NEW YORK — Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (67-46) vs. New York Mets (63-53), 7:10 p.m., Citi Field
Pitchers: RHP Charlie Morton (7-4, 4.48) vs. LHP Jon Niese (7-9, 3.46)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Pregame notes 4:47 p.m.: Still no Starling Marte, and it sure doesn’t sound like he’ll play in the Sunday finale, either. At least not at the plate. “We need to get him in a position where his swing looks comfortable,” Clint Hurdle said. So, I asked, oven mitt? “Yes, oven mitt.” … Hurdle minced no words when discussing Morton, Jeff Locke and the Pirates’ other starters beyond the top two: “We need Charlie, all these guys, to be better, no question. They know that.” … The Pirates have now won 12 games in a row in which neither team’s starter gained a decision, meaning games won by the bullpen. According to Elias Sports Bureau — and they’re actually here at all games at Citi Field — that’s the longest such streak in the majors since 2009. It’s the Pirates’ longest since 1977. “Our bullpen has gotten it done when we’ve needed them most,” Hurdle said. … Neil Walker, with three extra-base hits in the past two games, now has 39, most of any National League second baseman. He’s feeling it, too. “It’s just a comfort level,” he said. “It’s not something you overthink. Just go out there, feel good, wait for your pitch, take a cut.” … Craziest stat you’ll hear today: The Pirates are 61-13 when scoring at least three runs. Three! … Pitchers are set for the upcoming home series with the Diamondbacks: Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano and J.A. Happ vs. Arizona’s Jeremy Hellickson, Chase Anderson and Robbie Ray. … Pristine skies above Citi Field, but the heat is solid. Feels like Phoenix. With the roof open. … Stay tuned in this space around 6 p.m. for the full content of an interview I just did with Andrew McCutchen. Seriously, don’t miss this.
7:10: First pitch, Niese to Gregory Polanco, 84 degrees, clear.
Aramis Ramirez is welcomed back after his first-inning home run since. — GETTY
7:16: Pirates, 2-0, 1st. Aramis Ramirez goes deep for the first time since his return. Two-run bomb to left. No-doubter. Niese opened Cutch with a fastball right down the pipe, did the same to Aramis. Mistake.
7:27: Cespedes singles, steals second and takes third on Francisco Cervelli’s errant throw. But Juan Uribe lines out to left-center to end the inning, thanks to a quality jump by Sean Rodriguez.
7:43: Pirates, 3-0, 3rd. Polanco goes deep. Hanging curve. Right foul pole.
8:51: Pirates, 3-1, 7th. Uribe goes deep, straightaway center. Impressive shot. Sinker was kind of flat, not especially so.
8:55: Mets, 3-3, 7th. And now Michael Conforto goes deep, on a night of going deep. Two-run shot. Went down and golfed it, too. Not at all a bad pitch, but he crushed it. That’s it for Morton. On comes Joakim Soria.
9:04: Morton’s 6 1/3-inning line included only four hits, half of those the home runs he allowed in the seventh, and his final pitch count was 88. His pitch count through seven was 74. Baseball’s a funny game.
9:09: Well, so much for Marte not being available to hit. He’s up there right now, only a couple hours after Hurdle said he didn’t expect that to be the case.
9:12: And he hits a comebacker to end the Pittsburgh eighth.
9:28: Wow! Cespedes with a laser of a throw from deep center to nail Sean Rodriguez going for a triple. The throw came with such conviction that the cutoff man — in good position — just let it go right by. A real defensive gem.
9:42: Extras again. Snowman shows off his new sinker-built package, allowing the Pirates to open the 10th with the top of the order.
10:19: Whoa. Ramirez really blew a routine throw earlier, but that diving stab just now in the 11th was stupendous. Even the New York crowd seemed to appreciate it.
10:55: Cervelli opens the 14th — I think it’s the 14th — with a double.
10:56: Pirates in business. First baseman Daniel Murphy fields a Marte grounder and tries to get Cervelli at third. Bad move. Throw went off line. Runners at the corners. No outs. Chris Stewart up.
10:58: Pirates, 4-3, 14th. Stewart does it again. Singles into center, raises his right fist the whole way down the first-base line. And then something that was actually surprising: A big chunk of the remaining crowd cheered and started a ‘Let’s go Bucs!’ chant. In New York.
11:01: Pirates, 5-3, 14th. Rodriguez drops a clunker into center. More cheers. Hilarious!
11:08: Mark Melancon on for his zillionth save in a row. Actually his 35th, matching his uniform number. But a one-out double from Kelly Johnson adds suspense.
11:12: Make it 35.
