AJ v Erik Bedard

AJ Burnett (3-4, 2.73) takes the bump against Erik Bedard (0-2, 6.67) tonight. AJ's W/L record may not show it, but he's been strong lately, going seven innings in each of his last three outings. Bedard allowed two runs on four hits against Texas in his last outing in 5+ innings, and with 31 K in 27 IP, the lefty still has his swing-and-miss stuff. Should be interesting: A.J. Burnett, the NL leader with 72 strikeouts, will face an Astros team that has fanned a league high 417 times.

The game starts at 7:05 and will be shown on Root Sports and The Fan 93.7. It's an AJ bobblehead night, so the seats should be pretty well filled again.

Pirate lineup: Starling Marte LF, Jose Tabata RF, Andrew McCutchen CF,Gaby Sanchez 1B, Russell Martin C, Brandon Inge 3B, Neil Walker 2B, Jordy Mercer SS and AJ Burnett P.

We're pleasantly surprised that Mercer is being given a little PT this time around; JT, Gaby and Inge are starting against a LHP, with Travis Snider, Garrett Jones and Pedro taking ten. The Kid has had a rough time against lefties (.185); he's batting seventh tonight. The heavily platooned Bucs have a line of .224/.288./.361 with 3.3 runs per game against southpaws, and .254/.323/.411 v righties, scoring 4.4 times per game.

Astro lineup: Robbie Grossman CF, Trevor Crowe LF, Jose Altuve 2B, Jason Castro C, Chris Carter RF, Carlos Pena 1B, Matt Dominguez 3B, Marwin Gonzalez SS and Erik Bedard P.

Altuve, their primo player, is back after being on bereavement leave. Castro and Pena are the only true lefty position players among the starters, although Houston sports three switch hitters in Grossman, Crowe and Gonzalez.

• One part of the plan the FO has stuck to is bringing power arms to a Pirate staff that prior to their arrival was a soft-tossing bunch. Now, the team is second in punch outs in the NL with an average 8.39 whiffs per nine.
• Pirate pitching is third in the NL with a 3.43 ERA (3.94 FIP).
• The Bucs won't land DFA'ed SS Reid Brignac, who they were reportedly interested in. He was sold to the Yankees by the Rox for $75,000, so we're guessing the Pirate attraction wasn't all that great.
  

Bucco History 5/18

Babe Adams, the hidden ball trick, the trade that wasn't, Maz and Verlander foiled by Josh...

• 1882 - Charles Benjamin “Babe” Adams was born in Tipton, Indiana. The righty worked 18 seasons for Pittsburgh (1907-26) with a 194-140/2.74 line. He almost single handedly won the Pirates first World Series title, going 3-0 in 1909 against the Tigers and Ty Cobb, tossing three complete game six-hitters while allowing just four runs in 27 IP. 
• 1906 - Christy Mathewson lost to the Pirates and Lefty Leifield 7-6 at Exposition Park. Honus Wagner had three hits and the defensive play of the game. He erased Bill Dahlen from second base in the ninth inning with the ol’ hidden ball trick, sneaking in from behind with the tag as Dahlen focused on the action in front of him. NY Giant’s manager John McGraw was so furious with his veteran SS for napping on the bases that he slapped him with a $100 fine‚ which was later rescinded. 
• 1949 - The Pirates dealt 1B Johnny Hopp to the Dodgers for OF Marv Rackley. Hopp went 0-for-14 and Rackley 11-for-35 before the trade was canceled on June 7th; it ended up Rackley had a bum arm before he was traded. Rackley was done in 1950, while Hopp gave the Bucs a couple of .300+ years before he was sold to the Yankees in September of the following season. 
• 1968 - Bill Mazeroski played his 392nd straight game‚ a record for NL 2B‚ in an 8-3 loss to the Reds. He played 163 games that season as the Pirates had a tie game that counted, then was later replayed. 
• 2012 - Josh Harrison broke up Justin Verlander’s no-hit bid with one out in the ninth when he softly lined a curve ball away to center. Verlander K’ed 12 Buccos and walked a pair at Comerica Park in leading Detroit to a 6-0 victory.

