9/25: Bucs Clinch In '60, Huntington Hired, Williams Sets Save Mark, Hans, Big Poison, Tony Womack, Craig Wilson...

Bucs Clinch In '60, Huntington Hired, Williams Sets Save Mark, Hans, Big Poison, Tony Womack, Craig Wilson...

• 1901 - The Flying Dutchman drove in six runs against Christy Mathewson at Exposition Park with a double and triple as the Pirates defeated the NY Giants for the 12th straight time during the season by a 10-5 score. The top three men in the lineup - Lefty Davis, Fred Clarke and Ginger Beaumont - banged six hits, walked four times and scored seven runs. Jesse Tannehill was touched for 13 hits but never really threatened; Pittsburgh scored three runs in the opening frame and was up 10-1 after six. 
• 1907 - Honus Wagner swiped four bases at Forbes Field, including second, third, and home in the second inning against the New York Giants during a 14-1 victory. The Flying Dutchman duplicated that deed four times in his career. Fred Clarke also stole four bases for Pittsburgh. 
• 1923 - The Pirates turned the Phillies every which way but loose in an 18-5 romp at Forbes Field. SS Eddie Moore made his MLB debut at the leadoff spot, and had three hits, drew two walks, and scored five times. Pie Traynor had chased home four runs and Johnny Rawlings went 4-for-5. Ray Steineder got the win, and chipped in with two hits, two runs, two RBI and a sac bunt. 
• 1932 - Paul Waner stroked a pair of two-baggers at Sportman’s Park to set the NL mark for doubles with 62 and key Pittsburgh’s 7-1 win over the St. Louis Cards. 
• 1941 - Max Butcher and Elbie Fletcher eliminated the St. Louis Cards from the NL race with a 3-1 win at Forbes Field. Butcher tossed a five hitter, and the only run he was allowed was when he surrendered a bases-loaded walk in the seventh; he came back to strike out the next two Redbirds to limit the damage. Fletcher drilled a two run, inside the park homer to straight center, with Billy Cox scoring the other tally after a triple followed by Arky Vaughan’s sac fly. 
• 1960 - Although they lost 4-2 to the Braves, a St. Louis defeat clinched the pennant for Pittsburgh. The City celebrated by holding a giant midnight torchlight parade in the Golden Triangle. It was the first time since 1927 that the Pirates were headed for the World Series. 
• 1969 - Tony Womack was born in Danville, Virginia. The second baseman played his first five seasons (1993-94; 1996-98) with the Bucs, hitting .278 and earning an All-Star berth. He played in the show for 13 seasons, finishing up with a .272 BA. 
• 2001 - Craig Wilson collected hits in each of the final 3 innings of Pittsburgh's last game and got hits in each of the first 3 frames against Chicago‚ giving him knocks in six consecutive innings against six different pitchers‚ a MLB mark. The Bucs won 13-1. 
• 2002 - Mike Williams set the Bucco single season save record when he earned his 46th against the Mets at PNC Park with a 1-2-3 ninth, closing out a 4-3 win for Ron Villone. 
• 2007 - Neal Huntington was named as the Pirates new GM, replacing Dave Littlefield. He spent six years with the Expos and a decade with the Indians in various executive positions, primarily in the player development area, prior to coming to Pittsburgh.

Bucs Tame Bruins 8-2

Good starts for Chris Rusin and Gerrit Cole; 1-2-3 frames for them both, and each with a K. The second was considerably livelier. Marlon Byrd opened the second with a single and Gaby walked. A Russ Martin fly to center moved The Byrd to third, and he scored when Pedro lined a ground rule double to right (it got caught in the ivy), forcing Gaby to stop a the hot corner. Josh Harrison grounded out, freezing the runners. Cole took matters in his own hands, ripping a ball into left to make it 3-0.

Dioner Navarro and Nate Schierholtz singled to open the Cub half, but a screw up on the bases cost them; Navarro made a turn and returned to second, while Schierholtz took a turn a continued to second, where he was thrown out. Donnie Murphy followed with another single to put Cubs on the corners, but Cole bore down and got Brian Bogusevich to bounce one to second for a 4-6-3 DP.

