Pirates Journal

Game 162 Recap-

Back to back homers by 1b Adam Laroche and RF Steve Pearce were enough,as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the San Diego Padres 6-1 Sunday at Petco Field.  RH RP Tyler Yates earned the win with a great 8th inning.(Struck out the side) Both Laroche brothers- 3b Andy- had 2 hits to pace the Pirates.

Pirates RH Ross Ohlendorf(1-4,6.46) pitched great into the 5th( 4 2/3 innings), allowing 5 hits and 1 run with 3 Ks and 4 walks. His pitch count got high(98) and he could not go the required 5 to get the victory. He must be given consideration for a spot on the ML roster for the 09 season as either a 4th/5th starter or long man.

Star of the Game-

Pirates bullpen- 6 relievers combine for 4 1/3 innings of 1 hit ball

Pirates Notes-

Rookie Luis Cruz started at SS and was 1 for 3 with an rbi and walk… Raul Chavez was at C and had a single in 4 at bats…  Team finished 67-94 and 30.5 games out of 1st and have lost at least 94 games for 4 consecutive seasons

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Game 159 Recap-

An impaired Ryan Braun hit a walk off grand slam to lead the Milwaukee Brewers over the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 in 10 innings Thursday night at Miller Park in Wisconsin. The Brewers maintained their tie with the New York Mets for the NL wild card with the thriller. Each team has 3 games remaining and every pitch is magnified.

Braun, the All star LF and 2007 Rookie of the Year, is battling a rib cage injury and had only 5 rbi in the entire month of September.  He hit a 2-2 pitch from RH RHP Jesse Chavez with the sacks full, into the leftfield to send Miller Park into a frenzy.”This is the most frustrating thing I’ve ever been through as a baseball player,” Braun said. “I’d never make an excuse to try to justify my performance but just physically, I’ve been unable to do what I’ve been used to doing.”

This was a well pitched and played game by both sides. LHP Zach Duke(5-14,4.82) was great for 7 innings and allowed 1 run with 2 Ks. His manager was very pleased, “He threw the ball really well,” Pirates manager John Russell said. “It’s a big reason I sent him back out for the extra inning. It was a 1-1 game, and I really was trying to get him a win there.” He allowed a run in the 3rd when 3b Bill Hall doubled in a run to make it 1-0.

RH Yovani Gallardo(0-0,24 innings) missed most of the season with a major knee injury and went 4 innings with only 3 hits against. He walked 7 Ks with 2 walks, Rookie RF Steve Pearce homered in the 4th for the Pirates only run. The Brewers relievers pitched 6 innings and the 7 hurlers allowed 6 hits and K-ed 3 with 1 walk.

Star of the Game-

Braun-Hats off to this stud for suiting up hurt and being a man about it. He was obviously ecstatic post game, “There’s no better feeling in the world than a walk-off home run — especially based on the situation that we’re in”

Pirates notes-

OF Brandon Moss is out for the year with surgery coming on his knee on Friday, his injury is considered minor and he should be fine to start 2009… LF Nyjer Morgan left in the 1st inning with a left hamstring injury…  All Star CF Nate McLouth had 2 of the clubs 9 hits

Next game-

Friday start 3 game series at San Diego vs. Padres at Petco Park to end the season

10:05

Pirates RHP Ian Snell(6-12,5.54) vs. Padres RHP Josh Greer(2-1,2.86)

Please follow the team at mlb.com or at pirates.com. Hopefully back to write a column Thursday night….

please follow the team at www.mlb.com or at pirates.com. Back Wednesday night….

2nd overall pick, Vanderbilt 3b Pedro Alvarez, ended a long contract dispute that was close to hitting the courts, by signing a 4 yr/6.4 deal. He had signed the disputed deal minutes after the midnight Aug 15th dealine but the new deal ends all issues and gives the talent starved Pirates. Over 170 college games, the LH bat hit .349 with 49 homers and 51 doubles.

Game 156 Recap-

Astros ace Roy Oswalt allowed 1 run over 6 innings and catcher Brad Ausmus drove in 2 runs, helping the Houston Astros defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 Sunday at PNC Park.  SS Miguel Tejada added 3 hits and an rbi. Rookie rh Ross Ohlendorf(0-3,7.50) took the loss for Pittsburgh, while C Ryan Doumit had 3 hits and a run.

