Kevin Gorman stories, Page 56
Behind Mitch Keller’s shutout, Rodolfo Castro’s HR, Pirates top Rockies to snap 7-game skid
There was never a conversation about taking Mitch Keller out of the game, not with the way the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander was dealing against the Colorado Rockies with confidence and pinpoint control. The pressure of pitching in a scoreless game was relieved when Rodolfo Castro hit a line drive over...
Pirates switch shortstops, adding Chris Owings, anticipate RHP Luis Ortiz starting Tuesday
Searching for stability at shortstop and a starting pitcher, the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday turned to Triple-A Indianapolis for a pair of roster moves made in hopes of stopping their seven-game losing streak. The Pirates selected the contract of 31-year-old Chris Owings and immediately inserted him into the starting lineup...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates seeking to find another flip side amid 7-game losing streak
Following a 10-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton attempted to explain how his team went from the hottest team in baseball to the coldest almost overnight. On April 23, the Pirates had won seven consecutive games to improve to 16-7 and move...
Blue Jays pound Pirates, who suffer 2nd consecutive sweep, drop 7th loss in a row
After suffering a second consecutive sweep that stretched their losing streak to seven games, the Pittsburgh Pirates can take comfort in one thing: At least they don’t play in the American League East. The Toronto Blue Jays followed the Tampa Bay Rays in sweeping a three-game series over the Pirates,...
Blue Jays batter Johan Oviedo early, get 14 hits to hand Pirates 6th consecutive loss
From the very first pitch, when George Springer belted Johan Oviedo’s 96 mph fastball for a single, the Toronto Blue Jays showed they arrived ready to hit. It took the Pittsburgh Pirates five innings to answer. The Blue Jays jumped out to a seven-run lead and pounded 14 hits to...
‘It shows he’s a really good hitter’: Bryan Reynolds rakes even as Pirates scuffle at plate
Bryan Reynolds doesn’t have an explanation for how he was riding a 10-game hitting streak while the rest of the Pittsburgh Pirates were scuffling at the plate, especially during their five-game losing streak. “I think hitting can be contagious both ways,” Reynolds said. “It’s hard to hit when nobody else...
Andrew McCutchen scratched after twisting left ankle, as scuffling Pirates endure injury bug
Andrew McCutchen was going through his normal pregame routine of taking fly balls in the outfield when he went to plant his foot and felt it give, then slipped and awkwardly twisted his left ankle. The Pittsburgh Pirates made an 11th-hour decision to scratch McCutchen from the starting lineup, where...
Pirates run into outs in shutout loss to Blue Jays, stretching losing streak to 5
The Pittsburgh Pirates got off to a strong start this season on the strength of their speed and aggressive baserunning. Against Toronto, the Pirates ran into outs. Pirates runners were thrown out twice at third base and once at home plate. As a result, they came up empty as the...
On the spot: With Vince Velasquez out, Pirates must find replacement for starting rotation
When the Pittsburgh Pirates placed Vince Velasquez on the 15-day injured list Friday, it marked the second time they were forced to replace a starting pitcher this season. The first was an easy decision: Johan Oviedo took the spot of JT Brubaker, who underwent Tommy John surgery. The second one...
Pirates place RHP Vince Velasquez on 15-day IL, activate reliever Chase De Jong
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort, one day after he was removed following the third inning of Thursday’s 3-2 loss at Tampa Bay. The Pirates also ended the rehabilitation assignment for right-handed reliever Chase De Jong, who was activated...
‘It’s incredible’: Pirates reliever Colin Holderman throws immaculate inning against Rays
Colin Holderman hates to lose, so the Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed reliever brought some anger to the mound while trailing the Tampa Bay Rays in the bottom of the seventh inning. “I’ll tell you what, I was pretty mad going into it,” Holderman said on the AT&T SportsNet postgame show. “I...
Rays hold off 9th-inning rally to hand Pirates 4th consecutive loss, sweep series
Not much was going right for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the best team in baseball. They lost starting pitcher Vince Velasquez to right elbow discomfort. They surrendered three solo home runs. And the home-plate umpire had an expanded strike zone. In the ninth inning, the Pirates finally caught some breaks...