Xmas In May; Bucs Get Gift Wrapped 5-4 Win

Houston didn't look all that harmless in the opening frame against Jeanmar Gomez. Robbie Grossman started it off by doubling to left center, digging out a 1-2 slider that was down and away. A bunt and sac fly just short of the track in center brought him home. Chris Carter lined a two-out single to keep it going, but Gomez got a pop to short right to end the inning with the 'Stros up 1-0.

The Bucs had a chance for a big frame against Jordan Lyles, but settled for a run. Marte was hit by a pitch, but tossed out stealing; he beat the tag by a hand, but lost the call. Travis Snider bounced out. Then Cutch lasered a heater above the belt into the Bucco bullpen 437' away to knot the score. Lyles went full to Garrett Jones, Neil Walker and Russell Martin. He walked the first two but retired Martin on a soft chopper after a pretty undisciplined at-bat; the Pirate catcher hacked away at three or four balls well off the plate. Still, Lyles is already at 32 pitches.

Gomez settled down in the second; it took him seven pitches to dispatch Houston. So did Lyles; he escaped an at 'em liner to right by Pedro, then K'ed Clint Barmes on a hook in the dirt and Jeanmar looking. The 'Stros went down in order in the third, and Lyles returned the favor. Both guys have knocked down seven straight batters after some bumps in the first.

Houston was put away quietly again; Jason Castro scorched one, but it was into a shift and just a quick, loud out to Pedro. In four frames, Gomez is sitting at 36 pitches. Baseball's a funny game; Jones crushed a rope to center and Grossman took a step and it was in his mitt. With two down, Martin and Pedro hit weak rollers; both ended up knocks to put Bucs on the corners. Houston took their chances with Barmes, and he lined a shot to center that Grossman corralled after a short jog a step from the track.

The wheels fell off for Gomez in the fifth. After an out, Matt Dominguez turned on a heater inside and caught just enough to drop it into the first row in the left field corner, the ball falling just wide of a leaping Marte's glove. Marwin Gonzalez followed with a single. With two down, he lost Grossman on a 3-2 slider. Jake Elmore singled in a run, and then the Bucs played Keystone Kops. Elmore broke to second; Russell's throw was right on the base - and off Barme's glove. Grossman bolted home, and Walker's one hop throw got away from Martin for an E6-E4 on the same play, where both runners were DOA if executed cleanly.

Gomez walked Castro, and Vin Mazzaro got the call after Jeanmar had tossed virtually the same number of pitches in the inning (34) as he had prior in the game, with Jordy Mercer coming in as part of a two-fer. Vin struck out Carter, but Houston had a 4-1 edge. Lyles did his job, tucking the Bucs in 1-2-3.

Mazzaro put up a goose egg in the sixth, and the middle of the Pirate order was up to face Lyles. Houston's Carter helped start things off by butchering Cutch's fly to left, turning the first out into a hustling three base boot. Jones followed with a double over first base, and Lyle was done after 89 pitches, replaced by lefty Travis Blackley. Walker quickly deflated the inning by, off all things, bunting. He rolled it back to the mound and Jones was easy pickin's at third. Martin singled to put runners at first and second, then Pedro went down, chasing high heat. Righty  Paul Clemens took the ball to face Gaby, who he walked. Mercer ended the threat with a pop to right; the Bucs let yet another golden chance swirl away.

Tony Watson's number was called. He had an easy frame. Trevor Crowe started off by fisting a bloop single to center off the heel of Cutch's mitt, but Mercer gunned him out at second. Walker's tag was high, but the ball beat him and that iced the call. Two weak ground outs finished the frame. Clemens got a pair of ground balls before Cutch doubled inside third with two down. Lefty Wesley Wright came on to face Jones; Brandon Inge batted for him and grounded back to the hill.

Watson broke his streak of six outings scored against in the eighth, but it wasn't easy. A walk and single had 'Stros aboard, and Dominguez battled through a nine pitch at-bat before swinging through a fastball. Walker led off the Pirate half with a knock to left; that brought on righty Hector Ambriz. Walker went to second on a wild pitch and third on a line out in front of the Buc bullpen by Martin. His next pitch was clobbered by Alvarez, who one hopped the ball off the River Walk 462' away and into the Allegheny to tie the game.