Houston jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 3rd as 1b Lance Berkman(double)  and 3b Geoff Blum(sacrifice fly) collected rbi. Ausmus singled in a run to make it 4-0 in the 5th. Ohlendorf’s line” 5 innings, 10 hits, 4 runs allowed with 3 Ks and 2 walks.

Pirates rookie ss Luis Cruz doubled in a run in the 5th vs Oswalt, to cut the deficit to 4-1. However, the Astros pulled away with runs in the 8th(Tejada rbi single) and 9th(wild pitch). LF Brandon Moss singled home Doumit in the 9th but 3b Andy Laroche flied out to left.

Star of the Game-

Oswalt- Look it up in the dictionary and it will say Pirates killer. 13-6 over his career vs Pittsburgh, also 27-8 over his career in September and October

Pirates notes-

Team finished 39-42 at PNC Park…1b Adam Laroche left in the 8th with a strained hamstring… SS Jack Wilson, battling a hand injury, pinch hit in the 5th and singled. The veteran, likely to be traded in the offseason, received a standing ovation…2b Freddy Sanchez had 2 hits

Next Game-

Team is off Monday, start series vs Milwaukee at Miller Park Tuesday

Game 155 Recap-

The Pittsburgh Pirates jumped out with 5 runs in the first and led 6-0 after 2, helping them defeat the Houston Astros,6-4 Saturday at PNC Park.The Astros lost their 6th game in 7 and have all but fallen out of contention for the NL wild card spot after winning 14 of 15.”We’re at the point where we can’t lose any more games, and I think we’ve felt that way the last 10 games,” Brian Moehler said after lasting one ineffective inning. “When you’ve got [three] teams in front of you, it’s hard to make up ground.”

C Ryan Doumit led the assault with 2 doubles and 3 rbis in the early attack on veteran Astros RH Brian Moehler(11-8, 4.61), who did not escape the 2nd inning. Pirates rookie rh Jimmy Barthmaier(0-1,15.19) started for Pittsburgh and was gone by the 4th inning. RH Jason Davis(2-4,5.29) picked up the win with 2 solid innings and the Pittsburgh bullpen picked it up with 4 of the 5 relievers pitching well.

The Pirates 5 run first got kicked off when CF Nate McLouth singled in the 1st run. Doumit(2 run double) and RF Brandon Moss(triple)  followed with rbi hits to make it 4-0. Rookie 3b Andy Laroche capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to put the spread at 5-0. Houston answered with 2 runs in the 3rd SS Miguel Tejada and 1b Lance Berkman drove in runs.

The Astros cut the lead to 6-4 in the 8th vs rh Tyler Yates(5-3,4.96) when ex Pirates Ty Wigginton and  Mark Loretta singled in runs. LH Jon Grabow(14 holds, 2.87) retired ph Jose Castillo to end the uprising. Closer rh Matt Capps(20 saves,3.14)  allowed 2 his but settled down to earn the save and a nice weekend victoy for Pittsburgh.

Star of the Game-

Doumit- Outstanding season for the young backstop, .322 with 14 homers and 66 rbi  over 410 at bats

Pirates Notes-

LF Nyger Morgan had 2 hits….Luis Cruz started at SS and was 0 for 4… SS Jack Wilson pinchhit in the 5th. With his fractured index finger, he is not expected to play defense for the rest of the season… Team control was greatly improved, as the Pirates walked 3 after they totaled 19 over the previous 2 games… Pirates turned 2 double plays with Cruz involved in both

Next Game-

Sunday, series conclusion vs Houston at PNC Park

1:35

Pirates RH Ross Ohlendorf(1-3,6.79) vs Astros Roy Oswalt(15-10,3.66)

Game 154 Recap-

Veteran LH Randy Wolf(11-12,4.46) beat the Pirates for the 2nd time in 10 days, while RF Hunter Pence added 2 hits and 3 rbi, to help Houston defeat Pittsburgh 5-1 .The Pirates walked 8 batters and managed only 4 hit. 1b Lance Berkman walked 3 times and scored twice for Houston.

