June 17, 2015

Final: Pirates 3, White Sox 2

by Dejan Kovacevic • Game previews

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Getting ready for first pitch …

Game: Pirates (36-27) vs. Chicago White Sox (22-42), 8:10 p.m., Comiskey Park, Chicago

Pitchers: LHP Jeff Locke (3-3, 4.90) vs. LHP John Danks (3-6, 5.29)

TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan

Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes

PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 16: Manager Clint Hurdle #13 of the Pittsburgh Pirates shakes hands with Francisco Cervelli #29 following their 3-0 win against the Chicago White Sox during the game at PNC Park on June 16, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Clint Hurdle shakes hands with Francisco Cervelli Tuesday night. — GETTY

245 Comments Newest to oldest

Dapp27

6-17-2015, 4:22 pm

Bucs are 37-27 not 36-27

Groat2Maz2Strangeglove

6-17-2015, 4:23 pm

The lineup will be showing up soon . . . .

. . . . will my prediction and desire to see Corey Hart at the DH spot be accurate or stupid?

Of course, it could end up being both accurate AND stupid.

Groat2Maz2Strangeglove

6-17-2015, 4:27 pm

JOHN DANKS HAS NEVER EVER GOTTEN COREY HART OUT!!!!!!!

[he has never faced him: sh-h-h]

Walter White

6-17-2015, 5:12 pm

not accurate ... AND STUPID .... Well he's on first and Cutch is sitting but hitting! HArt should DH these 2 games then be DFA'd

Tom P.

6-17-2015, 4:49 pm

Let's Go Bucs ... say the terra cotta warriors of Xi'an.

watt

6-17-2015, 5:00 pm

Which Locke shows up tonight???

William Maloni

6-17-2015, 5:32 pm

The bad one is due!

JAL

6-17-2015, 5:06 pm

Pirates Lineup

1. Josh Harrison (R) 2B
2. Starling Marte (R) CF
3. Andrew McCutchen (R) DH
4. Jung Ho Kang (R) 3B
5. Francisco Cervelli (R) C
6. Jordy Mercer (R) SS
7. Sean Rodriguez (R) LF
8. Corey Hart (R) 1B
9. Gregory Polanco (L) RF

JAL

6-17-2015, 5:08 pm

White Sox Lineup

1. Adam Eaton (L) CF
2. Melky Cabrera (S) LF
3. Jose Abreu (R) 1B
4. Avisail Garcia (R) RF
5. Adam LaRoche (L) DH
6. Alexei Ramirez (R) SS
7. Gordon Beckham (R) 3B
8. Geovany Soto (R) C
9. Carlos Sanchez (S) 2B

Walter White

6-17-2015, 5:20 pm

JAL ... you should know your line-up posting is much appreciated!

JAL

6-17-2015, 5:06 pm

Pirates Lineup

Durka

6-17-2015, 5:09 pm

John Danks is pretty terrible and it's almost an understatement. Fastball and change up. 10 homers. The only pirate with any success against him is Rodriguez. 6 for 16

Walter White

6-17-2015, 5:10 pm

DUMB DUMB DUMB ... PUT YOUR BEST DEFENSE ON THE FIELD ... IF THESE ARE THE GUY YOU WANT TO GO WITH ... FINE ... MOVE HART TO DH GET CUTCH BACK IN THERE AND RODRIGUEZ ... OUR BEST FIELDING FIRST BASEMEN BACK IN THE GAME!!

Hart is a liability ... DH Cutch doesn't rest him enough to matter ... these games matter ... why put Hart in the field?

Jonathan

6-17-2015, 5:42 pm

My prediction - Hart gets 2 hits, possibly one of those being a HR and makes no errors at 1B. It's a good way to rest Cutch without losing his bat. Not having to stand in CF for 9 innings and being mentally tuned in is definitely a rest.

Walter White

6-17-2015, 6:36 pm

I just hope he doesn't screw us on D ... and get's some real swings in there ... he has got to know it's coming to an end here if he doesn't contribute!

Jonathan

6-17-2015, 7:05 pm

I guess I am being a Hart apologist, but the guy barely gets a chance to play, has no regular ABs, and no chance to get into a rhythm. The guy used to be a professional hitter for Milwaukee and I think he can still hit if given the chance. He's got wobbly knees, but that shouldn't hamper him at first(no more than Pedro) and he's a been handling his diminished role pretty well in my estimation. I guess I just want to see what he can do over the next 2 days before we ship him out.

bpn8pitt

6-17-2015, 7:35 pm

Jonathan, you're right on the ABs. I think he went over a week without a start until Sunday...I think the mistake they made was assuming he could still play some RF. Early in the year maybe even the exhibition in Philly, he had some XBH, running around the bases. He just can't do that anymore. Not regularly.

