Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (70-47) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (58-60), 7:07 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: LHP J.A. Happ (4-7, 4.64) vs. LHP Robby Ray (3-8, 3.29)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Update 4:56 p.m.: The Pirates just promoted right handed reliever Josh Wall from Class AAA Indianapolis and designated for assignment infielder Pedro Florimon.
Josh’s five pregame notes:
• Clint Hurdle isn’t a huge fan of the wooers. The “woo” sounds coming from the crowd late last night were louder than usual. Hurdle was asked about the wooing and chose his words wisely. But he made his point.
Here was Hurdle’s take: “What usually happens when you tell your kids that you don’t like something that they do? (They’ll do it even louder, of course.) So that’s what I’ve got for you on the “woo woo” thing. I don’t believe we hear it anywhere else.”
• The Pirates are on the verge of signing Travis Snider to a minor league contract. Snider, formerly of the Pirates, was released over the weekend by the Orioles. Hurdle said that Snider is expected to meet up with Class AAA Indianapolis tomorrow, explaining that Snider “needs to play.”
Snider hit .264 with 13 home runs last season for the Pirates. He was valuable as a part-time starter and was particularly impressive in a pinch-hitting role.
• Perhaps the two most impressive Pirates out of the bullpen in recent games, Joe Blanton and Arquimedes Caminero, will not be available tonight against the Diamondbacks. Both pitched three innings last night.
The Pirates have recalled Josh Wall to help in the bullpen on a short term basis.
“I’ve been working real hard this year,” Wall said. “Hopefully I can get up here and help the team as much as I can.”
Wall learned that he would be joining the Pirates at about 1 a.m.
• Pedro Florimon, one night after being the hero of the Pirates’ 9-8 victory, was designated for assignment to make room for Wall. Hurdle acknowledged that making such a move is difficult when a player is coming off a high like Florimon.
“I told him that I’m glad we’re having a hard conversation,” Hurdle said. “I’m glad you helped us win that game. I’m glad all your hard work paid off. I was happy to see all those guys jump up and down with you. I was happy to hug you. Now here’s the hard part. Here’s the decision we’re going to make. Don’t let this diffuse your plan, your program, your routine. It’s gotten you to a good place. It’s gotten you exposure. We like you.”
• Andrew McCutchen will be inducted into the Arizona Fall League Hall of Fame. He played in Phoenix in 2007. McCutchen is one of the youngest players to receive this honor.
Chase Utley was also announced as an inductee.
Follow the game with Josh:
7:24: What a catch by left fielder Ender Inciatre, who robbed Aramis Ramirez of extra bases – and the Pirates of a run – with a spectacular running catch by the wall to end the first.
7:47: Jung Ho Kang scores on a wild pitch, and the Pirates have taken the lead. Pirates, 1-0.
7:49: Sean Rodriguez come through with a run-scoring single. Pirates, 2-0.
7:54: Gregory Polanco slashes a double to left center, and Happ, who was running on the pitch because it was a full count with two outs, scores easily. Pirates, 3-0.
7:55: Polanco has been so good. But his base running is still a problem. And that’s the end of the inning, as Starling Marte beats an infield hit but Polanco mysteriously ends up trapped between third and home on the play.
9:52: Pedro Alvarez with a bases-loaded walk to make it 4-0.
9:56: Mark Melancon is in a big of a jam after Antonio Bastardo made a mess of the ninth. It’s 4-1 after a Goldschmidt RBI single.
August 19, 2015
Final: Pirates 4, Diamondbacks 1
334by Josh Yohe • Game previews • Pirates
Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (70-47) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (58-60), 7:07 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: LHP J.A. Happ (4-7, 4.64) vs. LHP Robby Ray (3-8, 3.29)
TV, radio: Root Sports, 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Update 4:56 p.m.: The Pirates just promoted right handed reliever Josh Wall from Class AAA Indianapolis and designated for assignment infielder Pedro Florimon.
Josh’s five pregame notes:
• Clint Hurdle isn’t a huge fan of the wooers. The “woo” sounds coming from the crowd late last night were louder than usual. Hurdle was asked about the wooing and chose his words wisely. But he made his point.
Here was Hurdle’s take: “What usually happens when you tell your kids that you don’t like something that they do? (They’ll do it even louder, of course.) So that’s what I’ve got for you on the “woo woo” thing. I don’t believe we hear it anywhere else.”
• The Pirates are on the verge of signing Travis Snider to a minor league contract. Snider, formerly of the Pirates, was released over the weekend by the Orioles. Hurdle said that Snider is expected to meet up with Class AAA Indianapolis tomorrow, explaining that Snider “needs to play.”
Snider hit .264 with 13 home runs last season for the Pirates. He was valuable as a part-time starter and was particularly impressive in a pinch-hitting role.
• Perhaps the two most impressive Pirates out of the bullpen in recent games, Joe Blanton and Arquimedes Caminero, will not be available tonight against the Diamondbacks. Both pitched three innings last night.
The Pirates have recalled Josh Wall to help in the bullpen on a short term basis.
“I’ve been working real hard this year,” Wall said. “Hopefully I can get up here and help the team as much as I can.”
Wall learned that he would be joining the Pirates at about 1 a.m.
• Pedro Florimon, one night after being the hero of the Pirates’ 9-8 victory, was designated for assignment to make room for Wall. Hurdle acknowledged that making such a move is difficult when a player is coming off a high like Florimon.
“I told him that I’m glad we’re having a hard conversation,” Hurdle said. “I’m glad you helped us win that game. I’m glad all your hard work paid off. I was happy to see all those guys jump up and down with you. I was happy to hug you. Now here’s the hard part. Here’s the decision we’re going to make. Don’t let this diffuse your plan, your program, your routine. It’s gotten you to a good place. It’s gotten you exposure. We like you.”
• Andrew McCutchen will be inducted into the Arizona Fall League Hall of Fame. He played in Phoenix in 2007. McCutchen is one of the youngest players to receive this honor.
Chase Utley was also announced as an inductee.
Follow the game with Josh:
7:24: What a catch by left fielder Ender Inciatre, who robbed Aramis Ramirez of extra bases – and the Pirates of a run – with a spectacular running catch by the wall to end the first.
7:47: Jung Ho Kang scores on a wild pitch, and the Pirates have taken the lead. Pirates, 1-0.
7:49: Sean Rodriguez come through with a run-scoring single. Pirates, 2-0.
7:54: Gregory Polanco slashes a double to left center, and Happ, who was running on the pitch because it was a full count with two outs, scores easily. Pirates, 3-0.
7:55: Polanco has been so good. But his base running is still a problem. And that’s the end of the inning, as Starling Marte beats an infield hit but Polanco mysteriously ends up trapped between third and home on the play.
9:52: Pedro Alvarez with a bases-loaded walk to make it 4-0.
9:56: Mark Melancon is in a big of a jam after Antonio Bastardo made a mess of the ninth. It’s 4-1 after a Goldschmidt RBI single.