DETROIT — Almost ready for first pitch…
Game: Pirates (44-33) vs. Detroit Tigers (39-38), 1:08 p.m., Comerica Park
Pitchers: LHP Francisco Liriano (4-6, 3.21) vs. LHP Kyle Ryan (1-1, 4.56)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
Pregame notes 11:55 a.m.: The Pirates are funny. On one level, they seem so flawed. Their infield defense has been horrible most of the season, their route running in the outfield – at least in right field – has been somewhat discouraging. They take a lot of bad at-bats, chasing breaking balls downstairs with regularity. A couple of their regulars are having disappointing seasons. Doesn’t sound like a great thing, right? Oh, and by the way, the 44-33 Pirates own the National League’s second best record. Only the freakish Cardinals have been better, and even they’re having a bad week. The Pirates are on pace for 93 wins. That pace might not win the division, but it will certainly put them back in the postseason. The Pirates continue to own the second best runs allowed number in baseball, once again trailing those Cardinals. And for all of the offensive inconsistency and the power outage (last night notwithstanding) the Pirates have displayed, it should be noted that they rank eighth out of 15 National League teams in runs scored. A few of the teams ahead of them — Cincinnati, Arizona, and Colorado — play in some of baseball’s best parks for hitters. So, what does it all mean? Tough to say. But I think it means, if the Pirates could ever figure out how to hit southpaws — it’s probably their biggest weakness right now, and there might not be a close second — they could be mighty dangerous come October. … Clint Hurdle is letting Andrew McCutchen rest his legs today, slotting him in the designated hitter spot while Josh Harrison shifts to the outfield. … Neil Walker and Gregory Polanco will get into the lineup against the lefty starter today. Pedro Alvarez, however, will again sit against a southpaw, this despite looking very good at the plate last night. He launched a titanic shot for a home run, barely missed another and clearly was locked in throughout the night. One wonders when, or if, he will ever get another chance this season to improve against lefties. … Hurdle, a Michigan native, spoke about trips to Tiger Stadium as a boy. “I can remember the smells like they were yesterday,” he said. “The peanuts, the popcorn – well, I guess you can’t smell peanuts until you crack them open – the smell of the grass, the fresh uniforms, the old English ‘D’ on your chest. It takes me back to when I was young, and I have those same feelings every time we drive in here coming into the city. It never gets old.”
Francisco Liriano has a 2.30 ERA on the road, 4.10 at PNC Park. — GETTY
July 2, 2015
Final: Pirates 8, Tigers 4
by Josh Yohe • Game previews
DETROIT — Almost ready for first pitch…
Game: Pirates (44-33) vs. Detroit Tigers (39-38), 1:08 p.m., Comerica Park
Pitchers: LHP Francisco Liriano (4-6, 3.21) vs. LHP Kyle Ryan (1-1, 4.56)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
Pregame notes 11:55 a.m.: The Pirates are funny. On one level, they seem so flawed. Their infield defense has been horrible most of the season, their route running in the outfield – at least in right field – has been somewhat discouraging. They take a lot of bad at-bats, chasing breaking balls downstairs with regularity. A couple of their regulars are having disappointing seasons. Doesn’t sound like a great thing, right? Oh, and by the way, the 44-33 Pirates own the National League’s second best record. Only the freakish Cardinals have been better, and even they’re having a bad week. The Pirates are on pace for 93 wins. That pace might not win the division, but it will certainly put them back in the postseason. The Pirates continue to own the second best runs allowed number in baseball, once again trailing those Cardinals. And for all of the offensive inconsistency and the power outage (last night notwithstanding) the Pirates have displayed, it should be noted that they rank eighth out of 15 National League teams in runs scored. A few of the teams ahead of them — Cincinnati, Arizona, and Colorado — play in some of baseball’s best parks for hitters. So, what does it all mean? Tough to say. But I think it means, if the Pirates could ever figure out how to hit southpaws — it’s probably their biggest weakness right now, and there might not be a close second — they could be mighty dangerous come October. … Clint Hurdle is letting Andrew McCutchen rest his legs today, slotting him in the designated hitter spot while Josh Harrison shifts to the outfield. … Neil Walker and Gregory Polanco will get into the lineup against the lefty starter today. Pedro Alvarez, however, will again sit against a southpaw, this despite looking very good at the plate last night. He launched a titanic shot for a home run, barely missed another and clearly was locked in throughout the night. One wonders when, or if, he will ever get another chance this season to improve against lefties. … Hurdle, a Michigan native, spoke about trips to Tiger Stadium as a boy. “I can remember the smells like they were yesterday,” he said. “The peanuts, the popcorn – well, I guess you can’t smell peanuts until you crack them open – the smell of the grass, the fresh uniforms, the old English ‘D’ on your chest. It takes me back to when I was young, and I have those same feelings every time we drive in here coming into the city. It never gets old.”
Francisco Liriano has a 2.30 ERA on the road, 4.10 at PNC Park. — GETTY