A. Lane

6-17-2015, 7:51 pm

Not sure when 1B became a premium defensive position, if that were the case Alvarez wouldn't be playing ever.

Walter White

6-17-2015, 8:09 pm

A lot of 1st base errors this year lane ... where ya been? ... Pedro is riding the pines a lot ... late in almost every game ... last 3 against lefties he's on the bench ... Rodriquez has made a lot of nice plays there ... and everywhere else we put him. Our pitchers don't throw over to 1st as much ... because Pedro is there ... has to hurt stopping the running game. You can't win with a shitty first baseman!

Jonathan

6-17-2015, 8:32 pm

Ok, he looked pretty bad there. Still holding out hope though...

Durka

6-17-2015, 5:12 pm

Locke has actually been pitching his best baseball this month compared to the other two although no decisions yet. Only three White Sox players have seen him. Bonifacio is 2 for 6, Laroche is 0 for 2 and Avisail is 1 for 2

Dylan C

6-17-2015, 5:19 pm

I like the game thread brought to us by atrias

Big Bob

6-17-2015, 5:41 pm

Hart instead of Tabata? When is the last hit Hart got. When is the last time he hit the ball?

pitsports49

6-17-2015, 5:52 pm

Welcome to tonight's episode of good Locke bad Locke. One of the fastest growing game shows in Pittsburgh! We will be taking your predictions up until first pitch.

chethejet

6-17-2015, 5:55 pm

Give Cutch a rest is not the worst idea. Hart at some point has to show he can still play. So find out before the trade deadline. I think he needs to show or go but find out with seeing him in action.

cmat0829

6-17-2015, 5:55 pm

Ah nothing better than this blog, JAL's reliable lineup posts and the never-fail chirping about Hurdles idiotic lineup choices. Dude gets zero benefit of the doubt ever. Not to say I haven't questioned one here and there but every single day no matter what???? Geeze. Take a breather just one day.

cmat0829

6-17-2015, 5:56 pm

As to Cutch DHing I'm pretty sure this was a compromise to avoid a scheduled day off in there somewhere. Color me happy to have it this way.

Biz

6-17-2015, 6:20 pm

DemonDachshund

6-17-2015, 8:45 pm

Clearly, the Bucs would have 7 wins in their last 6 games if it weren't for the terrible lineups.

Arriba Wilver

6-17-2015, 9:08 pm

doubramars

6-17-2015, 6:14 pm

Reading

6-17-2015, 6:28 pm

I believe that U.S. Celluar Field is the ballpark tonight.

Walter White

6-17-2015, 6:35 pm

Comiskey Park II

Walter White

6-17-2015, 6:29 pm

DK ... THE LINK TO LOCKE ... GOES TO AJ BURNETT

Walter White

6-17-2015, 6:31 pm

Pitching match-up is damn near equal ... with minimal lean toward Locke ... we need to hit bad pitchers ... and so do they ... should be a good game!

Walter White

6-17-2015, 6:40 pm

How bad will Adam LaRoche kill us tonight?

tkoui

6-17-2015, 8:21 pm

Lol. You are joking, right? He's had a few clutch hits but has been mostly ineffective.

Walter White

6-17-2015, 8:43 pm

AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K AVE OBP SLG OPS
82 24 8 0 5 18 13 24 .293 .398 .573 .971

tkoui

6-17-2015, 8:48 pm

That's not Adam's numbers. He's only batting .235.

Walter White

6-17-2015, 8:50 pm

WTF ... IT'S HIS NUMBERS AGAINST THE 12 PITCHERS WE HAVE ON OUR TEAM!

tkoui

6-17-2015, 8:52 pm

Ahh, these must be his numbers against Pittsburgh.

Walter White

6-17-2015, 8:54 pm

YES SIR!

Arriba Wilver

6-17-2015, 9:10 pm

Quit yelling, man. It's hurting my eyes. ;-)

Walter White

6-17-2015, 9:14 pm

CAN YOU HEAR THIS?

Arriba Wilver

6-18-2015, 12:15 am

Not sure about you, but I don't hear with my eyes.

ziggygreece

6-17-2015, 6:53 pm

is anyone in chicago covering this?

IndyPittFan

6-17-2015, 6:59 pm

Based on Monday's Planner, no.

Dejan Kovacevic

6-18-2015, 10:13 am

No.

Final: Pirates 3, White Sox 2

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