Jordy Mercer led off the third by crushing a homer to left center; yum, yum lefties. After an out, Byrd singled off 3B Murphy's glove and Gaby doubled him to third. That was it for Rusin, as Brooks Raley came on. He kept the Bucs from adding on - runners on third and less than two outs is kryptonite to this club - as Martin and Pedro whiffed. The Cubs got a run when Logan Watkins opened with a bloop knock, was bunted to second, and was chased home when Starlin Castro's ball was knocked down by Mercer, but rolled far enough into the outfield for the run to come in. Cole again had an answer, getting Junior Lake on a comebacker and 1-6-3 DP.

After K'ing a pair of Bucs in the fourth, Marte banged a broken bat knock into center, but was left when Mercer's soft liner to right hung up. The Cubs went down quietly. Chang-Yong Lim took the hill for Chi-town. Cutch singled through the SS hole, then Byrd and Gaby walked. True to Pirate form, Martin whiffed, but Pedro cued a 3-2 curve away and hopped it over third; with the shift on, it rolled into left for a two-run double. Harrison was yanked for Neil Walker, who was intentionally walked. That was it for Lim as Blake Parker took the bump. He K'ed Marte on a check swing foul tip. The Bucs have six runs, but left a lot of ducks circling the Wrigley pond. Cole wasn't counting ducks, though, as he struck out the side.

Pittsburgh went down in order in the sixth. It looked like the wheels were coming off for Cole after a jam shot to left, a single to right and a walk loaded the sacks. Mercer lost the handle on a slow roller, threw late to second and everyone was safe. Dioner Navarro was up 3-0 when Cole decided it was time to go to the heat. He K'ed him, then Luis Valbuena, and escaped when Murphy's drive to right was hauled in at the wall by Byrd - thankfully, the wind was blowing in tonight - to keep the score 6-2. He tossed over 30 pitches that frame, so Cole is probably done, but it was a great Houdini act by the young righty.

Alberto Cabrera took the ball in the seventh and worked a routine inning. Justin Wilson struck out the first two Cubbies he faced, then Pedro threw away a slow roller. Wilson took the opportunity to get Castro on a slider in the dirt to strike out the side.

The Bucs tacked on another pair in the eighth. With an out, Garrett Jones doubled to the track in left center. A pick off attempt that Watkins short-armed moved pinch runner Felix Pie to third, and he came in when Starling Marte's grounder to short with the infield in went off Castro's backhand stab into short left, and Marte dashed into second. He scored on Cutch's two out, two strike liner to left to make it 8-2. Bryan Morris got the call. With an out, Anthony Rizzo rolled a ball to left against a shift, followed by a walk. Morris whiffed the next pair, and it was on to ninth.

Zac Rosscup got the Bucs 1-2-3 when Bogusevich ran down Pedro's gap shot; the wind giveth and taketh away. Kyle Farnsworth climbed the bump. He got two quick outs, then the game dragged on a bit; a grounder got under Gaby for a knock, followed by a walk. Junior Lake whiffed, and the Bucs had notch #91 added to their belt.

Despite the score, it wasn't a very pretty game, with shoddy fielding, 23 strikeouts, seven walks, 22 hits and 17 stranded runners between the two teams. But hey, a win is a win, and in September they're all gems.

Francisco Liriano takes on Jake Arrieta tomorrow afternoon to close out the series.

• From @DavidManel - Gerrit Cole now has gone 5+IP and allowed less than four runs in every start (19) for the third longest streak to start a career in history.
• With 41 road wins, the Bucs have their first winning season as road warriors since 1992.
• The Pirates have posted 29 wins in one-run games this year. That’s the most wins in one-run contests since the 1993 club also won 29 games.
• Pittsburgh won 12 games this year scoring two or fewer runs, the most wins by the team scoring two or fewer since the 1992 Buccos won 13 times.
• The Cards won 2-0 over Washington and the Reds lost 4-2 to the Mets, so Pittsburgh is still two behind the Redbirds but now one ahead of Cincinnati.

Cole v Rusin

Gerrit Cole (9-7, 3.23 ERA) and Chris Rusin (2-5, 3.52) get it on tonight as the Bucs head toward the regular season finish line.Cole, who will face the Cubs for the second time in 11 days, tossed seven innings against them in a 2-1 victory September 14th at PNC Park, then dazzled San Diego five days later.

Young lefty Rusin has pitched well for the Cubbies, although he ran into problems in his last outing against the Brewers, when he surrendered an first inning grand slam. In his only start against the Bucs, on September 12th, he was sharp over seven innings, holding Pittsburgh to a pair of runs.

