Four hours to first pitch…
Game: Pirates (49-34) vs. San Diego Padres (39-47), 7:05 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: RHP Charlie Morton (6-2, 4.30) vs. RHP Andrew Cashner (3-9, 4.06)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
Pregame notes 5:32 p.m.: Starling Marte is out of the lineup again. Clint Hurdle said he didn’t know if Marte would be available for tonight’s game because the team’s pregame work was pushed back due to Tuesday’s late game. By Marte’s admission, he hasn’t done anything on the field yet but could soon. “I feel a bit different today, feeling better,” Marte said. … Francisco Cervelli returns to the lineup after he was given a day off yesterday. “Not glad but I respect the manager’s decision so that’s it,” Cervelli said of his day down. … Cashner starts for the Padres tonight and he’s rather successful when facing the Pirates. While his career record against Pittsburgh is 1-3, he sports a 0.95 ERA over 19 innings. Hurdle noted Cashner’s competitiveness on both sides of the ball, citing a base the right-hander stole against the Pirates and a run he scored as a pinch-hitter. All while pitching pretty well. “He’s like Tarzan. This guy’s incredible.” Two years ago, Cashner carried a perfect game into the seventh inning. Three guesses at who broke it up. … Justin Upton is a late scratch from San Diego’s lineup with oblique soreness. … Mark Melancon leads the majors with 28 saves and has converted 26 straight opportunities. If he converts his next save, he’ll set a club record for consecutive saves converted to break the mark Joel Hanrahan set in 2011. … The Pittsburgh skyline is filled with clouds at the moment and there is a 40 percent chance of rain at 8:00 tonight. So, again, wait and see…
7:06: First pitch, Morton to Derek Norris, 72 degrees, muggy.
7:07: Josh Harrison had thumb surgery and will miss seven weeks. See separate post. Also today, Jameson Taillon had surgery to repair an inguinal hernia by Dr. George Eid of the Allegheny Health Network. Typical recovery time is eight weeks.
7:10: Padres, 1-0, 1st inning. Matt Kemp smokes a 1-2 sinker into the center-field shrubbery.
7:23: Stop me if you’ve heard this before–it’s raining.
7:28: Padres, 2-0. Melvin Upton Jr. doubles off the wall in center to score Will Venable on another lifeless sinker from Morton.
7:35: Morton proceeds to walk the pitcher but pulls it together to retire the side and hold the Padres to one in the second.
7:41: Padres, 2-1, 2nd inning. Jung Ho Kang legs out a double to shallow center that Upton Jr. couldn’t pick up after Alexi Amarista came up empty behind second base, then scored on Pedro Alvarez’s sacrifice fly.
7:50: Morton puts a foot down after the Pirates score in the second, retires the side in order.
8:15: Cashner works a 1-2-3 fourth and he’s needed only 48 pitches so far.
8:23: Norris singles leading off but Morton induces two flyouts and a groundout to keep him there.
8:37: For the second time tonight, Alvarez can’t catch a pickoff attempt by Morton. Two errors tonight give him 13 on the year in 541 innings played in the field. He committed 25 errors in 823 innings last year.
8:39: Miscue doesn’t hurt Morton, who strikes Cashner out looking to end the inning. Morton, at 104 pitches, looks to be done with Steve Lombardozzi in the on-deck circle after Sean Rodriguez. Morton settled down after his first two innings, gave up two runs and five hits. Walked four, struck out five.
8:45: Cashner breezes through another inning, retiring the side in order. Only 67 pitches for the right-hander through six stellar frames. Deolis Guerra on for the Pirates in the seventh.
8:57: Neil Walker leads off with a double to break Cashner’s stretch of 15 consecutive batters retired. And, the Pirates now have as many hits (2) as errors (2).
9:06: Pirates 2, Padres 2, 7th. Francisco Cervelli grounds deep into the shortstop hole and Andrew McCutchen is out at second but Walker scores from third to tie the game.
9:17: Take a moment to appreciate Guerra’s work, who’s retired all six batters faced tonight. He’s given up six hits in seven shutout innings over four appearances with seven strikeouts so far. Small sample size, yes, but better than the alternative for the Pirates.
9:25: Pirates 3, Padres 2. No need to analyze that at-bat. Gregory Polanco lines a single off the top of the Clemente Wall, a few inches shy of a home run, and Travis Ishikawa comes around to score after his two-out walk.
9:34: Pirates 4, Padres 2. Polanco takes third on a wild pitch, Walker walks and McCutchen singles to left for an insurance run. Mark it a career-high 15-game hitting streak for the center fielder.
9:35: Score it four runs and three hits in 7 2/3 innings for Cashner. Walked two, struck out five and leaves in line for his 10th loss after he dominated his first six innings.
9:40: Pirates 5, Padres 2. Kang singles to right, Walker scores and Brandon Maurer is yanked before he records an out.
9:44: Antonio Bastardo on for the Pirates, despite the save chance. Melancon has pitched in three of the last four games so he must be unavailable.
9:55: Bastardo walks the leadoff man but strikes out a pair and the Pirates complete the sweep of the Padres with a 5-2 win.
