Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (73-48) vs. San Francisco Giants (66-57), 8:08 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: Francisco Liriano (8-6, 3.35) vs. Ryan Vogelsong (9-8, 3.93)
TV, radio: ESPN (national), 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Update 4:36 p.m.: Jordy Mercer is listed on the Pirates’ lineup card tonight, meaning he has been activated. Jung Ho Kang will play shortstop while Aramis Ramirez is at third.
Josh’s five pregame notes:
• Mercer will indeed be available tonight. Travis Ishikawa has been placed on the 15-day DL with a lower-back issue that has been bothering him for a while, according to Hurdle.
“It’s a situation Travis has worked through for a while without complication,” Clint Hurdle said. “He wasn’t available last night. He’s been getting it treated.”
• Hurdle cleared up the questions regarding who will play in the infield by essentially suggesting that whoever produces will play.
“Josh (Harrison) is an offensive player,” Hurdle said. “Jordy has shown offense in the past. The glove plays. I want to leave the door open to some things.”
And then came this bit of news.
“Neither of those guys are being plugged in as starters,” Hurdle said. “Jordy will get some starts. Jung Ho needs to play. Ramirez’s bat has played. We’ll look at a number of indicators.”
• Even though Harrison and Mercer won’t be playing on a nightly basis, Hurdle did acknowledge that the Pirates will give them plenty of at-bats. Expecting that duo to be ready from a timing standpoint right away, the manager said, wouldn’t be fair.
“This is the time of year when you’ve got to get some things done,” Hurdle said. “There will be some decisions to be made as we move forward that will be based on production. This is the time of year when you’ve got to get things done. But you’ve got to give players time to get their timing back, also.”
• The Pirates won’t have a left-handed bat on the bench tonight and this will be often the case when they face a right-handed starter.
Hurdle said that it isn’t ideal but isn’t stressing about it. He also mentioned that he’s been pleased with some swings he’s seen from Michael Morse, who will be on the bench tonight.
“He’s done a nice job for us,” Hurdle said.
• In his Giants career, Vogelsong is 48-46 with a 3.80 ERA. With the Pirates, he was 10-19 with a 6.00 ERA.
Follow the game with Josh:
8:35: The Pirates have erupted early. Kang, Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez drive in runs. Pirates 3, Giants 0.
10:01: The Pirates’ defense has struck. Walker and Alvarez have communication issues and Walker gets the error on a dropped pop-up. He then couldn’t convert on a throw to second that would have retired the runner. Alvarez then dropped a throw from Ramirez on the next play. Liriano escapes, however. Pirates 3, Giants 1.
10:26: That’s it for Liriano, as another Pedro error helps the Giants inch closer. They’ve got runners at first and second and one out. Enter the Snowman. Pirates 3, Giants 2.
10:33: Arquimedes Caminero gets out of the inning thanks to a 6-4-3 double play. Really close at first. I thought he was safe on one angle. But the umps, after a review, call Matt Duffy out.
10:42: Andrew McCutchen goes deep, as he often does in nationally televised games. Pirates 4, Giants 2.
11:11: Pedro giveth away, and he taketh. He hits an oppo blast, his third of the season off a southpaw. Pirates 5, Giants 2.
August 23, 2015
Final: Pirates 5, Giants 2
433by Josh Yohe • Game previews • Pirates
Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (73-48) vs. San Francisco Giants (66-57), 8:08 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: Francisco Liriano (8-6, 3.35) vs. Ryan Vogelsong (9-8, 3.93)
TV, radio: ESPN (national), 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Update 4:36 p.m.: Jordy Mercer is listed on the Pirates’ lineup card tonight, meaning he has been activated. Jung Ho Kang will play shortstop while Aramis Ramirez is at third.
Josh’s five pregame notes:
• Mercer will indeed be available tonight. Travis Ishikawa has been placed on the 15-day DL with a lower-back issue that has been bothering him for a while, according to Hurdle.
“It’s a situation Travis has worked through for a while without complication,” Clint Hurdle said. “He wasn’t available last night. He’s been getting it treated.”
• Hurdle cleared up the questions regarding who will play in the infield by essentially suggesting that whoever produces will play.
“Josh (Harrison) is an offensive player,” Hurdle said. “Jordy has shown offense in the past. The glove plays. I want to leave the door open to some things.”
And then came this bit of news.
“Neither of those guys are being plugged in as starters,” Hurdle said. “Jordy will get some starts. Jung Ho needs to play. Ramirez’s bat has played. We’ll look at a number of indicators.”
• Even though Harrison and Mercer won’t be playing on a nightly basis, Hurdle did acknowledge that the Pirates will give them plenty of at-bats. Expecting that duo to be ready from a timing standpoint right away, the manager said, wouldn’t be fair.
“This is the time of year when you’ve got to get some things done,” Hurdle said. “There will be some decisions to be made as we move forward that will be based on production. This is the time of year when you’ve got to get things done. But you’ve got to give players time to get their timing back, also.”
• The Pirates won’t have a left-handed bat on the bench tonight and this will be often the case when they face a right-handed starter.
Hurdle said that it isn’t ideal but isn’t stressing about it. He also mentioned that he’s been pleased with some swings he’s seen from Michael Morse, who will be on the bench tonight.
“He’s done a nice job for us,” Hurdle said.
• In his Giants career, Vogelsong is 48-46 with a 3.80 ERA. With the Pirates, he was 10-19 with a 6.00 ERA.
Follow the game with Josh:
8:35: The Pirates have erupted early. Kang, Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez drive in runs. Pirates 3, Giants 0.
10:01: The Pirates’ defense has struck. Walker and Alvarez have communication issues and Walker gets the error on a dropped pop-up. He then couldn’t convert on a throw to second that would have retired the runner. Alvarez then dropped a throw from Ramirez on the next play. Liriano escapes, however. Pirates 3, Giants 1.
10:26: That’s it for Liriano, as another Pedro error helps the Giants inch closer. They’ve got runners at first and second and one out. Enter the Snowman. Pirates 3, Giants 2.
10:33: Arquimedes Caminero gets out of the inning thanks to a 6-4-3 double play. Really close at first. I thought he was safe on one angle. But the umps, after a review, call Matt Duffy out.
10:42: Andrew McCutchen goes deep, as he often does in nationally televised games. Pirates 4, Giants 2.
11:11: Pedro giveth away, and he taketh. He hits an oppo blast, his third of the season off a southpaw. Pirates 5, Giants 2.