The game starts at 8:05 and will be aired by Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

Pirate lineup: Starling Marte LF, Jordy Mercer SS, Andrew McCutchen CF, Marlon Byrd RF, Gaby Sanchez 1b, Russ Martin C, Pedro Alvarez 3b, Josh Harrison 2b and Gerrit Cole P.

Pretty typical LHP lineup, especially now that Marte appears to healthy and Clint figured out that Justin Morneau doesn't hit lefties.

Cub lineup: Starlin Castro SS, Junior Lake LF, Anthony Rizzo 1b, Dioner Navarro C, Nate Schierholtz RF, Donnie Murphy 3b, Brian Bogusevic CF, Logan Watkins 2b and Chris Rusin P.

• Jason Grilli's save last night gave the Pirates 53 in 2013, a club record since saves became an official statistic in 1969. The previous saves high was 52 by the 1979 Buccos, led by Teke.
• David Schoenield of ESPN's The Sweet Spot sees trouble ahead for the Buccos because "the offense is struggling, and the ninth inning is suddenly a question mark." 
• Dave Cameron of Fangraphs examines the concepts that built the Bucs.
• ESPN Stats & Info: 435 different players suited up in the black and gold for the Pirates since their last postseason berth in 1992.
• The Cards, Reds and Pirates are all guaranteed NL playoff spots; the next five games will be spent jockeying for position.
• OF Austin Meadows and C Reese McGuire were named Baseball America's top two prospects from this year's GCL class.

Abso - BUCN - lutely!

In case you missed the ninth inning last night...

9/24: Steverino's Shutout Streak, Willie Does It All, The Antelope Plays, Jeff Karstens B-Day, Craig Wilson Homers, Grilli's First Save...

Steverino's Shutout Streak, Willie Does It All, The Antelope Plays, Jeff Karstens B-Day, Craig Wilson Homers, Grilli's First Save...

• 1957 - Bucco 1B Dee Fondy grounded out to end the game and thus became the last player to swing a bat in anger at Ebbets Field. Da’ Bums Danny McDevitt blanked the Bucs 2-0 in the final major league game played in Brooklyn before the Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles. 
• 1968 - Steve Blass tossed his third consecutive shutout‚ defeating the Reds 2-0 at Forbes Field. Steverino won his ninth straight victory and recorded a NL high seventh shutout on his way to an 18-6 season. The game against Gary Nolan was scoreless until the seventh when Willie Stargell led off with a homer. The Bucs added an insurance run in the eighth when Maury Wills singled, was bunted to second and came home on Matty Alou’s two-bagger. 
• 1973 - LF Willie Stargell robbed Ken Singleton of a homer in the fifth, went long himself in the sixth and threw out Tony Scott at home in the seventh inning during a 3-0 defeat of the Expos at Jarry Park. Nellie Briles and Dave Guisti kept Montreal off the board, scattering eight hits for the shutout. 
• 1977 - OF Omar Moreno swiped his 50th base of the season to surpass Sonny Jackson's rookie record set with the Astros in 1966. The Antelope swiped a pair of sacks and was caught once by Cubs C George Mitterwald in a 7-3 Pirate win at Wrigley. 
• 1982 - RHP Jeff Karstens was born in San Diego. He was sent to Pittsburgh by the Yankees in 2008, and the oft-injured righty has worked as a multi-role pitcher for the Pirates since then, with most of his outings as a starter. 
• 2001 - Rookie OF Craig Wilson tied the MLB record for pinch hit HRs in a season by hitting his seventh in the Pirates' 7-6 win over the Cubs. He stayed in the game and banged out two more knocks.
•  2006 - Trevor Hoffman retired the Pirate side in order to close out a 2-1 San Diego victory at Petco Park. It was his 479th career save, surpassing Lee Smith and making the 38-year-old reliever the all-time leader in saves. 
• 2011 - Josh Harrison went 4-for-5 with a 2B, 3B and stolen base while Neil Walker went 3-for-4 to help the Bucs to a 4-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park. Brad Lincoln got the win and Jason Grilli earned his first save as a Pirate.

Bucs In Playoffs After Dramatic 2-1 Win

Neil Walker got the Bucs going; with one out, he lifted a Jeff Samardzija offering the other way, clearing the wall in left center. Cutch followed with a bloop single, but was left. Ground Chuck did his thing, getting a quiet inning with a couple of balls hit in the dirt.

