Pirates/MLB category, Page 243

One by one, Clint Hurdle’s men lined up outside his office to say goodbye. Men, not players, by that time. To Hurdle, they were always more than names on a lineup card. It was difficult for the Pittsburgh Pirates to play a meaningless baseball game Sunday, and they lost it...

In an awkward attempt to avoid serving up a scapegoat for this colossal disaster of a season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, general manager Neal Huntington called it a “collective shortcoming.” Call it whatever you want. Pirates chairman Bob Nutting fired one man, Clint Hurdle. Perhaps it’s the first of many....

The Pittsburgh Pirates head into the offseason searching for a new voice after firing Clint Hurdle. The Cincinnati Reds may have found theirs during a season that offered tangible proof that years of rebuilding might finally be producing forward momentum. The evidence came in a 3-1 victory over the Pirates...

Clint Hurdle was deep in conversation about what a waste of time it is to try to change a person’s perception when the Pirates manager was asked about his own perception of where the Pirates are and what they need to do next season. His answer: Win more games. Sell...

PITTSBURGH — R.J. Alaniz didn’t hesitate when asked if he was more excited about getting his first career hit or victory. “The hit,” said the Cincinnati Reds rookie relief pitcher, who hadn’t even taken batting practice since his senior of high school 10 years ago. “Definitely the hit. Just see...

Last September was a nightmare for Kevin Newman. This one is going much better. Newman hit a two-run homer with two out in the ninth inning to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night. Jake Elmore set up Newman’s game-ending swing with a...

Steve Blass considers himself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. After a 60-year career with the Pirates as a pitcher and broadcaster, Blass, 77, is retiring this weekend. On Friday, Mayor Bill Peduto presented Blass with a proclamation declaring Saturday “Steve Blass Day” in the city. Peduto...

Joe Musgrove finished his season on a good note and then made a young boy happy. Musgrove pitched three-hit ball through six innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat Chicago, 9-5, on Thursday night and extended the Cubs’ losing streak to nine games. Musgrove (11-12) was charged with three runs, two...

Clint Hurdle pondered the question, repeated it, then spent almost two minutes answering it. In a season of turmoil and losing, finally, a topic the Pittsburgh Pirates manager wanted to embrace with both arms. Before the game with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night at PNC Park, Hurdle was told...

Let’s just skip Halloween. Forget Thanksgiving. Fast forward through Christmas and get to New Year’s Eve! I’m dying to flip the calendar to 2020. Because 2019 has been one of the worst Pittsburgh sports years in recent memory. In fact, unless the Steelers turn things around and scramble to make...

In the wake of a 91-loss season, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told Stephen Nesbitt of The Athletic he has been assured by team officials that he will return next season, his 10th with the organization. But while speaking to several reporters Wednesday night after the 4-2 victory against the...

Suspended Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez arrived at a Westmoreland County courtroom Wednesday and shook hands with a district judge before being arraigned on child sex allegations. The Venezuela native wore dark frame glasses, a blue jail uniform and had his hands cuffed in front of him. An interpreter translated...