Justin Wilson took over in the ninth. After an out, he walked Crowe on a 3-2 heater that looked a lot like strike three. No diff; he picked off Crowe trying to steal second 1-3-6 and K'ed Grossman looking. And oh, geez, Astros.

Edgar Martinez took the ball, and gave up a check swing pop single to Marte. A Snider check swing ended up a force. Cutch ripped a single to right to put Bucs on the corners; the bases were loaded when Martinez bobbled Inge's tapper, checking third to see if the runner was coming home, then dropping the ball as he looked to make the play at first.

The Kid, who is fabulous with the bases loaded, choked this time. He fished for a swinging second strike and then watched the third sail by him. That left it up to Martin; he ran the count full, then popped up to short right. The 2B Elmore waved for the ball, got under it, and then dropped it as Jimmy Paredes, who just entered the game as a pinch runner in the top half, crashed into him. A walk-off is a walk-off; it's good to see Houston again.

AJ Burnett takes the bump against Erik Bedard tomorrow.

• Cutch kinda had a cycle tonight. He singled, doubled and homered, plus got aboard on a three base error.
• The Bucs didn't get their first walk-off win of the year until Tuesday; today is their second in four days. It's also their fourth straight win, their season high.
• Jared Hughes is back for a bit to replace Jose Contreras, who is on the bereavement list after a death in the family. Houston's 2B Jose Altuve is also on the bereavement list after his grandmother's death, and is expected back tomorrow.
• Tonight's attendance was 29,743.
• Russell Martin, in an interview about framing pitches, tells Ben Lindbergh of Grantland that "...my goal is not to steal strikes, it’s to keep strikes strikes."
• Chris Resop (1-1, 6.00) was DFA'ed by the Athletics.

Astros Back In Town

Jeanmar Gomez (2-0, 2.28) goes against Houston's Jordan Lyles (1-1, 8.36) tonight. Gomez's peripherals haven't been all that, but he's kept the team in all the games he's started against all comers and looks like he's got another three weeks at least in the rotation to make a case for a permanent spot. In five starts against the Pirates, Lyles is 0-4 with a 7.77 ERA. At PNC Park, his ERA is 11.42, so he shouldn't be lowering his ERA tonight. The game starts at 7:05 and will be aired by Root Sports and The Fan 93.7.

Pirate lineup: Starling Marte LF, Travis Snider RF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Garrett Jones 1B, Neil Walker  2B, Russell Martin C, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Clint Barmes SS and Jeanmar Gomez P.

Regular lineup against a RHP.

Astro lineup: Robbie Grossman CF, Jake Elmore 2B, Jason Castro C, Chris Carter RF, J.D. Martinez LF, Carlos Pena 1B, Matt Dominguez 3B, Marwin Gonzalez SS and Jordan Lyles P.

It'll be interesting to see how Robby Grossman, a Pirate prospect who the scouts were sorta split over, does with Houston; he was a key part of the Wandy Rodriguez deal.

• Before we join the crowd piling on the Francisco Loriano bandwagon, there are a couple of numbers we'd like to see improve. Hey, his 16 K in 11 IP is sweet. But not quite so sweet are his 12 hits, 5 walks, 1.545 WHIP and 10/10/19 line of ground ball/line drive/fly ball outs. It's also fairly unlikely that the lefty will sustain his current 88% strand rate and not give up any homers this season. Swing-and-miss stuff will get you out of a lot of jams and he may be just getting his feet wet learning the NL, but we'd like to see deeper outings and fewer runners from The Cisco Kid down the road.
• Starling Marte's 24 games with at least one run scored and one hit are the most for any player in MLB this year.
• The Rockies have designated infielder Reid Brignac for assignment. Bet the ranch that the Bucs have interest in the shortstop/utility guy.
• Pittsburgh went 12-5 against Houston last season when the Astros were a member of the Central Division instead of the AL.
• The Bucs will wear camo jerseys today and tomorrow in honor of Armed Forces Day. They're giving out an AJ camo bobblehead Saturday and kids get an AJ camo jersey Sunday.
• Ugh. Along with his flexor tendon operation,  Joel Hanrahan also had Tommy John surgery.