Wolf, who has not lost to the Pirates since June 30th, 2000, went 7 strong and allowed only a homer to red hot 1b Adam Laroche in the 4th, he totaled 3 hits and 7 Ks with 1 walks. His mound counterpart, RH Ian Snell(6-12,5.54) did not pitch poorly but was wild. Over 6 innings, he allowed 3 hits and 2 runs( 1 earned) with 3 Ks and 5 HUGE walks. “It’s been a struggle all year for command,” said Snell, who dropped to 6-12 this season with the loss. “I don’t think anyone can pinpoint what it is. It seems like a lot of players have gone through a lot of stuff this year.”

The loss, 4th in 5 games, put the Pirates at 90 losses for the 4th straight seasons and for the 6th time since 2000. “It’s frustrating,” said Manager John Russell, in his first season as manager. “I’m not going to talk about the years before because there’s not much we can do about them. Wins and losses are what we have to start concentrating on.”

Star of the Game-

Wolf-His Manager was appreciative of his performance, “We definitely needed it,” Houston manager Cecil Cooper said about Wolf’s outing. “Randy gave us seven really good innings. He was pretty sharp, really focused. He settled in nicely and kept us in the ballgame. If we can get pitching like that, we’ll be OK.”

Pirates Notes-

The loss dropped the Pirates to 38-41 at home and assured them a losing record at PNC Park for the 7th time in 8 seasons…Steve Pearce was in RF and  went 1 for 4… Laroche had 2 hits while All Star CF Nate McLouth had the fourth Pirates hit

Next Game-

Saturday,7:05, Game 2 of 3 game series vs Houston Astros at PNC Park

Pirates RH Jimmy Barthmaier(0-1,27.00,2nd ML start) vs.Houston RH Brian Moehler(11-7,4.33)

Game 153 Recap-

Dodgers 1b James Loney finally made the Pirates pay for their wildness, driving in the decisive run in the 12, helping Los Angeles defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates,4-3 Thursday afternoon at PNC Park. The Pirates hurlers walked 11 batters total and Loney’s hit came after Craig Hansen(1-4,6.22) walked the bases full.

The Dodgers stranded 12 runners and saw the gutty Pirates rally twice. But the red hot Dodgers(winners of 15 of 18) maintained their 3.5 game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West. Their magic number is now 7. Their leader was not short sited about the magnitude of the victory.  “This time of year — I know, it’s just a ballgame — but when you start taking them off the schedule, they mean so much more, especially in the position we’re in,” manager Joe Torre said. “To win a game like this on the road, with as many opportunities as we didn’t take advantage of, it was terrific.”

The game featured two excellent young talents in Pirates LH Paul Maholm(9-8,3.68) and Dodgers rookie LH Clayton Kershaw(4-5,4.28).  Pirates CF Nate McLouth plated the 1st run with a 1st inning sacrifice fly. Dodgers 2b  Blake Dewitt singled in two in the 4th for a 2-1 LA lead. Andy Laroche continued to haunt his old club with a 6th inning rbi single to tie the game at 2-2. Maholm went 7 innings and allowed 3 hits with 3 runs, he walked 6 and K-ed 4.

The teams exchanged runs in the 7th with younsters getting big hits, as Dodgers RF Andre Ether’s infield single put them back in front 3-2.  Rookie SS Luis Cruz singled home Nyjer Morgan to tie the game at 3.

Before Loney’s hit, the struggles of Craig Hansen(1-4,7.04) showed again! He recorded one out and has now walked 20 in 15 2/3 innings! He walked the bases full and was tagged with the loss after this tough outing.”He couldn’t get into any rhythm with his fastball or his slider,” Pirates manager John Russell said. “You wish you could harness that because he throws in the high 90s with a slider that drops off the table.”

Star of the Game-

Dodgers plate discipline… 11 walks in a vital September contest vs a very good starting pitcher in Maholm & some solid relievers

Pirates Notes-

Team is one loss away from losing 90 for the 4th consecutive season and 6th time since 2000… Maholm allowed more than 2 earned runs for only the 2nd time in 8 starts… Pirates pen was outstanding, 7 pitchers over 5 innings with only 3 hits allowed with 7 Ks… Morgan was out at the plate trying to score in the 10th on an infield hit

Next Game-

Friday, Start 3 game series vs the Astros at PNC Park

7:05

Pirates RH Ian Snell(6-11,5.69) vs. Astros LH Randy Wolf(10-12,4.58)