Pirates RHP Vince Velasquez ‘optimistic’ after leaving game with right elbow discomfort
When Vince Velasquez clutched his right elbow in the third inning Thursday afternoon, it was a sign something wasn’t right for the Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher. Velasquez retired the side, but when he walked off the mound he told Pirates manager Derek Shelton he was having right elbow discomfort and...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton blames ejection on ‘disagreement’ over how pitch clock was run
Derek Shelton started the day by having a discussion with MLB about how the pitch clock was handled by the umpire crew. He finished it watching the Pittsburgh Pirates play the Tampa Bay Rays in his office. Shelton was ejected in the top of the fourth inning of Wednesday’s 8-1...
Pirates lose composure, Rays take advantage to clinch series win
Whether it was manager Derek Shelton getting ejected or middle infielders Rodolfo Castro and Ji Hwan Bae committing costly errors, the Pittsburgh Pirates repeatedly lost their composure Wednesday night. The Tampa Bay Rays took full advantage. The Rays scored four unearned runs early and got a pair of solo home...
Nationals pound 15 hits to beat Pirates, end their 5-game road winning streak
The red-hot Pittsburgh Pirates went into Sunday seeking a sweep, only to have the Washington Nationals rain on their road trip. After a 2-hour, 26-minute rain delay, the Nationals pounded 15 hits to roll to a 7-2 win Sunday afternoon in Washington, D.C. The Pirates had won 10 of their...
Pirates trade catcher Tyler Heineman to Blue Jays for minor league infielder Vinny Capra
The Pittsburgh Pirates traded catcher Tyler Heineman to the Toronto Blue Jays for infielder Vinny Capra on Sunday. Heineman, who started 52 games for the Pirates last season and three this year, was designated for assignment Wednesday. Heineman returns to Toronto, where he played 10 games for the Blue Jays...
Pirates reliever Cody Bolton tosses 2 scoreless innings in major-league debut at Nationals
Cody Bolton went from top-10 prospect for the Pittsburgh Pirates to one who wondered whether he would get a shot at pitching in the major leagues — and only did after reinventing himself. Four words best describe Bolton’s major-league debut Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader against the...
Stealing wins: Behind speedy Ji Hwan Bae, Pirates leading the majors in stolen bases
When asked about his skill at stealing bases, Ji Hwan Bae’s eyes light up and a smile flashes across his face. The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie has been given the green light to go whenever he’s on base, and the 23-year-old South Korean speedster has no hesitation about swiping bags. “If...
Pirates add OF Miguel Andujar, option INF Drew Maggi, who will remain active for doubleheader
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected the contract of outfielder Miguel Andujar from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned infielder Drew Maggi to Double-A Altoona, but Maggi isn’t going back to the minors just yet. Maggi was appointed the 27th man for Saturday’s split doubleheader at the Washington Nationals, so the feel-good story of...
Rain postpones Pirates-Nationals game, rescheduled Saturday as split doubleheader
The game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals on Friday night at Nationals Park has been postponed because of rain and will be made up Saturday as part of a split doubleheader. The Pirates (18-8) will still play the Nationals (9-15) at their originally scheduled start time at 1:05...
Swinging the sword: 1st place Pirates coming up with a celebration for every occasion
Whether they are unsheathing an imaginary sword while rounding the bases, swinging a replica and donning a custom jacket in the dugout after home runs or placing a stuffed Pikachu in a pitcher’s locker, the Pittsburgh Pirates seem to come up with a celebration for every occasion. And they have...
Oneil Cruz returns to Pirates clubhouse, begins rehab on fractured ankle
Oneil Cruz was all smiles Thursday morning as he was transported by motorized cart to the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse at PNC Park, 18 days after fracturing his left ankle while sliding into home plate. The 6-foot-7 shortstop had his staples removed at his two weeks post-surgery visit with team doctors...
Pirates owner Bob Nutting moves to shift negative narrative by signing Bryan Reynolds
Bob Nutting knows the negative narrative about his ownership of the Pittsburgh Pirates — that he cares more about the bottom line than the win column — and changing public perception would be a process. The Pirates chairman is taking steps to shift that storyline, starting by building a relationship...
Jason Delay’s RBIs, Roansy Contreras’ 2-hitter help Pirates beat Dodgers
On a day of feel-good stories, the Pittsburgh Pirates had an outpouring of emotions from start to finish. Bryan Reynolds admitted that months of negotiations for a contract extension weighed on him, so the Pirates outfielder was looking forward to concentrating solely on baseball after signing an eight-year, $106.75 million...