Pittsburgh Baseball 5/17

Cool Papa Bell, Goshen Sam, very late rally, Greenberg & Robinson meet, The Quail, The Great One & Hideo Nomo

• 1903 - James “Cool Papa” Bell was born in Starkville, Mississippi. He played for both the Homestead Grays (1932, 1943–1946) and Pittsburgh Crawfords (1933–1938), and compiled a .337 BA in the Negro Leagues. His speed was legendary. One Satch Paige story goes that when facing Bell, the outfielder hit a liner up that went zipping past Satch's ear and hit Bell in the butt as he was sliding into second base. That’s fast! The first Mexican League Triple Crown winner (he played there for three years), Bell was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
• 1906 - “The Goshen Schoolmaster" Sam Leever tossed a three hit shutout against Iron Man Joe McGinnity as the Bucs defeated the Giants 2-0. Leever faced just 27 NY batters at the Polo Grounds. Two of the three runners were erased on DPs and one was caught stealing. 
• 1920 - The Pirates scored three runs in the bottom of the 15th to edge the Giants‚ 7-6 at Forbes Field. NY plated their pair in the 15th when C Walter Schmidt refused to chase a wild pitch by P Elmer Ponder, allowing not one, but two Giants to score. Pittsburgh rallied and won the contest in their half when Charlie Grimm singled in Possum Whitted with two down for the game winner. With all that, the game took just 2:43 to complete. 
• 1947 - Hank Greenberg, who had heard an anti-semitic slur or three during his career, made Jackie Robinson’s transition a little easier when he asked if he was OK after a collision at first, then advised Jackie to “hang in there” during a 4-0 Bucco win at Forbes Field over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Da Bums outhit Pittsburgh 12-4, but one of the Pirate knocks was a two-run homer by Greenberg. 
• 1956 - The Pirates traded for CF Bill Virdon with St. Louis, sending LHP Dick Littlefield and OF Bobby Del Greco to the Red Birds. The Quail, who was Rookie of the Year in 1955 for the Cards, played 11 seasons for the Pirates, roaming the spacious center field pasture of Forbes Field for a decade while hitting .266. 
• 1971 - Roberto Clemente's two-out, two-run, walk-off triple off Mike Marshall carried the Bucs to a 6-5 win over the Expos at TRS. Clemente had three hits, including a homer, and three RBI. Montreal had jumped to a 5-0 lead in the third off Luke Walker, but the bullpen work of Jim Nelson, Nellie Briles and Mudcat Grant shut them down the remainder of the game. 
• 1995 - Hideo Nomo tossed seven innings of two hit shutout ball‚ fanning 14 batters, but the Bucs scored three times in the last two frames off four LA relievers to take home a 3-2 win at Dodger Stadium. Orlando Merced was intentionally walked in the ninth to get to Jacob Brumfield, who lined a single to center off Antonio Osuna to score Angel Encarcion with the winning run

Bucs Rock 'n' Roll Against Brewers 7-1

The Bucs gave Francisco Liriano lots of help in the first. He lost Norichika Aoki on five pitches, but Russell Martin erased him trying to steal with a strike to second on a pitch in the dirt. Jean Segura followed with a lined knock, and Ryan Braun crushed a ball to center. Cutch crashed into the wall, in the middle of the early evening sun field, and made the grab. But it wasn't enough; Segura swiped second without a throw as Martin lost the handle, and Jon Lucroy singled up the middle to make it 1-0.

The Bucs went down, with just a two out single by Cutch spanked through a shift to spoil Hiram Burgos opening frame. Liriano regained his mojo in the second, striking out the side. The Pirates made some noise with a Martin double with one away toward the Notch and a two out beaning of Clint Barmes, who took one off the shoulder. But the Cisco Kid rolled out softly to short to end the inning.

Burgos started the third with a soft flare to right; two outs later Braun drew a full count free pass, but Lucroy bounced out weakly to ice the inning. With an out, Travis Snider dinked an infield hit barely past the mound, and Cutch followed with a shot to center, right at Carlos Gomez; McCutchen can't buy a break against the Brewers. Garrett Jones rolled on softly to Weeks after Snider swiped second, and the Bucs have left four aboard after two.

Yuniesky Betancourt singled with an out in the fourth; he never got past first. With two down in the Bucco half, Pedro drew a walk, and the Bucs, using the Lucroy=McKenry formula, sent him; he stole second, his third big league swipe. Burgos decided to work on Barmes rather than around him with Liriano on deck, and paid when the SS banged one off the foot of the wall in left. Braun misread the play; either he thought the ball had more carry or he was at the fence, but he stopped short and allowed it to land for a double to knot the score.

