April 13, 2015

Covering: Pirates 5, Tigers, 4

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by Dejan Kovacevic • Game previews • Tags: Pirates

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Getting ready for first pitch …

Game: Pirates (2-4) vs. Detroit Tigers (6-0), 1:35 p.m., 129th home opener, PNC Park

Pitchers: RHP Gerrit Cole (0-0, 5.40) vs. RHP Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 0.00)

TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan

Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Official game notes

Opening day in Pittsburgh, 2015. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC

83 Comments Newest to oldest

jcl1957

4-13-2015, 10:38 am

I still get chills and feel excited on Opening Day. It's a part of my childhood that has never left me.

DebM

4-13-2015, 11:08 am

HAPPY OPENING DAY D.K......LETS GO BUCS

Dejan Kovacevic

4-13-2015, 1:52 pm

Same back, Deb! It's a gorgeous day in Pittsburgh, PA.

Patrick

4-13-2015, 11:13 am

Who is covering the 8th? Goose Gossage?

tdb1977

4-13-2015, 1:26 pm

Glad to see them wearing the home whites today. Beat em Bucs!

Baywatch

4-13-2015, 1:35 pm

Woo-Hoo! Let's Go, Bucs!

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 2:41 pm

Hey Bay !

Karen22

4-13-2015, 1:35 pm

GO BUCS!! YAY!!

Patrick

4-13-2015, 1:45 pm

Miguel looks to be in great shape this year.

Patrick

4-13-2015, 1:48 pm

JHay regressed that one, for sure!

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 1:51 pm

Yeah. The baseball regressed so much you couldn't see it anymore.

Dejan Kovacevic

4-13-2015, 1:52 pm

A MILO BOOM this early in the day!

Baywatch

4-13-2015, 2:20 pm

Milo!

Dave G

4-13-2015, 1:49 pm

J-HAY! First pich homer!

Radio wave

4-13-2015, 1:49 pm

How good is that!

Dejan Kovacevic

4-13-2015, 1:53 pm

Do you believe in omens, RW?

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 1:49 pm

Shades of RJ Reynolds in 1986 - 1st pitch off Dwight Gooden. I think this team is just a little better than that one.

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 1:56 pm

FYI, Pedro has some really good numbers against Sanchez.

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:41 pm

You were saying Milo???

Radio wave

4-13-2015, 1:56 pm

Yes

Radio wave

4-13-2015, 1:59 pm

Back to work. Hold down the fort.

tdb1977

4-13-2015, 2:00 pm

Cole looks locked in so far early in this one.

Andrew R Mason

4-13-2015, 2:03 pm

Loving Opening Day from Stuttgart, Germany.....7:35 pm first pitch....pepperoni pizza and a good German beer. Go Bucs!

Durka

4-13-2015, 2:15 pm

Still showing that darn Jake from State Farm commercial

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 2:53 pm

Cole is pitching great obviously. But the difference in this lineup without Victor Martinez is real. It makes them very right handed as well.

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 2:54 pm

How is Bob Davidson still employed in the major leagues ?

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:10 pm

Balkin' Bob as Blass called him...

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:22 pm

Davidson was calling those strikes in the 1st inning....

Patrick

4-13-2015, 3:10 pm

Read an interesting SI article in my doc's waiting room which claimed Hurdle is open to new ideas and approaches(complete with compelling examples and anecdotes). I will be convinced if he lets Cole go to the 7th and the 8th, count not too high.

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:33 pm

Are you convinced yet Patrick?? :)

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:14 pm

Marte just so lost right now at the plate...

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:15 pm

Talk about regression...ugghhhh

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:27 pm

Cole deserved better today...

Karen22

4-13-2015, 3:31 pm

Way to go, Lurch!!

Arriba Wilver

4-13-2015, 6:52 pm

How so?

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:32 pm

OUTSTANDING!!!

Patrick

4-13-2015, 3:32 pm

Hughes is as good at his job(role) as anyone. Good move by CH, as well.

unipress_551851d6ce0b4

4-13-2015, 3:34 pm

Clear the Deck!

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:34 pm

EL TORO!!!!!!

unipress_551851d6ce0b4

4-13-2015, 3:37 pm

How's that for some Hart? !?!

Patrick

4-13-2015, 3:37 pm

Huntington for President!

Karen22

4-13-2015, 3:38 pm

ALL HART!!

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:38 pm

I think Cory Hart definitely knows his role!!!

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 3:39 pm

Well now. I believe I had that with Pedro.

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:42 pm

See your initial comment on that above for my reply....haha.

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:40 pm

By far and away the best bench NH has put together for this team.

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:44 pm

This team is nearly unbeatable at home. Should they happen to ever get home field advantage in the post-season...look out.

Jay Baileys

4-13-2015, 5:09 pm

Yea Madison struggled mightily here in the Wild Card game, doh!

