Jerry DiPaola stories, Page 154

Only a serious problem elsewhere on the team could taint the luster of Josh Bell’s 472-foot home run that splashed dramatically into the Allegheny River on Wednesday without the benefit of a bounce. But that’s what happened to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 9-6 loss to the Texas Rangers in...

The text message Steven Brault received from his dad Tuesday night told much of the story of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 5-4 victory against the Texas Rangers. “Bummer you got taken out, but good for Melky.” The victory was the Pirates’ fifth in six games and third in a row. But...

Kevin Newman said there’s no thrill like the one he got last month when his double in bottom of the 10th inning beat the Cincinnati Reds. Especially because it occurred less than two weeks after he left spring training as a major leaguer for the first time. “That was the...

There was plenty of happy, hopeful talk after the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied to defeat the Oakland A’s on Sunday. Starling Marte, the hero with the winning three-run homer, talked about the “positive mindset” and “energy” players pass among themselves. Cole Tucker, who mixes contagious enthusiasm with impressive athleticism, gushed how...

Clint Hurdle makes his living figuring out what makes people do what they do. The Pittsburgh Pirates manager thinks he has figured out Starling Marte. After nearly four hours of baseball Sunday at PNC Park, Marte hit a three-run homer to defeat the Oakland A’s, 5-3, bringing the Pirates back...