With two down in the fifth, Liiriano worked Segura and Braun away; both spanked two strike pitches the opposite way to put Brewers on the corners. He came back inside on Lucroy and got a fly to left to end the frame. The Bucs caught a break when Marte's bunt was fielded by Betancourt, but Gonzalez dropped the throw; it was ruled a hit, though we're not sure why. Burgos went to first three times; the next pitch was a heater down the middle and Snider one hopped the ball out of the yard and rolled it into the river to make it 3-1. The Bucs had runners on the corners with two down following Jones and Martin knocks, but Pedro rolled out weakly up the first base line. Pittsburgh is 1-for-6 with RISP and has stranded seven runners so far tonight.

Liriano got into a jam in the sixth. He walked Betancourt with one away, and Barmes dropped a chopper to short. Alex Gonzalez flew out to fairly deep center, with Betancourt tagging. That was the Cisco kid's last batter; he went 5-2/3, giving up a run on six hits with three walks and seven K. Justin Wilson took the ball to face Aramis Ramirez, and got him to fly out just short of the track in center to keep the margin at two. Brandon Inge also checked in during the two-fer, going to third for Pedro, so Hurdle wants Wilson around for another frame.

Alfredo Figaro took the bump for the Brew Crew, and the game began to unravel for Milwaukee. Barmes reached on a Segura throwing error, but Aoki in turn robbed Inge, snagging a liner off the grass top. That would be the last out for awhile. Marte doubled Barmes to third as Aoki fielded the ball cleanly off the wall. Snider dropped a lob into center to plate a run while Cutch, Jones and The Kid all rifled one-base RBI liners around the yard to make it 7-1 and bring on Mike Fiers. He closed the gate, but the horses were long gone.

Wilson did his part in the seventh, getting three ground outs, and Fiers retired Pittsburgh in order. Bryan Morris came in and did just what you're not supposed to; he walked Lucroy on four pitches. But he cleaned up well, following with a K and a 6-4-3 DP to end the eighth for the Brewers. Francisco Rodriguez joined the parade, and tossed a clean frame. Jose Contreras took his turn in the ninth, and struck out a pair to close the night's festivities.

Lookin' good tonight, and with the Astros and Cubs coming to town, Pittsburgh could be set up for a big home stand.

Houston's Jordan Lyles will tackle Jeanmar Gomez tomorrow night.

• The top four in the Buc lineup - Marte, Snider, Cutch and Jones - went 9-for-20 with five runs and five RBI. Snider hit his first homer and stole his first base of the year tonight.
• Clint Barmes has a seven game hitting streak, his longest since his Rox days. In his last 14 games before tonight he's hitting .372 with 2 HR; that's one way to keep Jordy Mercer on the bench.
• The Bucs have played four four-game series. They've lost the first and taken the next three all four times. The teams were Atlanta, Philly, New York and now Milwaukee.
• Pittsburgh has taken four of the last five from the Brewers and claimed their first home series win against them since 2009. They're now 24-17, 2-1/2 games behind the Cards at the quarter pole.

Liriano v Burgos; Bucs Go For Series Cincher

Francisco Liriano (1-0, 1.69) will try to keep the good times rollin' against rookie Hiram Burgos (1-1, 6.86). The Cisco Kid had a good debut against the Mets -  one run in 5-1/3 innings on six hits, two walks and nine strikeouts. Burgos missed a turn after he allowed 12 runs (10 earned) in three innings at Cincinnati his last time on the hill. But he pitched pretty well against the Bucs on May 1st, going seven innings and giving up two runs on four hits at Miller.

The game starts at 7:05 and will be aired by Root Sports and The Fan 93.7.

Pirate lineup: Starling Marte LF, Travis Snider RF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Garrett Jones 1B, Neil Walker 2B, Russell Martin C, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Clint Barmes SS and Francisco Liriano P. 

Clint Hurdle has regained his senses from yesterday and penciled in his usual RHP suspects. The only diff we see is Russell Martin and Pedro switching spots.