August 15, 2015
Final: Pirates 5, Mets 3, 14 innings
597by Dejan Kovacevic • Game previews • Pirates
NEW YORK — Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (67-46) vs. New York Mets (63-53), 7:10 p.m., Citi Field
Pitchers: RHP Charlie Morton (7-4, 4.48) vs. LHP Jon Niese (7-9, 3.46)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Pregame notes 4:47 p.m.: Still no Starling Marte, and it sure doesn’t sound like he’ll play in the Sunday finale, either. At least not at the plate. “We need to get him in a position where his swing looks comfortable,” Clint Hurdle said. So, I asked, oven mitt? “Yes, oven mitt.” … Hurdle minced no words when discussing Morton, Jeff Locke and the Pirates’ other starters beyond the top two: “We need Charlie, all these guys, to be better, no question. They know that.” … The Pirates have now won 12 games in a row in which neither team’s starter gained a decision, meaning games won by the bullpen. According to Elias Sports Bureau — and they’re actually here at all games at Citi Field — that’s the longest such streak in the majors since 2009. It’s the Pirates’ longest since 1977. “Our bullpen has gotten it done when we’ve needed them most,” Hurdle said. … Neil Walker, with three extra-base hits in the past two games, now has 39, most of any National League second baseman. He’s feeling it, too. “It’s just a comfort level,” he said. “It’s not something you overthink. Just go out there, feel good, wait for your pitch, take a cut.” … Craziest stat you’ll hear today: The Pirates are 61-13 when scoring at least three runs. Three! … Pitchers are set for the upcoming home series with the Diamondbacks: Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano and J.A. Happ vs. Arizona’s Jeremy Hellickson, Chase Anderson and Robbie Ray. … Pristine skies above Citi Field, but the heat is solid. Feels like Phoenix. With the roof open. … Stay tuned in this space around 6 p.m. for the full content of an interview I just did with Andrew McCutchen. Seriously, don’t miss this.
7:10: First pitch, Niese to Gregory Polanco, 84 degrees, clear.
Aramis Ramirez is welcomed back after his first-inning home run since. — GETTY
7:16: Pirates, 2-0, 1st. Aramis Ramirez goes deep for the first time since his return. Two-run bomb to left. No-doubter. Niese opened Cutch with a fastball right down the pipe, did the same to Aramis. Mistake.
7:27: Cespedes singles, steals second and takes third on Francisco Cervelli’s errant throw. But Juan Uribe lines out to left-center to end the inning, thanks to a quality jump by Sean Rodriguez.
7:43: Pirates, 3-0, 3rd. Polanco goes deep. Hanging curve. Right foul pole.
8:51: Pirates, 3-1, 7th. Uribe goes deep, straightaway center. Impressive shot. Sinker was kind of flat, not especially so.
8:55: Mets, 3-3, 7th. And now Michael Conforto goes deep, on a night of going deep. Two-run shot. Went down and golfed it, too. Not at all a bad pitch, but he crushed it. That’s it for Morton. On comes Joakim Soria.
9:04: Morton’s 6 1/3-inning line included only four hits, half of those the home runs he allowed in the seventh, and his final pitch count was 88. His pitch count through seven was 74. Baseball’s a funny game.
9:09: Well, so much for Marte not being available to hit. He’s up there right now, only a couple hours after Hurdle said he didn’t expect that to be the case.
9:12: And he hits a comebacker to end the Pittsburgh eighth.
9:28: Wow! Cespedes with a laser of a throw from deep center to nail Sean Rodriguez going for a triple. The throw came with such conviction that the cutoff man — in good position — just let it go right by. A real defensive gem.
9:42: Extras again. Snowman shows off his new sinker-built package, allowing the Pirates to open the 10th with the top of the order.
10:19: Whoa. Ramirez really blew a routine throw earlier, but that diving stab just now in the 11th was stupendous. Even the New York crowd seemed to appreciate it.
10:55: Cervelli opens the 14th — I think it’s the 14th — with a double.
10:56: Pirates in business. First baseman Daniel Murphy fields a Marte grounder and tries to get Cervelli at third. Bad move. Throw went off line. Runners at the corners. No outs. Chris Stewart up.
10:58: Pirates, 4-3, 14th. Stewart does it again. Singles into center, raises his right fist the whole way down the first-base line. And then something that was actually surprising: A big chunk of the remaining crowd cheered and started a ‘Let’s go Bucs!’ chant. In New York.
11:01: Pirates, 5-3, 14th. Rodriguez drops a clunker into center. More cheers. Hilarious!
11:08: Mark Melancon on for his zillionth save in a row. Actually his 35th, matching his uniform number. But a one-out double from Kelly Johnson adds suspense.
11:12: Make it 35.