The Bucs had another of their innings in the second. With an out, Russ Martin walked and Jordy Mercer's hot shot to third went off Luis Valbueno's mitt into left to put Bucs at first and third. Morton bunted, Martin took a peek and headed home, where he was DOD; looked like he went on his own on a bad read. The sad part is that if it was a straight squeeze, it probably would have worked. JT bounced out, and the Bucs left another couple of runners aboard.

The Cubs tried to conjure some two out juju. Ryan Sweeney walked on a 3-2 pitch that looked like strike three, and Brian Bogusevich, who owns Morton, dropped a soft chalk kisser in right, played well by Marlon Byrd to hold the lead runner at third. Darwin Barney worked the count to 3-1 and got a ball over the dish that he was all over, but his liner to left was hauled in by JT. Sam worked a quiet third, as did Charlie.

Pedro singled with an out in the fourth and moved to second on Martin's tapper. Mercer was intentionally walked with first open, and Morton went down on three pitches. In the Cub half, it was three up, three grounders, three down. With two away in the fifth, Cutch and Justin Morneau walked, but Byrd grounded the first pitch he saw to short; the Bucs have stranded seven over five frames. Charlie struck out the side, interrupted with two outs by bopping Barney with a 1-2 curve.

Martin singled with an out in the sixth; Morton blopped a broken bat single with two outs. By JT whiffed going after high heat, and the Buc pond is just filled with ducks looking to come home. Morton faced the top of the Chi-town order, and Morneau handled the action.He smothered Starlin Castro's one hopper, but it got under him for a knock. Valbuena got ahead 3-0, took a strike and hit a one bouncer up the line; Morneau stepped and first and threw to second for the tag DP. Rizzo bounced to first, and the big guy erased him unassisted.

Carlos Villanueva took the ball in the seventh and worked a routine frame. Dionner Navarro singled to left center to open. Charlie whiffed Nate Schierholtz, then  got Sweeney to hit a slow roller to second. Navarro stopped to avoid the tag midway down the line, then The Kid went to first for the force and Morneau's throw to second completed the second tag 'em out DP of the game for the Bucs.

Hector Rendon worked a 1-2-3 eighth, with a couple of sharply hit grounders finding leather instead of grass. Charlie was done after seven scoreless, giving up three hits, a walk and collecting five whiffs after 89 pitches. Clint Barmes came on to play short and Mark the Shark climbed the hill.

And it continued. Bogusevich got a call on a two strike check swing and used the reprieve to single to center. A barney chop off the middle went off Melancon's mitt; he could just get the out at first. A wild pitch moved the runner to third, and a routine grounder by Donnie Murphy, with Pedro playing well in front of the bag, maybe losing his positioning even with the infield in, went under the third baseman's mitt to tie the game. A fly out and K - with a foul that just wrapped outside the RF pole by Valbuena - ended the frame.

Kevin Gregg worked the ninth, and struck out the side. He did have a two-out burp, though - he hung a curve to Starling Marte and the new papa pounded it halfway up the bleachers in left to give the Bucs the lead again at 2-1. Now it's on Tony Watson, with lefty Rizzo due up and Jason Grilli getting a late start on loosening in the pen. Rizzo hit a one hopper over third; Pedro was in a no-double D, made the play, and short hopped the throw to first, which was nicely picked by Morneau. Now it's Grilli time.

And what a finish. Navarro walked on a 3-2 pitch, again looking a lot like strike three. Schierholtz hit a broken bat roller toward first. Morneau, playing the line, fully extended his 6'4" frame, gloved the ball and got the force at second. With two strikes, Sweeney blooped a single to right with the OF playing deep, and Byrd had the ball glance off his glove. Cutch was there for the backup, and as Schierholtz made a mad dash home, Cutch's relay hit Morneau, who got the ball to Martin a step ahead of the runner, and Russ made the tag, raised the ball for the ump, and the Bucs had win #90.

Not much offense, but Charlie Morton was spectacular again, and two homers were just enough. Justin Morneau's defense at first was unbelievable tonight; his bat might have been quiet, but his glove had as much to do with the win as the homers. And if the mark the Shark doesn't find his mojo soon, he may find himself flipped with Tony Watson.

Oh - the win clinches a playoff spot. The wait is over; now the question is when and where. So there's still work to be done, and it goes on tomorrow night when Gerrit Cole takes on Chris Rusin.

• The Reds and Cards won by a run tonight, too, so the numbers are the same as yesterday - St. Louis up by two, with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh tied for second and the top wildcard spot.