Brewer lineup: Norichika Aoki RF, Jean Segura SS, Ryan Braun LF, Jonathan Lucroy C, Carlos Gomez CF, Yuniesky Betancourt 3B, Rickie Weeks 2B, Alex Gonzalez 1B and Hiram Burgos P.

Can't figure out why Lucroy is cleanup at .217/3 HR, but then again, GW doesn't have to.

• Pittsburgh has taken three of the last four games from Milwaukee. 
• Jason Grilli has 16 saves and is tied with NY's Mariano Rivera for the MLB lead. Grilli is also tied for the lead in reliever WAR at 0.9; Mark Melancon is tied for sixth at 0.7. The one thing you have to give Neal Huntington is that he can put a pen together. Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs wrote today that "...Jason Grilli is completely dominant..." in his post featuring the Bucco righty.
• Reuters ran a piece picked up by the Chicago Tribune titled "Maybe Tabata Isn't A Bust..."
• The Brewers are quick out of the gate. They've allowed the fewest first-inning runs (nine) and scored the most (34), giving them the largest first-inning margin (+25) in MLB.
• Blake Lalli, a grad of Pine Richland HS and teammate of Neil Walker, was optioned to Nashville by the Brew Crew to clear space for reliever Francisco Rodriguez.
• Andy Oliver started for Indy today, and had another effective but high-walk start. He went five frames giving up three runs (one earner) on three hits with six walks and four whiffs, throwing 97 pitches. The Tribe lost 6-4.
• Charlie Morton's rehab outing at Altoona lasted four innings. He gave up two runs on two hits (both solo homers) with a walk and K after tossing 61 pitches. The Curve won today 6-2.

Pirate History 5/16

Lotsa stuff went on today: rallies, Mathewson loses, Willis wins, streaks, b-days, squeakers, Leyland 's return...

• 1904 - The Pirates rallied from a 5-0 deficit against the NY Giant's great Christy Mathewson by scoring a run in the fifth and five more in the sixth for a 6-5 win. The big blow was Claude Ritchey’s three-run, bases loaded double. Starter Sam Leever hung in for the win at Exposition Park.
• 1906 - Vic Willis started a three game shutout streak with an 11-0 win over the NY Giants at Exposition Park. Willis led the staff with 23 wins and tossed six shutouts.
• 1923 - Charlie Grimm extended his hitting streak to 25 games, the NL record for starting off a season, against the NY Giants’ Jack Scott in a 6-2 loss at the Polo Grounds. Grimm hit .416 during the span, which ended the next day against the Boston Braves’ Dick Rudolph.
• 1937 - The Pirates drew MLB’s largest crowd of the day (39,571) to Forbes Field on a Sunday afternoon to watch Joe Bowman pick up a 2-1 win over the Cards.
• 1953 - Rick Rhoden was born in Boynton Beach, Florida. The righty spent eight seasons (1979-86) with the Pirates, going 97-93/3.51 during that span. He was an All-Star in 1986 (15-12, 2.84) and won three Silver Slugger awards (1984–1986). A talented golfer, Rhoden also became quite a hit on the Celebrity Players Tour, becoming its all-time leading money winner.
• 1957 - The Pirates beat the Braves 2-1 at County Stadium behind Bob Friend and a Roberto Clemente homer. The Braves got the tying run aboard via an error in the ninth, but future Bucco skipper Chuck Tanner missed a bunt sign and bounced into a 4-6-3 DP. The next pair of Bravos singled, but Del Crandall flew out to close out the contest.
• 1959 - Bob Patterson was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He pitched from 1986-92 for the Bucs, filling many roles, and putting up a record of 25-21-17/3.97 in Pittsburgh. The righty appeared in five NLCS games, with a save and 1.93 ERA.
• 1970 - Bill Mazeroski's ninth inning single sparked a 4-3 Pirate win over the Expos. It was Maz's first ever pinch hit knock in a big league career that began in 1956.
• 1995 - Denny Neagle, Jim Gott and Dan Maceli combine to shut out LA at Dodger Stadium 2-0 at Dodger Stadium. Dave Clark drove in both runs with a homer and single. The game was one of four scoreless contests in the NL, the first time there had been that many goose eggs posted in a single day in the past five years.
• 1997 - Jim Leyland returned to TRS for the first time since leaving the Bucs last season. Leyland, who spent 11 seasons as skipper in Pittsburgh, and his Marlins beat the Pirates, 3-1 on the way to a three game sweep, the Fish’s first ever at Pittsburgh. The Bucs weren’t the only team he beat up that year; Florida won the World Series, a feat Leyland couldn’t accomplish in the Steel City.

