Subscribe or log in to read the rest of this column and all that's offered on DK on Pittsburgh Sports. It's available for as little as $1.50/month.
Final: Reds 10, Pirates 6, 10 innings 57
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS Getting ready for the first pitch … Game: Pirates (88-72) vs. Cincinnati Reds (74-86), 1:05 p.m., Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati Pitchers: LHP Francisco Liriano (7-10, 3.32) vs. RHP Alfredo Simon (15-10, 3.34) TV, radio: Root Sports, Fox Sports 1 (national), KDKA-AM 1020 Online: Live box score / Multimedia / Official media notes
socialpolling_verb
1. Josh Harrison (R) 3B
2. Travis Snider (L) RF
3. Andrew McCutchen (R) CF
4. Neil Walker (S) 2B
5. Starling Marte (R) LF
6. Ike Davis (L) 1B
7. Jordy Mercer (R) SS
8. Chris Stewart (R) C
9. Francisco Liriano (L) P
1. Kristopher Negron (R) 3B
2. Brandon Phillips (R) 2B
3. Todd Frazier (R) 1B
4. Devin Mesoraco (R) C
5. Chris Heisey (R) CF
6. Ryan Ludwick (R) LF
7. Yorman Rodriguez (R) RF
8. Ramon Santiago (S) SS
9. Alfredo Simon (R) P
Gametime Forecast: 76°F • Partly Cloudy • 0% PoP
What is going on with Hamilton?
Concussion in the last series
By the way – Congratularions to the KC Royals. Just like our Pirates a feel good story.
At the risk of incurring Groat’s ire, does anybody remember if the WC was on Root or the national networks last year? Seems like it was Root. And the starting time?
AW…TBS carried it. Terrible game callers. ESPN this year I think
Thanks, Tom. I’ll be there, but like to DVR it and wondered what time it started. I checked ESPN and it’s listed at 8. Thanks again.
That’s, of course, if they don’t win the Division.
Your welcome, AW. I did not DVR last year but will this year for sure. Enjoy!
What was pirates w-l vs. cards?
Cards won the series, so they get home field for any Division playoff.
Had some guys doing repairs who listened non-stop to sports talk radio. The most moronic comments and commentary was about football and the Red Sox – in that order. Does that make me stereotypical, or guilty of stereotyping?
Really nice play by right fielder, especially since he nearly had to eat the ricochet.
Liriano upset with himself or the “shift?”
Need to get this run to keep the monster in the pen.
I hope that HBP to the upper knee didn’t hurt Snider. We need him in the post season.
Pinch runner paid off.
Good call, Radio. Big steal by Polanco.
The Pirates just don’t quit. I don’t know if they are going to win the game or the division, but they are going to leave everything on the field.
Walker with two 2-out RBI hits. His slump must be over.
Nice to see Walker revived. These guys do step up!
Cutch & Walker both with big 2 out hits there.
Gee, he struck out “Babe” Negorn!
Have you ever seen worse ball and strike calling. Jim Joyce. What a joke.
Reminds me of Randy Marsh in ninth inning of 92 NLCS game 7.
Frazier HR courtesy of HP ump Jim Joyce who refused to call strikes.
Yep.
The kid in the pen blows up.
Interesting point by Walkie. Do the Pirates even want to win the division and put their 3rd choice pitcher against Kershaw in LA rather than play SF at home with Cole, win, then practically walk to Washington?
I’ve been saying it the past few days. I’d rather just play the WC game. They are expending too much energy, and wasting SPs, for the outside shot at a division. Huge gamble.
How does Stewart stand there and beg for a walk. That job is reserved for Ike.
Todd Frazier is having a nice year and he has really crushed the Bucs with huge HRs over & over again.
Our rep is a fastball hitting team. Here comes the best.
Would lovecto beat chapman.
He pitches like Holdzkum on steroids, so to speak.
the Pirates are done with Chapman after an inning. If they can get through the ninth, they have a decent shot in the tenth.
A chance for the “Vulture2″ to pick up another win.
With chapman gone, shoud win pen battle.
Need axford to pitch well here.
That’s it, Brown: I don’t like anybody very much.
Reds havelost 46 straight when allowing 6 runs.
Impossible for Axford to throw a pitch in lower half of zone.
.
Not one.
Get him out. Now.
There were some good relievers out there at the deadline and Neal picks up that loser–Axford.
Agree. Need strike-throwers, preferably lower half.
.
He’s not one.
Looks like Cole in WC game.
Yeah, rather have a home WC game with Cole than a one game tiebreaker in St. Louis with anybody.
Seconded.
But do you think the Bucs will go that route? They may still have Cole start tomorrow.
Sigh . . . go Snakes.
Wow…was that ugly.
Why no righty to pitch to Santiago? Hitting .372 against lefties.
.
We saving our righty RPs for postseason?
Maybe Hurdle was giving 1 last audition for a spot in the playoff bullpen. Disappointing day…
You know, I hate to say this, because it’ll come across as whining: but I pin this loss on HP Jim Joyce and his inconsistent strike zone all game long. This was never more evident in the Frazier at-bat where he tied the game. Joyce flat-out refused to give Holdzkon ANYTHING.
Cards trail 2-0 early. If it were me, even if STL loses I start Cumpton tomorrow. Odds of beating Cueto even with Cole plus cards losing again not worth it.