Mark Melancon tied a club record with his 26th consecutive save Tuesday night. — GETTY
July 8, 2015
Final: Pirates 5, Padres 2
235by Nate Barnes • Game previews
Four hours to first pitch…
Game: Pirates (49-34) vs. San Diego Padres (39-47), 7:05 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: RHP Charlie Morton (6-2, 4.30) vs. RHP Andrew Cashner (3-9, 4.06)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday / Multimedia / Media notes
Pregame notes 5:32 p.m.: Starling Marte is out of the lineup again. Clint Hurdle said he didn’t know if Marte would be available for tonight’s game because the team’s pregame work was pushed back due to Tuesday’s late game. By Marte’s admission, he hasn’t done anything on the field yet but could soon. “I feel a bit different today, feeling better,” Marte said. … Francisco Cervelli returns to the lineup after he was given a day off yesterday. “Not glad but I respect the manager’s decision so that’s it,” Cervelli said of his day down. … Cashner starts for the Padres tonight and he’s rather successful when facing the Pirates. While his career record against Pittsburgh is 1-3, he sports a 0.95 ERA over 19 innings. Hurdle noted Cashner’s competitiveness on both sides of the ball, citing a base the right-hander stole against the Pirates and a run he scored as a pinch-hitter. All while pitching pretty well. “He’s like Tarzan. This guy’s incredible.” Two years ago, Cashner carried a perfect game into the seventh inning. Three guesses at who broke it up. … Justin Upton is a late scratch from San Diego’s lineup with oblique soreness. … Mark Melancon leads the majors with 28 saves and has converted 26 straight opportunities. If he converts his next save, he’ll set a club record for consecutive saves converted to break the mark Joel Hanrahan set in 2011. … The Pittsburgh skyline is filled with clouds at the moment and there is a 40 percent chance of rain at 8:00 tonight. So, again, wait and see…
7:06: First pitch, Morton to Derek Norris, 72 degrees, muggy.
7:07: Josh Harrison had thumb surgery and will miss seven weeks. See separate post. Also today, Jameson Taillon had surgery to repair an inguinal hernia by Dr. George Eid of the Allegheny Health Network. Typical recovery time is eight weeks.
7:10: Padres, 1-0, 1st inning. Matt Kemp smokes a 1-2 sinker into the center-field shrubbery.
7:23: Stop me if you’ve heard this before–it’s raining.
7:28: Padres, 2-0. Melvin Upton Jr. doubles off the wall in center to score Will Venable on another lifeless sinker from Morton.
7:35: Morton proceeds to walk the pitcher but pulls it together to retire the side and hold the Padres to one in the second.
7:41: Padres, 2-1, 2nd inning. Jung Ho Kang legs out a double to shallow center that Upton Jr. couldn’t pick up after Alexi Amarista came up empty behind second base, then scored on Pedro Alvarez’s sacrifice fly.
7:50: Morton puts a foot down after the Pirates score in the second, retires the side in order.
8:15: Cashner works a 1-2-3 fourth and he’s needed only 48 pitches so far.
8:23: Norris singles leading off but Morton induces two flyouts and a groundout to keep him there.
8:37: For the second time tonight, Alvarez can’t catch a pickoff attempt by Morton. Two errors tonight give him 13 on the year in 541 innings played in the field. He committed 25 errors in 823 innings last year.
8:39: Miscue doesn’t hurt Morton, who strikes Cashner out looking to end the inning. Morton, at 104 pitches, looks to be done with Steve Lombardozzi in the on-deck circle after Sean Rodriguez. Morton settled down after his first two innings, gave up two runs and five hits. Walked four, struck out five.
8:45: Cashner breezes through another inning, retiring the side in order. Only 67 pitches for the right-hander through six stellar frames. Deolis Guerra on for the Pirates in the seventh.
8:57: Neil Walker leads off with a double to break Cashner’s stretch of 15 consecutive batters retired. And, the Pirates now have as many hits (2) as errors (2).
9:06: Pirates 2, Padres 2, 7th. Francisco Cervelli grounds deep into the shortstop hole and Andrew McCutchen is out at second but Walker scores from third to tie the game.
9:17: Take a moment to appreciate Guerra’s work, who’s retired all six batters faced tonight. He’s given up six hits in seven shutout innings over four appearances with seven strikeouts so far. Small sample size, yes, but better than the alternative for the Pirates.
9:25: Pirates 3, Padres 2. No need to analyze that at-bat. Gregory Polanco lines a single off the top of the Clemente Wall, a few inches shy of a home run, and Travis Ishikawa comes around to score after his two-out walk.
9:34: Pirates 4, Padres 2. Polanco takes third on a wild pitch, Walker walks and McCutchen singles to left for an insurance run. Mark it a career-high 15-game hitting streak for the center fielder.
9:35: Score it four runs and three hits in 7 2/3 innings for Cashner. Walked two, struck out five and leaves in line for his 10th loss after he dominated his first six innings.
9:40: Pirates 5, Padres 2. Kang singles to right, Walker scores and Brandon Maurer is yanked before he records an out.
9:44: Antonio Bastardo on for the Pirates, despite the save chance. Melancon has pitched in three of the last four games so he must be unavailable.
9:55: Bastardo walks the leadoff man but strikes out a pair and the Pirates complete the sweep of the Padres with a 5-2 win.
Mark Melancon tied a club record with his 26th consecutive save Tuesday night. — GETTY