Kevin Gorman stories, Page 101
Braves smack 3 home runs to beat Pirates, set record for most homers in a series
JT Brubaker suspects opponents are attempting to ambush the Pittsburgh Pirates early, knowing their anemic offense is practically powerless to recover from large deficits. The Atlanta Braves opted for an aerial attack, as Austin Riley homered twice and Dansby Swanson once off Brubaker in a 7-1 victory Sunday afternoon before...
Richard Rodriguez rides fastball-heavy approach for success as Pirates closer
Derek Shelton isn’t a fan of labels, so it’s no wonder the Pittsburgh Pirates manager is as reluctant to call Richard Rodriguez’s fastball a four-seamer as he was to name him the club’s closer. Even though batters know it’s coming — Rodriguez throws his fastball on 91.3% of his pitches,...
Braves smack 7 home runs, including 2 grand slams, to pummel Pirates
Anderson v. Anderson sounds more like a legal matter than a pitching duel, and Atlanta Braves righty Ian was brokering a hostile takeover while Pittsburgh Pirates lefty Tyler was filing for bankruptcy. The Braves smacked seven home runs, including a pair of grand slams, in rolling to a 20-1 win...
Pirates recall SS Cole Tucker from Indianapolis, place OF Ka’ai Tom on 10-day IL
Cole Tucker is back in the big leagues and the Pittsburgh Pirates have plans to keep him in the infield — at least for now. The 2014 first-round pick, a natural shortstop who played 32 games in the outfield last season, was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday to replace...
Sam Howard’s Atlanta homecoming comes at perfect time for Pirates’ lefty reliever
Eevn though Sam Howard grew up an Atlanta Braves fan, he intentionally avoided going to Truist Park until this weekend. Howard even declined invites for social gatherings at The Battery, the stadium’s surrounding entertainment scene. After enduring ups and downs of a baseball career that began at Cartersville High School...
Adam Frazier follows superstitions to find groove, as Pirates 2B leads majors in hits
Adam Frazier always has the same explanation for his hitting groove, one that doesn’t defy logic so much as it shows his superstitious nature. Knock on wood. The Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman got plenty of knocks in the 6-4 win over the Atlanta Braves in 10 innings on Thursday night,...
Pirates rely on bullpen, 2-run rally in 10th to beat Braves, snap 3-game skid
After blanking the Atlanta Braves over the final four frames in front of the biggest crowd the Pittsburgh Pirates have seen this season, Derek Shelton didn’t hesitate to call his bullpen’s performance “outstanding.” “I would say it’s right near the top,” the Pirates manager said. In a game filled with...
By working to shorten swing, Gregory Polanco becoming more productive for Pirates
Gregory Polanco picks up on tendencies, so when St. Louis Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty got him to ground into a forceout, the Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder knew what pitch to expect his next time up. So Polanco was expecting Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina to call for a fastball from Flaherty....
Starter Trevor Cahill injured in 2nd inning as Cardinals thump Pirates for 2-game sweep
Derek Shelton doesn’t have a crystal ball, so the Pittsburgh Pirates manager couldn’t have predicted the bases-loaded predicaments his starting pitcher would face in the second inning at St. Louis. The Cardinals intentionally walked a batter to get to Trevor Cahill, only for Jack Flaherty to strike him out to...
Pirates’ Ildemaro Vargas hopes to take advantage of his versatility
The first conversation Ildemaro Vargas had with manager Derek Shelton upon joining the Pittsburgh Pirates was about which position he is most confident and comfortable playing. The Pirates value versatility above all and claimed Vargas off waivers from the Chicago Cubs because he is a switch hitter who can play...
Pirates’ Ke’Bryan Hayes will start rehab assignment at Triple-A in ‘next day or so’
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes is the closest he has been to returning to play since going on the injured list April 4 with a wrist injury. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Hayes is “responding well” to participating in a simulated game in...
Ready in a pinch: Pirates’ Wilmer Difo credits preparation for leading majors in pinch hits
When it comes to his career numbers as a pinch hitter, Wilmer Difo is hovering at the Mendoza Line. His batting average in that role was even worse when he was with the Washington Nationals. What once served as a scarlet letter, Difo now wears like a badge of honor....
