BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
Getting ready for first pitch …
Game: Pirates (36-27) vs. Chicago White Sox (22-42), 7:05 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: RHP Charlie Morton (4-0, 2.05) vs. LHP Jose Quintana (3-6, 4.00)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: The Pirates have signed their other first-round draft pick, Texas high school third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, the 32nd overall selection in the compensatory phase. The slot value at No. 32 was $1.855 million, which is what Hayes will get. Hayes, 18, is the son of former major-leaguer Charlie Hayes.
PREGAME NOTES 4:16 p.m.: Clint Hurdle will go with the same lineup as last night, except for Corey Hart being out in favor of Sean Rodriguez. The Pirates genuinely don’t sound discouraged about Hart, but neither are they sounding as passionate in their defense of him of late. … As for the row of four consecutive lefties, “Our goal is to get them out of there early,” Hurdle said with a smile. … Jordy Mercer, on preparing to field behind Ground Chuck: “You have to stay sharp. He keeps you on your toes. People talk about the sinker and all the grounders, but that’s just part of it. He’s working quicker, getting to the plate quicker, too.” … Starling Marte’s ridiculous 13-for-21 tear includes a streak of four games with at least three hits. He’s the first to achieve the latter for the Pirates since one Wilver Dornel Stargell, who went — get this — 14 for 17 in his stretch. Wow! … Speaking of ridiculous, Francisco Cervelli’s streak of consecutive scoreless innings caught is at 42. I was going to ask him about that today and instead just walked up and said hello. Baseball players hate being asked about streaks. … Very business-like feel to the clubhouse today. Not a ton of joking around. Guys hustling back and forth from station to station getting their work done. This is what winning looks like.
7:07: First pitch, Morton to Adam Eaton, 79 degrees, spectacular.
7:19: Jung-Ho Kang, master of the over-slide tag.
7:36: The Pirates threaten Quintana but, after a mound visit, he settles and gets an ugly swing from Jordy Mercer to leave bases loaded.
8:04: Cutch goes golfing for an RBI, and it’s 1-0. I mean, seriously, pitch almost hit the dirt.
8:23: Sean Rodriguez finds the bleachers, and it’s 2-0, this off a 1-1 fastball up and over. Meatball, actually. But hey, the Pirates in-game entertainment folks kill that one by playing the New York Rangers goal song. What’s that all about? In touch much?
8:53: Francisco Cervelli has no power. Say it and repeat it, and it still won’t wash with that bomb he just launched over the Notch in the sixth. It’s 3-0. And man, is this guy just sizzling.
9:28: Morton leaves with a scoreless line through seven innings, four hits and a walk. His ERA is now 1.62, which, almost hilariously, is lower than those of Gerrit Cole and A.J. Burnett, albeit with only five starts.
9:38: Tony Watson did what he does.
9:51: Mark Melancon did what he does. Want to hear something amazing? All three pitchers who mowed down the White Sox tonight have ERAs under 2.00. In mid-June. Oh, and this marked the first time for three consecutive shutouts by the Pirates since Oct. 2-3, 1976, vs. the Cardinals. Absolutely outrageous.
Charlie Morton has seven double-play groundouts. — GETTY
June 16, 2015
Final: Pirates 3, White Sox 0
by Dejan Kovacevic • Game previews
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
Getting ready for first pitch …
Game: Pirates (36-27) vs. Chicago White Sox (22-42), 7:05 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: RHP Charlie Morton (4-0, 2.05) vs. LHP Jose Quintana (3-6, 4.00)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: The Pirates have signed their other first-round draft pick, Texas high school third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, the 32nd overall selection in the compensatory phase. The slot value at No. 32 was $1.855 million, which is what Hayes will get. Hayes, 18, is the son of former major-leaguer Charlie Hayes.
PREGAME NOTES 4:16 p.m.: Clint Hurdle will go with the same lineup as last night, except for Corey Hart being out in favor of Sean Rodriguez. The Pirates genuinely don’t sound discouraged about Hart, but neither are they sounding as passionate in their defense of him of late. … As for the row of four consecutive lefties, “Our goal is to get them out of there early,” Hurdle said with a smile. … Jordy Mercer, on preparing to field behind Ground Chuck: “You have to stay sharp. He keeps you on your toes. People talk about the sinker and all the grounders, but that’s just part of it. He’s working quicker, getting to the plate quicker, too.” … Starling Marte’s ridiculous 13-for-21 tear includes a streak of four games with at least three hits. He’s the first to achieve the latter for the Pirates since one Wilver Dornel Stargell, who went — get this — 14 for 17 in his stretch. Wow! … Speaking of ridiculous, Francisco Cervelli’s streak of consecutive scoreless innings caught is at 42. I was going to ask him about that today and instead just walked up and said hello. Baseball players hate being asked about streaks. … Very business-like feel to the clubhouse today. Not a ton of joking around. Guys hustling back and forth from station to station getting their work done. This is what winning looks like.
7:07: First pitch, Morton to Adam Eaton, 79 degrees, spectacular.
7:19: Jung-Ho Kang, master of the over-slide tag.
7:36: The Pirates threaten Quintana but, after a mound visit, he settles and gets an ugly swing from Jordy Mercer to leave bases loaded.
8:04: Cutch goes golfing for an RBI, and it’s 1-0. I mean, seriously, pitch almost hit the dirt.
8:23: Sean Rodriguez finds the bleachers, and it’s 2-0, this off a 1-1 fastball up and over. Meatball, actually. But hey, the Pirates in-game entertainment folks kill that one by playing the New York Rangers goal song. What’s that all about? In touch much?
8:53: Francisco Cervelli has no power. Say it and repeat it, and it still won’t wash with that bomb he just launched over the Notch in the sixth. It’s 3-0. And man, is this guy just sizzling.
9:28: Morton leaves with a scoreless line through seven innings, four hits and a walk. His ERA is now 1.62, which, almost hilariously, is lower than those of Gerrit Cole and A.J. Burnett, albeit with only five starts.
9:38: Tony Watson did what he does.
9:51: Mark Melancon did what he does. Want to hear something amazing? All three pitchers who mowed down the White Sox tonight have ERAs under 2.00. In mid-June. Oh, and this marked the first time for three consecutive shutouts by the Pirates since Oct. 2-3, 1976, vs. the Cardinals. Absolutely outrageous.
Charlie Morton has seven double-play groundouts. — GETTY