Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (77-49) vs. Colorado Rockies (51-74), 7:07 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: LHP Francisco Liriano (9-6, 3.23) vs. RHP Jon Gray (0-0, 5.94)
TV, radio: Root Sports (local), MLB Network (national), 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Josh’s five pregame notes:
• Clint Hurdle has stated that he’s going to give Aramis Ramirez days off when the Pirates have just traveled, as they did late last night from Miami. In a stretch of 20 games in 20 days, the Pirates have been careful with Ramirez. They’re pleased with the results they’re receiving. He has driven in 15 runs in his past 19 games following a slow start with the Pirates. He’s hitting .250 in a Pirates’ uniform, this after he started his second run with the Pirates in a 4 for 34 funk.
Ask Hurdle what the Pirates think of Ramirez’s production, and he’ll tell you a familiar refrain: “We believe in the man, in the back of the baseball card.”
Ramirez will be used off the bench tonight but figures to be back in the lineup on Saturday.
“He’s just a professional hitter,” said Hurdle, who commented that Ramirez is the second best run producer in the Pirates’ lineup behind Andrew McCutchen.
• Josh Harrison isn’t in tonight’s lineup against the Rockies and it will be interesting to see how much playing time he receives. Harrison hasn’t looked comfortable in the batter’s box since his return to the lineup.
Harrison is hitting .154 (2 for 13) since returning August 21 against the Giants. While this is hardly alarming because of the small sample size of at-bats, Harrison was only 1 for 19 in his rehab assignment with Indianapolis. Combine those numbers, and Harrison is hitting .094 (3 for 32) since being deemed healthy enough to play after injuring his thumb.
It’s early, of course. But Harrison has displayed little patience at the plate and hasn’t yet look comfortable.
• Pedro Alvarez is fresh off a monstrous home run to center in Miami last night and has looked like a different hitter since the All-Star break. Hurdle maintains that Alvarez’s approach at the plate – he’s not swinging at pitches out of the zone at the same rate as earlier in the season – is the biggest difference for the consistently productive stretch Alvarez is enjoying.
“There are other instances when there is chasing going on,” Hurdle said. “That’s when the swing and miss comes in to play, the strikeouts spike.”
• It was suggested to Hurdle that Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart are currently performing better than any duo in baseball. He didn’t necessarily disagree.
“We’re very happy with the combination behind the plate,” Hurdle said. “The work that gets done when they’re not on the field is great. We get a quick hook last night (Cervelli’s ejection), he (Stewart) comes in seamlessly.”
• A.J. Burnett will throw what amounts to approximately three innings on Sunday as he continues to work his elbow into proper playing shape. All indications regarding Burnett are positive. The Pirates would dearly love to get a few starts out of him in September.
Follow the game with Josh::
7:19: Francisco Liriano wasn’t sharp in the first inning, walking two batters. But he avoided the jam.
7:29: Jung Ho Kang with a bloop single to right, which scores Cutch. With two outs, Cutch lined a single to center – he’s totally locked in right now – stole second, and scored on the hit. Pirates 1, Rockies 0.
8:09: Kang strikes again, hitting an RBI double to right center that scores Gregory Polanco. Pirates 2, Rockies 0.
8:40: Just when Liriano looked like he would get out of a jam, Jose Reyes, who looked bad in his first two at-bats, hits a two-run homer off the foul pole in left field. Pirates 2, Rockies 2.
8:52: Is Polanco on a roll or what? He laces a double to right – he was safe at second by inches – advances to third on a wild pitch, and scores on Starling Marte’s sac fly. Pirates 3, Rockies 2.
9:04: Carlos Gonzalez with a blast to right center, and we’re even. Liriano has given up three hits. Two of them left the park. Pirates 3, Rockies 3.
9:26: Cargo with a diving catch on a Polanco rocket – the bases were loaded – and we’re still tied.
9:47: What a moment. One out, and Reyes at first, and Nolan Arenado was up at the plate. He lofted a fly ball to right, and the speedy Reyes took off for home. Polanco unleashes a cannon, and Cervelli makes a wonderful tag. Polanco and the Pirates leave the field to a standing ovation. Still tied.
10:05: Josh Harrison with the RBI single in a pinch hitting role. Pirates 4, Rockies 3.
10:08: Polanco delivers. Again. Pirates 5, Rockies 3.
10:18: Mark the Shark makes quick work of the ninth. Ballgame.