Wandy, Walker Lead Bucs To 3-1 Win

Wandy made it through the first, giving up a two out two bagger to Ryan Braun but stranding him. No surprise in the Buc half: Yovani Gallardo put the Pirates away in order, and Cutch squared up for another loud out, lining to A-Ram at third.

With an out, Wandy fell behind Carlos Gomez 3-1 and CarGo banged the ensuing heater through the left side for a knock. Rickie Weeks tapped out softly to third, moving the runner up a notch, and a comebacker finished the frame. With two away in the Bucco second, Russell Martin walked, but Gallardi got Inge fishing.

Norichika Aoki slapped a one out single to left to open the third. After a Jean Segura K, Braun walked on four pitches that were well off the mark, we're guessing it was a work-around. If so, it succeeded barely as Ramirez lined out to Starling Marte after a long run. Wandy is over 50 pitches now, not good news for a pen that ate up six frames last night. Jordy Mercer led off for Pittsburgh by smacking one up the middle and going to second on a bunt. Marte whiffed, followed by JT drawing a four pitch walk. Cutch bounced to third, Ramirez stepped on the sack and it remained scoreless after three.

Jon Lucroy got ahead 2-0 and ripped a fastball to right center; it tipped off JT's glove and ended up a leadoff triple. Wandy got CarGo and Weeks to pop out. He worked on Alex Gonzalez with Gallardo on deck, and it paid off when he bounced out to Mercer at short in a very nice piece of work by Rodriguez. With one down in the fourth, Gallardo dodged a bullet when Neil Walker's opposite field shot was hauled in on the track by Braun. Martin hit one smartly, but Segura gobbled it up and it's still zeroes at PNC Park.

With an out in the fifth, Aoki rolled one into right; he may be the world's peskiest batter. Segura followed by bouncing into an around the horn DP to end the frame as the bottom of the Buc order headed to the bat rack. Gallardo made quick work of them, retiring the side on six pitches.

Wandy answered with a clean sixth. Marte fell behind 0-2 to start for the Bucs, but caught an outer half heater and doubled into right center. After a JT whiff, a wild pitch moved Marte to third as Cutch was being unintentionally intentionally walked. McCutchen swiped second and Gaby drew a free pass to juice the sacks. Walker then softly lined a slider to center, scoring a pair, but losing Gaby who was thrown out at third when the relay was cut. Martin K'ed but the Pirates were up 2-0.

Wandy's job in the seventh is to get it to the Back End Boys. CarGo gave the fans a jolt when he drove one to straight center, but Cutch clutched it on the track. No such luck with Weeks; he drove a first pitch changeup over the left field wall to make it 2-1. Wandy finished strong by whiffing Gonzalez and getting Yuniesky Betancourt on a tapper to the hill. Wandy went seven, giving up a run on six hits with a walk and five K, tossing 97 pitches.

Burke Badenhop climbed the hill for Milwaukee. Inge led off by drawing a full count free pass, and a Mercer bunt advanced him. The rally was short circuited when Inge was caught trying to advance on a short passed ball; he was never tagged out, but the ball beat him for the automatic call. Jones went down, and the margin remained at one.

Mark Melancon took the bump, and Travis Snider replaced JT in right. MM was on against the top of the Brew Crew lineup, notching a pair of whiffs and a comebacker. With an out, Snider singled and went to second on a wild pitch. Cutch bnaged one back to the box; Snider was caught off second and tagged during a lengthy rundown, allowing McCutchen to get to second in his place. Gaby walked on a 3-2 slider while Cutch stole third, and that short nap cost Milwaukee.

Michael Gonzalez took the ball from Badenhop to turn The Kid around. It almost worked; Walker drilled one to Weeks, who made a diving stop but a bad throw from his knees to let Cutch score and put runners on first and second. John Axford came in to face Martin. He got away with an 0-2 mistake fastball that Martin fouled off, then came back to retire him on a slider bounced to third.