Morton v Samardzija

Charlie Morton (7-4, 3.35) is opening the Cub set at Wrigley Field against Jeff Samardzija (8-12, 4.42). Charlie has won six of his eight decisions since the All Star break, and when he can keep it on lefties' hands, he's a guy to be reckoned with. He's faced the Cubs twice this year and not had much success, going 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA. Samardzija was a long time Pirate nemesis, but this year is 1-3 against Pittsburgh, but with a decent 3.33 ERA and 27 K in 27 IP.

This is a big series, leading up to the final showdown at Cincy over the weekend, and the Bucs shouldn't sit on their clippings. Chicago lost 3-of-4 at PNC Park last week, but three games were decided by a run and the other by two, so this set should be yet another grind. Then again, aren't they all?

The game starts at 8:05 and will be aired by Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

Pirate lineup: Jose Tabata LF, Neil Walker 2b, Andrew McCutchen CF, Justin Morneau 1b, Marlon Byrd RF, Pedro Alvarez 3b, Russ Martin C, Jordy Mercer SS and Charlie Morton P.

Jordy is back in the saddle again.

Cub lineup: Starlin Castro SS, Luis Valbuena 3b, Anthony Rizzo 1b, Dioner Navarro C, Nate Schierholtz RF, Ryan Sweeney CF, Brian Bogusevic LF, Darwin Barney 2b and Jeff Samardzij P.

Throwing six lefties at Charlie.

• Russell Martin is the first Pirate catcher to hit 15 home runs in a season since Ryan Doumit did it in 2008. He's got a shot at the club season record of 17, set by Jim Pagliaroni in 1965.
• The Pirates have gone 10-6 against the Cubs this season. The team went 7-3 at PNC Park and 3-3 at Wrigley Field. Pittsburgh is 4-6 in its last 10 games, and the only other NL Central team with a losing record over that span is the Cubbies, going 3-7.
• Pittsburgh magic # for the playoffs is two.
• San Diego started Pittsburgh on a bad stretch, and it was probably the baseball gods payback for what the Bucs did to Texas. The Pirates launched them on a seven-game losing streak and 10 losses in the last 13 games. The Rangers went from two games behind Oakland to 8-1/2 in the division, and from two games up in the wildcard to 1-1/2 games out of the playoff mix as of today.

9/23: The Original Pirate, Kiner Hits #51, Great Pitching, Fred Clarke Day, Bucs Clinch, Jim Rooker...

The Original Pirate, Kiner Hits #51, Great Pitching, Fred Clarke Day, Bucs Clinch, Jim Rooker...