August 28, 2015
Final: Pirates 5, Rockies 3
287by Josh Yohe • Game previews • Pirates
Looking ahead to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (77-49) vs. Colorado Rockies (51-74), 7:07 p.m., PNC Park
Pitchers: LHP Francisco Liriano (9-6, 3.23) vs. RHP Jon Gray (0-0, 5.94)
TV, radio: Root Sports (local), MLB Network (national), 93.7 The Fan
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Josh’s five pregame notes:
• Clint Hurdle has stated that he’s going to give Aramis Ramirez days off when the Pirates have just traveled, as they did late last night from Miami. In a stretch of 20 games in 20 days, the Pirates have been careful with Ramirez. They’re pleased with the results they’re receiving. He has driven in 15 runs in his past 19 games following a slow start with the Pirates. He’s hitting .250 in a Pirates’ uniform, this after he started his second run with the Pirates in a 4 for 34 funk.
Ask Hurdle what the Pirates think of Ramirez’s production, and he’ll tell you a familiar refrain: “We believe in the man, in the back of the baseball card.”
Ramirez will be used off the bench tonight but figures to be back in the lineup on Saturday.
“He’s just a professional hitter,” said Hurdle, who commented that Ramirez is the second best run producer in the Pirates’ lineup behind Andrew McCutchen.
• Josh Harrison isn’t in tonight’s lineup against the Rockies and it will be interesting to see how much playing time he receives. Harrison hasn’t looked comfortable in the batter’s box since his return to the lineup.
Harrison is hitting .154 (2 for 13) since returning August 21 against the Giants. While this is hardly alarming because of the small sample size of at-bats, Harrison was only 1 for 19 in his rehab assignment with Indianapolis. Combine those numbers, and Harrison is hitting .094 (3 for 32) since being deemed healthy enough to play after injuring his thumb.
It’s early, of course. But Harrison has displayed little patience at the plate and hasn’t yet look comfortable.
• Pedro Alvarez is fresh off a monstrous home run to center in Miami last night and has looked like a different hitter since the All-Star break. Hurdle maintains that Alvarez’s approach at the plate – he’s not swinging at pitches out of the zone at the same rate as earlier in the season – is the biggest difference for the consistently productive stretch Alvarez is enjoying.
“There are other instances when there is chasing going on,” Hurdle said. “That’s when the swing and miss comes in to play, the strikeouts spike.”
• It was suggested to Hurdle that Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart are currently performing better than any duo in baseball. He didn’t necessarily disagree.
“We’re very happy with the combination behind the plate,” Hurdle said. “The work that gets done when they’re not on the field is great. We get a quick hook last night (Cervelli’s ejection), he (Stewart) comes in seamlessly.”
• A.J. Burnett will throw what amounts to approximately three innings on Sunday as he continues to work his elbow into proper playing shape. All indications regarding Burnett are positive. The Pirates would dearly love to get a few starts out of him in September.
Follow the game with Josh::
7:19: Francisco Liriano wasn’t sharp in the first inning, walking two batters. But he avoided the jam.
7:29: Jung Ho Kang with a bloop single to right, which scores Cutch. With two outs, Cutch lined a single to center – he’s totally locked in right now – stole second, and scored on the hit. Pirates 1, Rockies 0.
8:09: Kang strikes again, hitting an RBI double to right center that scores Gregory Polanco. Pirates 2, Rockies 0.
8:40: Just when Liriano looked like he would get out of a jam, Jose Reyes, who looked bad in his first two at-bats, hits a two-run homer off the foul pole in left field. Pirates 2, Rockies 2.
8:52: Is Polanco on a roll or what? He laces a double to right – he was safe at second by inches – advances to third on a wild pitch, and scores on Starling Marte’s sac fly. Pirates 3, Rockies 2.
9:04: Carlos Gonzalez with a blast to right center, and we’re even. Liriano has given up three hits. Two of them left the park. Pirates 3, Rockies 3.
9:26: Cargo with a diving catch on a Polanco rocket – the bases were loaded – and we’re still tied.
9:47: What a moment. One out, and Reyes at first, and Nolan Arenado was up at the plate. He lofted a fly ball to right, and the speedy Reyes took off for home. Polanco unleashes a cannon, and Cervelli makes a wonderful tag. Polanco and the Pirates leave the field to a standing ovation. Still tied.
10:05: Josh Harrison with the RBI single in a pinch hitting role. Pirates 4, Rockies 3.
10:08: Polanco delivers. Again. Pirates 5, Rockies 3.
10:18: Mark the Shark makes quick work of the ninth. Ballgame.