from his team's offense.The Pittsburgh Pirates hit five home runs against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, including two home runs each from Martin and Pedro Alvarez. The problem was Pittsburgh finished with only one other hit and never had a runner in scoring position during a 7-5 loss to the Cubs."You can chalk that one up to Wrigley Field because a lot of crazy things can happen here," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "At the end of the day, the hole was dug a little deeper than we ...

Pirates prospect Taillon has Tommy John surgery

CHICAGO (AP) - The Pittsburgh Pirates say top pitching prospect Jameson Taillon has undergone Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.The procedure was performed Wednesday in New York by Dr. David Altchek. Taillon is expected to miss 12 to 18 months.Taillon 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.The Pirates also said right-handed reliever Vin Mazzaro accepted his outright assignment on Wednesday. ...

Alvarez hit go-ahead HR, Pirates hold off Cubs 5-4

CHICAGO (AP) - Pedro Alvarez stepped to the plate ready to strike in a big spot.Once again, he delivered.Alvarez hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run seventh inning and Jason Grilli retired Emilio Bonifacio on a bases-loaded grounder to end the game, giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.The Pirates trailed 4-0 heading into the seventh, but two big drives changed things.Pinch hitter Travis Snider cut the deficit in half with a two-run homer off Brian Schlitter. Alvarez put Pittsburgh ahead with his three-run shot on the first pitch from James ...

Expanded replay might make for better manners

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona calmly exited the dugout on opening night and approached home plate umpire Mike Winters with a rather polite request that he review a collision at the plate.Winters obliged, then confirmed his call 59 seconds later via replay, hardly a harsh word exchanged in a moment emotions used to run high. With baseball's expanded replay rules, those colorful, saliva-trading tirades that often punctuated games could very well be replaced by far more civilized behavior around big league ballparks this year.Fewer four-letter words? ...