Pirates/MLB category, Page 182

It’s lucky that pitch count wasn’t a thing in 1956. No one would remember Don Larsen. Larsen pitched a perfect game in the ’56 World Series. It remains the only perfect game in World Series (and MLB postseason) history. The New York Yankees right-hander threw 97 pitches. He went through...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 27-23) beat Iowa (Cubs), 7-6, in 12 innings. 1B Christian Bethancourt went 3 for 5 and hit a two-run single in the bottom of the 12th for the decisive runs. RF Bligh Madris went 3 for 4 with two walks and an RBI. 3B Kevin Kramer went 2...

A fourth consecutive loss became the least of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ problems once Erik Gonzalez walked off the field after legging out an infield single. Gonzalez started at first base Thursday when Colin Moran was placed on the 10-day injured list with a fracture in his left hand, only to...

The Pittsburgh Pirates were making a pitching change with the bases were loaded and two outs in the fifth inning, which proved to be the perfect time to turn the attention to an announcement on the Jumbotron. Adam Frazier was trying to concentrate on the game against the Milwaukee Brewers...

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed Colin Moran on the 10-day injured list with fracture in his left hand, the latest setback for the first baseman. Moran was hit by a pitch in the first inning Monday by Kyle Freeland of the Colorado Rockies and pulled himself from the game. Moran didn’t...

Bryan Reynolds saw that Jon Gray’s first two pitches were sliders, and saw them well enough that he anticipated a fastball would follow. “Just sold out for a heater,” Reynolds said, “and I got it.” When Reynolds homered in the first inning Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies, it was his...

Thursday’s “First Call” raises a red flag for the Steelers when it comes to the release of David DeCastro. Former Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree gushes about his time in Pittsburgh. Could Steven Nelson come back to the Steelers secondary? The Pirates have their work cut out for them with the...

This week’s “U mad, bro?” sees some Steelers fans pushing back against criticism of the offensive line. Some misdirected Pirates fan rage. A sarcastic farewell to a Steelers free agent. And flat-out disdain for this column. I had an angry email exchange with Chris, who is a Pirates loyalist to...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 26-23) beat Iowa (Cubs) 2-1 in 10 innings. RHP Mitch Keller was effective in his second Triple-A start of the season, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts and one walk in four innings. He has allowed three earned runs in 9⅔ innings since being sent...

Less than a minute after Wednesday’s early-afternoon first pitch in Denver, the Pittsburgh Pirates had as many hits as they managed the entire game an evening earlier. Three pitches later, they had more runs than they had scored over the prior two games of the series at Coors Field. By...

Pitcher Steven Brault is expected to rejoin the Pittsburgh Pirates this weekend, team director or sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday. The veteran left-hander has been on the 60-day injured list since before the season began because of a left lat strain. In a video conference call with media, Tomczyk...

Two young right-handers who someday perhaps could anchor the top of the Pittsburgh Pirates rotation will get to share a national stage next month. Roansy Contreras and Quinn Priester were selected to participate in the MLB All-Star Futures Game. Contreras, 21, and Priester, 20, each rank among the Pirates’ top...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 25-23) lost 9-3 to Iowa (Cubs). LHP Cam Vieaux, in his first Triple-A start of the season, gave up seven runs, four earned, on five hits in 2⅔ innings. He allowed two home runs. 1B Will Craig went 1 for 4 and hit his eighth home run. SS...

Teams typically find their offense when they visit Coors Field. Not the Pittsburgh Pirates, at least not this week. The Pirates were shut out for a second consecutive day in Denver, nearly getting no-hit by German Marquez in a 8-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. Marquez’s bid...

A day after leaving a game when he got hit by a pitch in his left wrist, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Colin Moran remained out of the lineup but was “doing better.” “He’s moving around,” manager Derek Shelton said via video conference call before Tuesday night’s game against the Colorado...

When the Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the MLB All-Star game 15 years ago, Freddy Sanchez was en route to the National League batting title. Eager to have a representative on the field at PNC Park, the Pirates pulled out all the stops to get out the fan vote. Ushers at the...

Monday was Adam Frazier’s day off. Then, four batters into the game, cleanup hitter Colin Moran was hit by a pitch, suffered a nasty bruise on his wrist and was lost for the rest of the day. Losing two good hitters — Frazier, batting .331, and Moran, hitting .280 in...

After missing 24 games earlier this season with a left groin strain, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Colin Moran left the game against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning Monday after he was hit by a pitch in the left wrist. Moran came out for warmups in the bottom of...

Max Mania barely lasted 24 hours. About 20 minutes after Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Monday he and general manager Ben Cherington were “working through” Max Kranick’s immediate future, he was optioned back to Triple-A Indianapolis. Kranick’s perfect record ­— 1-0, 0.00 ERA and 0.000 WHIP in his major...

The Pittsburgh Pirates have really been pumping up “(Re)Opening Weekend” on their broadcasts, the team’s website and on social media. The series at PNC Park is planned for next Thursday through Sunday for Fourth of July festivities. The NL Central Division-leading Milwaukee Brewers will be in town for four games....

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 25-22) lost to Louisville (Reds), 2-1 after the Bats scored twice in the bottom of the ninth. LF Hunter Owen (.190) hit his sixth home run for the Indians. SS Cole Tucker (.213) and 3B Kevin Kramer (.200) each were 0 for 4. RHP Beau Sulser (3-2, 3.86)...

On the day he could do no wrong — when only a force as powerful as the weather could stop him — Max Kranick still found it necessary to say, “I’m sorry.” KE'BRYAN HAYES.THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE TWEET. pic.twitter.com/Bh3Mrir1i4— Pirates (@Pirates) June 27, 2021 Kranick said his phone was “blowing...

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday on his radio show on 93.7 FM that the team plans to stick with a six-man rotation through the All-Star break. He said that before Max Kranick’s major league debut when he retired the first 12 batters he faced in the finale...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 25-21) lost to Louisville (Reds), 6-1. RHP Steven Wright was the losing pitcher, allowing six runs on eight hits in five innings. He’s 3-3 with a 5.86 ERA. RHP Tyler Bashlor, RHP Shea Spitzbarth and LHP Blake Weiman each threw a scoreless inning of relief. 1B Will Craig...

Two months shy of his 40th birthday, it’s unclear what Adam Wainwright does best. Is it his defiance of the normal aging process for athletes? Or is it his continuing ability to baffle the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wainwright put both on display Saturday, throwing 102 pitches in the St. Louis Cardinals’...