Jason Grilli has a two run net under him now for the ninth. He almost needed it as A-Ram took a ball deep to center, but Cutch was under it; PNC Park isn't Coor's East like Miller Field. With that out of the way, he K'ed Lucroy and got CarGo on a soft roller for save #16 and Wandy's fourth win.

Good win, but we wonder if Clint Hurdle didn't out think himself and make things a little more difficult by benching Jones, Alvarez and Snider against a struggling righty. We know he has numbers to support his case, but those are based on a dozen or two at-bats, and that's really not much of a sample size to use as a basis for a lineup. But it worked, and maybe now he's got it out of his system.

Hiram Burgos faces Francisco Liriano tomorrow night in the finale; the Bucs are looking for the series winner. It would be the fourth time they've taken a four game set after losing the first round this season if they can bring home the W.

• Neil Walker's bases loaded hit in the sixth broke an 0-for-23 with RISP streak by the Bucs against the Brew Crew. That made Pittsburgh 1-for-7 with RISP tonight.
• Pittsburgh only had four hits against the Brewers. The three starting righties - JT, Gaby and Inge - that are usually platoon guys went 0-for-6, though they did draw four walks
• Last night was Cutch's fourth career walk-off homer, tying him with Willie Stargell and Richie Hebner for the team high during the divisional era. It was the team's first walk-off win of the year.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Pirates have gone at least 50 seasons (since 1964) without winning a game when going hitless in at least 15 at bats with RISP, as they did in yesterday's contest. The last time a team won a game after going 0-for-15 or worse with runners in scoring position was Colorado (0-for-16), in a 4-3 victory over the Reds, also in 12 innings. And hey - the Rox were also managed by Clint Hurdle.
• Ump Fieldin Culbreth was on the field today at third base, so apparently he was just bruised by the foul he took to the shoulder last night.
• Stolmy Pimentel had another tough night at Altoona. He went six, giving up six runs on ten hits with a walk and two K.

Wandy v Yovani Part 2; Mercer Back

Wandy Rodriguez (3-2, 3.62) takes on Yovani Gallardo (3-2, 4.70) tonight. Wandy was clobbered in his last outing against the Brewers by a 10-4 count, and it was against Gallardo. Last time out against the Reds, Gallardo tossed 100 pitches in four innings and couldn't break 91 MPH, giving up three runs. Still, he's 10-2/2.49 against Pittsburgh lifetime and has won his last seven decisions against the Bucs.

The game is at 7:05 and be on Root Sports and The Fan 93.7.

Pirate lineup: Starling Marte LF, Jose Tabata RF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Gaby Sanchez 1B, Neil Walker  2B, Russell Martin C, Brandon Inge 3B, Jordy Mercer SS and Wandy Rodriguez P.

Yep, Jordy is back, and taking Clint Barme's spot tonight. Inge is manning the hot corner, oddly enough against a righty, and Garrett Jones is sitting, too. Must be another Clint Hurdle match-up brainstorm; heck, JT worked out pretty good last night. Or maybe Gallardo is a switch-pitcher.

Brewer lineup: Norichika Aoki RF, Jean Segura SS, Ryan Braun LF, Aramis Ramirez 3B, Jonathan Lucroy C, Carlos Gomez CF, Rickie Weeks 2B, Alex Gonzalez 1B and Yovani Gallardo P.

Lucroy is back behind the dish and Gonzalez replaces a rapidly cooling  Yuniesky Betancourt.

•  Old McDonald is on the 15-day DL with a strained back; Jordy Mercer is back - and in the lineup.
• Will Flemming tweets a Peter Gammon tidbit that up to ten teams are looking over Pirate relievers at Indy, in particular hard throwers Vic Black and Duke Welker.
• The Brewers are 2-10 in May. 
• The Pirates, who were defined by 19-inning games in both 2011 and 2012, were the last team in the majors to play an extra-inning game this season.
  
  
  Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/05/14/4665886/mccutchen-homers-in-12th-as-pirates.html#storylink=cpy
• Stolmy Pimentel goes on the hill for Altoona tonight; it'll be interesting to see how he bounces back from his last so-so start, his first rocky outing of the year so far. 
• The Dodgers signed Jonathan Sanchez to a minor league deal, according to several sources.