Jacob Stallings injured, Pirates strand nine runners in loss to Giants
If the Pittsburgh Pirates were going to beat the San Francisco Giants, it would require the third walk-off win in as many games. Not only that, but the Pirates were without the player who hit the heroic home run Saturday night as catcher Jacob Stallings was removed from the game...
Pirates GM Ben Cherington hopes Colin Moran, Phillip Evans can avoid rehab assignments
The Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping first baseman Colin Moran and corner infielder/outfielder Phillip Evans return from the injured list this week and “perhaps even avoid a rehab assignment,” general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday afternoon on his weekly radio show. Moran (groin) and Evans (hamstring) were placed on the 10-day...
Jacob Stallings hits 2-run, walk-off home run to lift Pirates past Giants
Echoing a rallying cry from their glory days, Pittsburgh Pirates fans chanted the surname of Johnny Cueto in an attempt to once again rattle the San Francisco Giants starting right-hander at PNC Park. Unlike the 2013 NL wild card game, Cueto didn’t drop the ball. By the end, however, Pirates...
Adam Frazier shows staying power at 2B for Pirates, despite cameos in left field
Derek Shelton hasn’t hesitated to ask Adam Frazier to move to left field in late-game situations, knowing “he’s more than willing” to play wherever needed for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Shelton, however, made it clear once again Saturday that he has no intention of moving Frazier away from second base. “I’m...
Reds rally with 4-run 10th inning to beat Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting lineup didn’t offer much promise in the way of offense, with their top three hitters missing from the batting order and only three players hitting above the Mendoza Line. Even so, the Pirates found ways to get on base and put runners in scoring position against...
Pirates injury report: Ke’Bryan Hayes making ‘very nice strides,’ pitchers ‘making progress’
Ke’Bryan Hayes remains the most prominent Pittsburgh Pirates player on the injured list, though several pitchers are making progress in their recovery while one has paused from throwing. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk called Hayes shifting from the 10-day to 60-day IL “more of a mechanical roster move,”...
Riding a 12-game hitting streak, Adam Frazier continues to ‘check boxes’ for Pirates
When Adam Frazier got a leadoff single against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, it extended his hitting streak to tie his career-best at 12 games. Afterward, the Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman was more interested in talking about his second hit of the game. Frazier drove a Sean Doolittle four-seam...
JT Brubaker stops Reds’ hit parade, Troy Stokes Jr. gets 2 RBI hits as Pirates win
The Cincinnati Reds had pounded the Pittsburgh Pirates for double-digit runs in three consecutive meetings, a streak that required a stopper after the Reds scored 39 runs on 42 hits – 20 for extra bases. JT Brubaker was just the man for the job. The Pirates right-hander held the Reds...
Pirates place Kyle Crick on IL, reinstate Gregory Polanco, add LHP Chasen Shreve to bullpen
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed reliever Kyle Crick on the 10-day injured list with a right triceps strain and reinstated right fielder Gregory Polanco on Tuesday in a series of roster moves. Polanco has been out since May 4, though the Pirates never offered an explanation for his stay on the...
Ben Gamel looking forward to ‘fresh start’ with Pirates, no matter where he plays
Before Ben Gamel’s first game with the Pittsburgh Pirates, manager Derek Shelton jokingly asked if the team’s newest acquisition — a natural outfielder — had ever played first base. If Gamel thought his first answer (two innings) was going to get him off the hook, he was in for a...
Reds rock Mitch Keller, rap out 15 hits to pound Pirates
Inconsistency has been Mitch Keller’s calling card this season, so it was a promising sign for the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander when he retired the side on six pitches in the first inning. The Cincinnati Reds didn’t go down so easily in a six-run fourth, knocking Keller out of the game...
By adding Ben Gamel, Pirates prioritize center field, versatility of infielders to play first base
When a rash of injuries left the Pittsburgh Pirates short-handed at first base, third base and in the outfield this weekend, they responded with a series of roster moves to address their shortcomings. When push came to shove, the Pirates prioritized center field. Rather than rely on infielders Wilmer Difo...
Pirates designate Todd Frazier for assignment
With first baseman Colin Moran on the 10-day injured list and third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes on the 60-man IL, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in need of help at both corner infield positions. It won’t be coming from Todd Frazier. The Pirates designated Frazier for assignment Monday to make room on...