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 3:45 pm

I hate to play the what if game but since it's opening day let's suspend the rules this once. What if Corey Hart = Bill Robinson ?

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:48 pm

Loved what Bill Robinson brought to that Buccos team...now if only Andrew Lambo could equal John Milner....

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 3:52 pm

The Hammer. Boy they had some mashers didn't they ?

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:54 pm

Pops, Parker, Robinson, Milner, Easler & Lacy off the bench...even had to worry about Don Robinson's bat when he pitched....

Patrick

4-13-2015, 3:54 pm

Pinch run for Cutch?

steelag70

4-13-2015, 3:56 pm

Starling needs a couple days off....

Patrick

4-13-2015, 4:04 pm

Check the strings on Walker's glove.

steelag70

4-13-2015, 4:04 pm

Should be 2 outs right now....

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 4:06 pm

Sure should be.

Karen22

4-13-2015, 4:13 pm

EGAD - Melancon & Walker made this game WAY too exciting in the end. Sheesh!! But RAISE IT on Opening Day!!

Karen22

4-13-2015, 4:06 pm

Seriously??!!

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 4:07 pm

Remember this bullpen last April. It was THE culprit.

steelag70

4-13-2015, 4:10 pm

Melancon seems to do this at times when he comes in with a non-save situation....

steelag70

4-13-2015, 4:08 pm

BIG double play......

Milo Hamilton

4-13-2015, 4:11 pm

MLB rules mandate you need only win by one run.

steelag70

4-13-2015, 4:11 pm

RAISE IT!!!!!!!

steelag70

4-13-2015, 4:16 pm

Jared Hughes gets a star for this game....

A. Lane

4-13-2015, 4:25 pm

Melancon has lost at least 3 mph on his cutter. Considering there is a strong relationship for relievers between strikeouts and velocity this seems important, have yet to see (maybe someone has) a single Pittsburgh media member broach the subject.

steeltownpaws

4-13-2015, 4:29 pm

Great opener, would be nice to take 7 out of 10 in this homestand.They are tuff at PNC

steelag70

4-13-2015, 4:35 pm

Buccos 15-8 all time at home vs the Tigers....Hart's HR was his 1000th career hit.

Radio wave

4-13-2015, 4:38 pm

Glad to see a win. Now about that and all those Bucs k's.

Battleship Bob

4-13-2015, 4:42 pm

Rough game for Walker. A lot of that 9th is on him.

Battleship Bob

4-13-2015, 4:46 pm

Can't really blame Melancon too much. I think that's what you're likely to get from him at this point. Shouldn't be in there.

baldonieri

4-13-2015, 6:38 pm

He's one of the top 6 or 7 relief pitchers in baseball. I'm not sure to what you are referring. He had a 1.90 era last year and a 1.39 era the year before! He's only walked 29 batters in 142 innings, while striking out a 141 over the last 2 years. There's literally only 3 or 4 relief pitchers in all of baseball who I'd rather have than Melancon.

Battleship Bob

4-13-2015, 4:48 pm

Jared Hughes is this year's Tony Watson. Tony Watson is going to have to battle him for the title 'Tony Watson'.

Heth

4-13-2015, 5:19 pm

chethejet

4-13-2015, 5:28 pm

Maybe best weather day for an opener in quite awhile. Nice win and cole looked very good.What a great view from home plate. Best ball park for sure.

Rob

4-13-2015, 9:22 pm

I've been to quite a bit and haven't seen a better one yet.

Groat2Maz2Strangeglove

4-13-2015, 6:05 pm

I would be interested in hearing from that whole bunch who kept insisting that Hughes should be sent to the Minors just because he has an option left.

Extremely glad they are not part of BMTIB.

steelag70

4-13-2015, 6:23 pm

I couldn't understand that either Groat. Hughes proved himself in high pressure situations last year, and was a no-brainer to remain in that spot this year too. He is a double play machine.

Groat2Maz2Strangeglove

4-13-2015, 6:08 pm

39,933 in attendance———new Pirates regular season record at PNC.

If Bob Nutting weren't so cheap, there would have been 39,999———Bob Nutting wouldn't let Mario get near the Pirates!

Arriba Wilver

4-13-2015, 7:01 pm

That's tickets sold. I saw quite a few seats that weren't used. Maybe the people were on the verandas. But the seats were very expensive and not part of the 20 game packages this year. My seats this year were $75. Same seats last year I don't think were more than $40 when included in the package. Not complaining, but the haul from this year's opening day has to dwarf last year's.

Bvolk81

4-13-2015, 6:19 pm

Walker almost dropped a grumper at the end of that game

Groat2Maz2Strangeglove

4-13-2015, 7:00 pm

"Almost" means he didn't.

They only count wins and losses . . . . . no almosts.

Melanson "Almost" gave the game away———but he didn't.

Covering: Pirates 5, Tigers, 4

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