Rivero doesn’t get close call, Pirates fall to Cardinals 4-3

October 2, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Felipe Rivero thought he had strike three. Not quite. Rivero was walking toward the Pittsburgh dugout when the pitch to Jedd Gyorko was called a ball. Three pitches later, Gyorko launched a solo home run in the eighth inning that lifted the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pirates 4-3 on Saturday. “I think he had strike three and sometimes they don’t get called,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “I think that was the situation that happened.” Rivero (1-6) said the call by plate umpire Alfonso Marquez didn’t affect his composure. “That’s something ...

Martinez, Holliday, Cards stay close in race, blank Pirates

October 1, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Carlos Martinez pitched seven sharp innings, Matt Holliday hit an emotional home run and the St. Louis Cardinals stayed in the middle of the NL wild-card race, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0 Friday night. The Cardinals began the day trailing San Francisco by one game for the second NL wild-card spot. The Giants played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Martinez (16-9) gave up five singles, walked one and struck out nine. John Jaso led off the second with a single and was the only runner to reach third base against Martinez, who left with a 3.04 ERA. Holliday, ...

History made at PNC Park as Jaso hits for the cycle

September 29, 2016

PITTSBURGH — Coming around second base in the seventh inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, John Jaso stumbled. Then, he went for it. Ninety feet later, Jaso was safe at third base with a triple to become the first player to hit a cycle ...

Vogelsong struggles again, Pirates fall to Cubs 6-4

September 28, 2016

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan Vogelsong’s resilient return from the facial fractures that cost him two months in the middle of the season is remarkable. The veteran pitcher’s stuff at the moment, however, is not. And the 39-year-old knows it. The Chicago Cubs pushed Vogelsong around for five choppy innings and Pittsburgh’s ninth-inning rally fell short on Tuesday night in a 6-4 loss. Vogelsong (3-7) struggled with his command, giving up four hits, walking five and hitting a batter. He threw just 51 of his 102 pitches for strikes and fell to 0-3 with a 9.55 ERA this month, a ...

Pirates fall again, playoff hopes dim with loss to Nats

September 26, 2016

PITTSBURGH — A season that’s spiraled away from the Pittsburgh Pirates spilled into frustration Sunday. On the edge of elimination from the playoff race with a 10-7 loss to Washington, the Pirates got into a bench-clearing skirmish after Nationals star Bryce Harper injured his left thumb trying to avoid a fake tag by third baseman Jung Ho Kang. The Pirates are five games behind in the NL wild-card race with a week left. When Kang came up for the first time after Harper was hurt in the third inning, he saw a fastball sail behind him from Washington starter A.J. Cole. That’s ...

Nats clinch playoff berth, beat Pirates 6-1

September 25, 2016

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Washington Nationals clinched a postseason berth and no worse than a tie for the National League East title, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 Saturday night behind 5 1/3 scoreless innings from rookie reliever Reynaldo Lopez. Stephen Drew’s two-run single capped a three-run first inning for the Nationals, who return to the postseason after a one-year absence. They reduced their magic number to one for their third division title in five years.. Lopez (4-3) came on to the start the bottom of the fourth inning with a 6-1 lead and allowed three hits while ...