Pirates 8, Cubs 1

Pirates Lineup:
1. Gregory Polanco (L) RF
2. Jordy Mercer (R) SS
3. Andrew McCutchen (R) CF
4. Neil Walker (S) 2B
5. Starling Marte (R) LF
6. Pedro Alvarez (L) 1B
7. Jung Ho Kang (R) 3B
8. Chris Stewart (R) C
9. Gerrit Cole (R) P

messing with lineup again!

Be nice if Cole can be a stopper here. Would be great to go to one game back of the Cubbies and possibly be within two of the Cards heading into the weekend. It's way too early to worry about the standings, but games count the same in April as they do in September, so go Buccos!

It would be nice if we could beat the Cubs once this series.

Time to get back on track, big series at St. Louis this weekend

We need this one !!!!!! Confident with Cole pitching....

Great way to start. Not.

Cutch looks at 3 called strikes, that's a great way to break out of a batting slump.

A rare assist by Samson.

1st walk in the series. That can't be a good sign.

Strike zone a tad wide that inning.

This is terrible. Dale Scott having a really bad night.

Sean Rodriguez playing the role of Bob Patterson, glove repair man.

I always felt that Pedro would be just fine at first base. So far I am very wrong. In every aspect.

Looks like ready to smack someone I wonder who?

Looks like Cole ready Sorry

Thought I read where Pedro was using Walkers first base mitt.....it fails & now he's borrowing another teammates! Maybe this is petty, but has he not thought it important enough to provide his own glove!

It's a good thing they've played some stinky teams so far. They're playing really bad baseball.

Russell Martin was probably responsible for 20-25 wins last year. Right down to Cole doesn't have to throw over, exposing Pedro's weak D, if the running game was controlled. The offense has to compensate. It's early but it isn't. The D is not what it was. Lower expectations.

Pedro comes through again.

Maybe I'm old school, or just getting old, but doesn't seem like one can play good baseball wearing ski gear.... what's the deal with that? This is first season I recall players (on all teams) wearing ski gear under the helmet.

C'mon Cutch. Big spot here.

Milo said it best , Castro is Cedeno with talent. Mind numbing.

Cutch, here's a hint: GO THE OTHER WAY. GO THE OTHER WAY. STOP TRYING TO PULL EVERYTHING OUT OF THE STADIUM.

Gonna need another talk with the bat. Cutch it's not the bat's fault when you flail at a pitch 3 feet outside. OUCH.

Maybe McCutcheon should work a little at spring training??

Molina just made two awesome calls and plays to get outs at third. Amplifies the point that without Russell, expect a drop off in competitiveness. But it's a long season so still hope that other aspects will compensate.

Marte showing improved approach at the plate. Sit soft and wait back. Encouraging.

Key question: how does Dale Scott not call that strike 3 based on how he's called this game? An RBI WALK.... color me shocked for this team that they have drawn 3 walks tonight....

Looks like Marte out.

Didn't see him run all out on crack of bat. Not sure why.

Cole is pitchin like a boss.

Maybe Stewart and Sanchez should be on roster?? Cervelli is really bad.

Is it time to be concerned yet that Cutch is batting below 200 for the season?

Very nice Cutch. Now let's keep going up from here.

The Bucs are goin all WWII on Germen.....

I like this!!!

Hopefully THAT was the swing that gets Cutch going....

Hooray, hits & runs.

See what can happen Buccos when you work counts and make pitchers throw YOUR pitch??

As bad as the offense has been, surprisingly the Buccos are now hitting .301 with 2 outs & RISP...

COLE doing what ACES do. STOP the losing, clean it up and shut it down. He's become exactly what the Pirates needed him to become.

Kang certainly has adjusted to Cubs pitching this year...

I think this Cole kid might have a future.

If Lambo can't get a hit off Edwin Jackson there may be no hope.

I think the Lambo experiment is over...

Rooting for Melancon to find his velocity, but Bucs have options. I'd lean toward keeping Watson where he is and letting Caminaro take a shot at closing if it comes to that.

Hey boys and girls.......

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Favorite part of game. Up a few and then watching Watson pitch.

Another great effort by Cole. Would have loved to have had him go against the Cards next series. The more at bats Kang gets the better he will be.

King-Kong had a good night.

Kang with a really good night at the plate. That last hit, you could really hear the pop in that last hit. Encouraging.

Kang likes hitting vs the Cubs...

Shark Insurance.

Stinks when you can't score, huh, Cubs?

Cole's ERA now down to 1.76 after tonight....he is really establishing himself as a #1 ace.

RAISE IT!!!

Raise the Roger! A winning April.

Granted he sat at 88-89. But good movement. That can buy Melancon some time to figure this out.

Enjoyed seeing Kang break out a bit tonight. Seems to have been trending that way his last few games he has played. Great effort by Cole and the bullpen. 14 team k's. Cutch getting two hits, including # 1000 was encouraging. Let's Go Bucs!

12-10 to finish April. Solid month without Cutch in the lineup. All that matters are wins. Raise it.

Good win. For all the complaints I've had, they are better than this point last year. It should be noted, we really haven't seen them hit their stride yet.

It's that Clint Hurdle positive attitude. Indispensable.

So far a 4-2 roadtrip, I'll take over 500, but would like 2 of 3

Would someone please explain to me why Lam-not Ram-bo is still taking up space on this team? At 0-14, I asssume his continued presence is simply the only left-hand bat, which would make a call-up for Decker easy--until Jaff went back to DL. Surely, somebody, anybody in this organization hits, as in actually gets a damn hit, and does so while being left-handed? Position is not an issue, just hit lefty!

Well timed day off. Respect for Marte evident in the way he was pitched when bases loaded. Steals are alarming. Is there a more exciting young pitcher in the game than Cole? Has All Star Starter written all over him.

It'd be nice to see the offense spread out the runs over a series of games instead of exploding for 8 one night and only 2 the 2 nights prior. Need consistency, but Cole, AJ, and Franky are as dominant a 1-2-3 as anyone right now. Big early series in StL this weekend.

DK, I don't know if this is within your parameters. Many times watching Pirate broadcasts, and in this case ROOT Sports the ball/strike calls look terrible. While a pitch track graphic may not be 100% accurate, it is the best tool to see if pitches are being called properly. Just as in any profession, some people are better than others. Last night the home plate umpire by the last name of Scott seemed to be terrible. That effects at bats for the offense and the the pitchers. Sometimes, at bats at a particular time effect outcomes of games. Anyway. The major networks and many other broadcasts show almost every pitch on a pitch track of one kind or another. It does not effect the quality of the broadcast, but I think enhances the broadcast. Can you find out why Root only occasionally shows the Pitch track or whatever they call it. Do they have to pay somebody every time they use it? Why wouldn't they use it? Can you find this out or do you not want to bother with this matter? I also have a better solution for umpiring in MLB. But that is another discussion Thank you