• 1865 - 2B Lou Beirbauer was born in Erie (some sources have his b-day as 9/28, and at least one more says he was born in Philly, que sera, sera). The Pirates signed him in 1891, as he wasn’t on the reserved roster of his American Association club, the Philadelphia Athletics (he had skipped to the outlaw Players League in 1890). His rights were decided by an arbitrator, and even though the AA called the Alleghenys’ act “piratical,” they were awarded Bierbauer - and a new nickname, the Pirates. From 1891-96, his Pittsburgh years, Bierbauer was a defensive master and hit .260. 
• 1886 - According to Charlton’s Baseball Chronology, Pittsburgh Alleghenys’ pitcher Pud Galvin walked the first three Brooklyn Bridegrooms he faced - and picked them all off for a 1-2-3 inning! Pittsburgh went on to win the game 8-2. 
• 1904 - The Pirates downed the runaway NL leaders, the NY Giants, by a 7-0 score at the Polo Grounds. Charlie Case tossed a two-hitter, and didn’t give up a knock after the second frame. His opponent wasn’t quite up to snuff; the Pittsburg Press said that “Leon Ames...was as wild as a March hare and issued six free passes. Besides, the Pirates stung his delivery at a lively rate and practically sewed up the game in the second inning, when three free passes turned into tallies.” The New York Herald was a little less kind - "Pittsburg Plays All By Itself" was its headline. 
• 1907 - The Pirates dropped the NY Giants 2-1 at Exposition Park. Vic Willis tossed a six hitter with six K to outgun Hooks Wiltse. Bill Hallman had three hits and a run scored for the Bucs, Honus Wagner added two knocks and a stolen base, and Ed Abbattachio doubled and scored. The game had a little added spice when umpire Bill Klem and Giant manager John McGraw argued during the lineup exchange, setting the scene for McGraw’s ejection in the sixth inning. 
• 1915 - It was “Fred Clarke Day” in Pittsburgh, and Cap suited up one last time in his only on-field appearance of his final season. He played four innings and went 1-for-2 against Dick Rudolph of the Boston Braves in an 8-4 win at Forbes Field with Wilbur Cooper on the hill. For farewell gifts, Clarke received an eight-day grandfather clock from his players and a leather binder containing the names of several thousand supporters as a keepsake. 
• 1925 - The Pittsburg Press wrote “The Phillies gave the Pirates a merry tussle in the game that cinched the pennant for the Smoky City…” as the Bucs turned six DP and edged the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 at Forbes Field to claim the NL flag for the first time since 1909. It was the ninth straight victory for the Pirates. Emil Yde tossed a seven hitter for the victory with help from Tommy Sheehan in the ninth. Max Carey and Pie Traynor added a pair of knocks. 
• 1935 - Behind the four hit pitching of Jim Weaver and Pep Young’s three knocks and seven RBI, the Bucs left the St. Louis Cardinal’s pennant hopes on life support, taking a 12-0 over the Redbirds at Sportsman’s Park. Woody Jensen had four hits, including a pair of doubles, while Lloyd Waner and Arky Vaughan added three hits and runs apiece. 
• 1942 - LHP Jim Rooker was born in Lakeview, Oregon. Rook pitched eight years (1973-80) for the Bucs with a line of 82-65/3.29, which he equalled in playoff time with a 3.20 ERA, including a strong start in Game #5 of the 1979 Series, a crucial match that the Pirates, down 3 games to one, won. He was also a Pirate TV color analyst from 1981 through 1993, and worked for ESPN from 1994 to 1997. Rooker’s most memorable TV moment came when he said on air that he’d walk home from Philadelphia if the Pirates lost, which they did. True to his word, he staged a charity walk after the season. 
• 1947 - Ralph Kiner hit his franchise record 51st homer (he would break that mark in 1949) against Jim Kearns of the Cards at Forbes Field in an 8-4 loss to the Redbirds. 
• 1951 - Murry Dickson tossed a five hitter against the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field to win his 20th game 3-0. Gus Bell had a pair of hits and two RBI to back Dickson. Murry was the only Bucco pitcher to win more than eight games that season; the team only won 64 contests. 
• 1952 - IF Jim Morrison was born in Pensacola, Florida. He spent half (1982-87) of his 12 year career as a Pirate, hitting .274 as a Bucco with a standout 1986 campaign. That year, Morrison together a line of .274/23/88 as Pittsburgh’s starting third baseman. 
• 1956 - With the Dodgers leading the Pirates 8-3, 44,932 fans, the largest crowd in Forbes Field's history, lured by a “prize day” promotion, left early when a ninth inning rain delay postponed the game with two outs, triggering the Sunday curfew with the Dodgers up 8-2. Brooklyn officially won the game the next day. Don Newcombe got the win in a match that saw seven Bucco hurlers take the bump. 
• 1959 - RHP Jim Winn was born in Stockton, California. A first round draft pick (14th overall) of Pittsburgh in 1981, the reliever never quite panned out, pitching from 1983-86 for the Bucs with a 7-11-4/4.47 line, then spending a couple of years in the AL to end his career. 
• 1974 - Jim Rooker threw nine shutout frames as the Bucs beat the St. Louis Cards 1-0 in 10 innings at Busch Stadium, with Dave Guisti working the last frame for the save. The Bucs scored when pinch hitter Paul Popovich singled and was replaced by Miguel Dilone on the basepaths. He was bunted to second and came around on Richie Hebner’s single. The win moved the club to ½ game behind the Cards in a see-saw pennant race that Pittsburgh eventually eked out. 
• 2011 - The Bucs allowed the Reds tie the game in the ninth when Joel Hanrahan plunked Todd Frazier with a bases-loaded, two out, 3-2 pitch. But the Bucs came back to claim a 4-3 walk off victory when Jason Jaramillo doubled and came in on Ryan Ludwick’s knock. Garrett Jones’ two-run homer had staked the Pirates to an early lead.

Locke Rocked; Pen Pummeled As Bucs Fall 11-3

With one gone in the first, Chris Heisey singled off Clint Barmes' mitt and Joey Votto followed with a four pitch walk. Then Jeff Locke lost Brandon Phillips on a 3-2 count. He's not been spraying the ball, but like last night, it's a tight strike zone and he's on the wrong side of the black.

Jay Bruce got a fastball, inside half at the knees, and cleared the bases with a soft double to the gap in front of The Notch. The Bucs and walks just don't mix. They don't sit well with fans, either, as the boos rained down. After a wild pitch, Todd Frazier went yard to left center off a heater, dropping the ball into the first row beside the bullpen, and Locke is digging the Pirates a Grand Canyon sized hole. He got a ground out, then Barmes booted one to keep the inning alive. The lefty got Bronson Arroyo looking, but it sure seems like this will be Locke's last 2013 appearance on the hill for the Bucs.

With an out in the first, Neil Walker drew a 3-2 free pass off Arroyo. Cutch popped out after a long at bat, and Justin Morneau followed with a four pitch walk. The Bucs couldn't make Arroyo pay for his walks, though they tried as Marlon Byrd flew out to the track in right center.

No surprise here; Jeanmar Gomez took the bump in the second. Billy Hamilton bunted for a single and stole second, with the Bucs getting a double whammy of the ump missing the strike call when Martin got up to throw. Not much diff; Heisey doubled to left to chase him home, followed by a Votto knock to put Reds on the corners. Phillips got a sinker down Broadway, and his sac fly to deep center made it 7-0. Bruce lined out the opposite way to JT and Frazier bounced out, but Pittsburgh is behind by a TD already.

Pedro and Barmes singled around a Martin K. Lambo came up to swing for Gomez, and went down chasing a diving slider. Ditto for JT, who went after a slider that was running away. The Bucs are swinging from their heels (Arroyo struck out the side), and that's not the way to nickle and dime their way back in the game. Let's see - down by seven, four runners stranded, and on their third pitcher (Brandon Cumpton) going into the top of the third...sheesh!

Cozart greeted him with a bloop to right. He was bunted to second an out later, and Hamilton put Redlegs on the corners with an infield knock to third; a ball on the ground is a hit for him. Byrd ran down Heisey's fly along the line, and the Reds had their first goose egg. Walker got Pittsburgh on the board when he yanked a change just above the knees over the Clemente Wall, but the next trio of Buccos grounded out.

Cumpton worked a quiet fourth, giving up a single to Phillips. The Bucs spent another frame trying witout success to hit the ball out of the infield. John Buck came in to catch, as Martin reported some discomfort in his left knee, the one that's been bothersome over the past several weeks. The bottom of the Red order went down quietly in the fifth.

Travis Snider grabbed a bat and planted an Arroyo delivery into the shrubs in center. JT was HBP, and The Kid doubled him to third. Cutch inexplicably looked at a pair of strikes, then popped a slider way off the plate to first; it was a rare thrown away at bat by McCutchen. Morneau lifted a sac fly to right before Byrd flew out. Arroyo has given the Bucs ample opportunity to make the game at least interesting, but the Pirates won't take advantage.

Stolmy Pimentel took the bump in the sixth. Barmes made his second error of the game by throwing away Hamilton's grounder to open the frame; his speed really rushes everyone's routine. He stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch with two down, a ball that was thrown behind Phillips, triggering a warning to the benches. A groundout ended the frame and the fans had a little something to buzz about, even giving Stolmy some love when he left the mound. Dusty nursed Arroyo through five, enough to qualify for the win, and brought on Alfredo Simon who tossed a clean frame. The Reds went quietly in the seventh. After two fly outs, Walker drew a walk, and Cutch, after another long at bat, smoked a one-hopper to third.

Vin Mazzaro took his turn in the eighth. After two routine outs, Hamilton dropped a liner into LC and ended up on second. He came in when Heisey poked a single into center. Votto brought Heisey home with a double; the last three balls have been hit pretty solidly by the Reds, and Jared Hughes was sent in. he almost hit Phillips in the knee with a pitch, but he turned enough to bang it into left to put Reds on the corners. Bruce singled in another run before the mayhem ended to make it 10-3. Manny Parra tossed a clean frame.

In a nice move for both Cutch and the home crowd, Clint Hurdle sent McCutchen to center in the ninth, then pulled him for Starling Marte so the fans could give him a last regular season ovation as he jogged to the dugout to the chant of "MVP."

It didn't impress the Reds much as Cozart opened with a double off Hughes, Cincy's 15th hit. An out later, Derrick Robinson singled him home to close out the Cincinnati scoring. Logan Ondrusek drew the mop up duty and struck out a pair in a 1-2-3 finish.

It's kinda scary how closely Jeff Locke's 2013 campaign is an image of James McDonald's 2012 season; from All-Star to afterthought. Let's hope Locke can find the key that J-Mac couldn't. The Buc bats could have hung around early; Arroyo was up in the hitting zone the entire game, maybe having an off day or maybe just pumping strikes with a big lead, but the Bucs couldn't come up with a big hit to make a run. Too bad they couldn't make fan appreciation day a little more competitive.

The Reds unveiled rookie Billy Hamilton, and he's the real deal from what we've seen in this set. We don't know how his body will hold up to an MLB schedule, but his wheels are difference makers. We'll be seeing a lot of him next season, we suspect.

OK, six to go, and it'll be a fight. The Buc rotation will be a four-man gig now, with Thursday off, and those guys haven't backed down from a challenge yet. It's off the the Windy City for three, with Charlie Morton opening against Jeff Samardzija.

• Neil Walker went 2-for-2 with HR, 2B, and two walks.
• Some thought that if the weather had cooperated, PNC park might have drawn its first 40,000 crowd yesterday. Not that close today, but a good showing, nevertheless. The attendance of 38,699 made the weekend total of 116,064 the second largest crowd for a three-game series ever at PNC Park. Pittsburgh sold out its 23rd game of the year to bring the season attendance total to 2,256,862, an average of 28,211 and the second highest turnout in Pirate history.
• The Bucs magic # for a playoff spot is two as the Nats dropped the opener of a DH to Miami 4-2.
• On his Sunday radio show, GM Neal Huntington said the Pirates will have Jeanmar Gomez stretched out and in the mix for a rotation spot in 2014.

Locke v Arroyo in Rubber Match

Jeff Locke (10-6, 3.27) goes in the rubber match against Bronson Arroyo (13-11, 3.56). It's a classic battle of an young up-and-down guy against a veteran Mr. Consistency. Locke is 2-0 with a 1.19 ERA in four career starts against the Reds. Arroyo is 6-7 with a 3.70 ERA against Pittsburgh, including 3-4 with a 3.38 at PNC.

So keep your defibrillator close at hand (we prefer a cold beer in its stead) and enjoy some meaningful September baseball. The series-deciding clash begins at 1:35, and will be aired by Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

Pirate lineup: Jose Tabata LF, Neil Walker 2b, Andrew McCutchen CF, Justin Morneau 1b, Marlon Byrd RF, Pedro Alvarez 3b, Russ Martin C, Clint Barmes SS and Jeff Locke P.

Looks like LF is JT's to lose during crunch time. Starling Marte doesn't look like he's going to be one of the walking wounded to return full-time.

Reds lineup: Billy Hamilton CF, Chris Heisey LF, Joey Votto 1b, Brandon Phillips 2b, Jay Bruce RF, Todd Frazier 3b, Zack Cozart SS, Ryan Hanigan C and Bronson Arroyo P.

Billy Hamilton gets the start with Choo banged up; the Human Bullet would be a good guy for Locke to throw strikes at. Her is 10-for10 in stolen bases and has scored seven times in nine games with only one start.

• The big news is the return of the bullpen to its original shape. Jason Grilli is closing, Mark the Shark is back in his set up role, and Justin Wilson has joined Tony Watson to provide some more back end glue. The two storylines: Clint looks like he's going to give the guys extra recovery time, and yesterday he mixed and matched pitchers, a strategy he hasn't shown before.
• The Pittsburgh writers voted Cutch as the team MVP and Francisco Liriano as the Most Outstanding Pitcher.
• Jeff Zimmerman of Fangraphs notes the correlation between Starling Marte getting plunked and two strike counts. Even with the bad premise of him missing time due to HBP, since the injury was caused by a slide, it's still an interesting read.
• Pittsburgh's magic number is three and Cincinnati's is four. Washington plays a DH today, so it's conceivable, though unlikely, that the Bucs could clinch a playoff spot at home.
• Scott Miller of CBS Sports writes "...the past couple of seasons, the Pirates wilted. Now, they're resilient. They've grown up. They wear big boy pants now."
• Travis Sawchik of the Tribune Review features the Bucs' data analysis mystic, Dan Fox. 
• If you're heading to the North Shore today, keep calm because it will be a zoo between the Pirates big home finale and the Steeler's Sunday night game.
• Here's how the MLB playoff race shapes up, going into today.