Ol' King Cole leads the Way As Bucs Take Series With 3-1 Win

Second base proved untouchable in the first; Bryce Harper singled off the wall and was tossed by Gregory trying to stretch it; Starling singled and was caught trying to swipe second. In the second, the only batter to reach was Yunel Escobar, who led off with a HBP and never got to second while the Bucs went down in order.

The third warmed up. Gerrit Cole was touched by a two-out Michael Taylor homer to make it 1-0. That was followed by Danny Espinosa's single and stolen sack; the Cole Train whiffed Harper to close the frame. Stew singled of Joe Ross, was bunted to second and came home on Gregory's liner up the middle. El Coffee zoomed to third on a throwing error (Stew was DOA at home if the relay was on line). Starling was plunked and both benches were warned, although there appeared to be no messages involving either plunk, tho both were in the side). Then Cutch gave the Bucs the lead with a single dropped into center to make it 2-1.

In an otherwise completely calm fourth, The Kid homered (437' into the bullpen) to put Pittsburgh up by a pair. Both sides went down in order in the fifth and the sixth. After Gerrit had put away 11 straight, the Nats were up to no good in the seventh with runners on the corners and an out. Wilson Ramos bounced a first-pitch heater to short, and the 6-4-3 DP ended the threat. Matt Thornton came on for Ross and worked a quiet inning.

Gerrit Cole leaves to a standing ovation in the eighth (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

In the eighth, the Nats had two on on and two out; Tony Watson came in - yes, in the middle of an inning - and got Harper to bounce to first, a testy play that defensive sub S-Rod ate up. Casey Jannsen shut down the Bucs; that's 14 in a row that Washington pitching has sat down. It was easy as 1-2-3 for Mark the Shark in the ninth, and the Bucs now have a well deserved day off as they travel to Minnesota to open a quick two game set on Tuesday.

• Mark Melancon has made 31 appearances in a row without allowing an earned run. The record is 38 games, set by Craig Kimbrel in 2011. (s/o to @DavidManel)
• The crowd of 37,597 was another sellout. 151,952 warm fannies caught the series, setting a PNC Park record for a four-game set.
• Cole became the second Pirate with 14 wins before August, joining Dock Ellis, who has his fast start in 1971.
• The press gang reports that Josh is playing catch and fielding grounders (soft ones, we hope) now that his cast has been removed.
• Justin Seller, who's been on the DL all season, was outrighted to Indy to clear a spot on the 40 man.
• Andrew Lambo has been shut down for three weeks, Casey Sadler is done for 6-8 weeks after a platelet injection , and Rick Scahill still has a ways to go before he's ready for MLB game action. On the plus side, John Holdzkom had a good rehab outing at Morgantown (1 IP, 2 K)
• Dave Cameron of Fangraphs has his take on how deadline dealing will go down around the league. Two names he tosses out for Pittsburgh are Mike Leake and Tyler Clippard. He adds "...there are a lot of other mid-level starter/reliever combos that could go here too. And if Ramirez doesn’t take to 1B well, I could see them swinging a deal for Mike Napoli, though that might be an August trade."
• Johnny Cueto was scheduled to pitch this week against the Bucs, but not now - he was finally dealt, after a bump or two along the road, to the Royals for three LH piching prospects: Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed.

Cole Train v Joe Ross; Lineup & Notes

Today's Game - Gerrit Cole (13-4, 2.31) closes out the Washington series

against Joe Ross (2-2, 2.70). The California natives Cole (Orange) & Ross (Oakland)  were both first round selections in the 2011 Player Draft (Cole went #1 overall; Ross #25) with laser velocity.

Rookie Ross is a fastball/slider guy (he hits 97 MPH) with a change to keep batters honest, and has a 4-1 victory with 10 K this year against AJ in his only outing against the Bucs. Should be a nice match up of two young power arms. The game starts at 1:35 and will be on Root Sports and 97.3 The Fan.

Stew in for Fran (Cole pitching, day after night) backed by all the big boys today.

• Gerrit Cole has surrendered three runs or less in 18 of his 19 starts (two or less 14 times).
• Aramis Ramirez is tied with Brian Giles for sixth place on the all-time list for home runs hit at PNC Park with 45. He hit 29 while playing with the Pirates, 11 with with Cubs and five with the Brewers.
• And if you were wondering, Ramirez wasn't a clean-up guy for Milwaukee; he typically hit fifth or sixth.
• Bryce Harper has reached base in 22 straight games.
• In a notes column, Dave Laurila of Fangraphs talks with 1B Josh Bell and his stance as Bell looks for a better power-hitting platform.

7/26: Jerry Meals Game; Infield HR; Big Yankee Deal; HBD Tom Saffell, John Lamb

• 1889 - The Alleghenys defeated the Cleveland Spiders 8-4 at Recreation Park despite giving up a two-run infield homer to Jay Faatz, whose grounder to 3B Jim White bounced off his foot and went into the “free seats” - temporary stands - and couldn’t be dug out in time to stop Faatz from circling the bases. Fred Carroll, Ned Hanlon and Doggie Miller each had three knocks to spearhead a 16 hit Buc attack to give Harry Staley the win. Miller homered over the left field wall, and the Pittsburg Press wrote “The crowd went wild as little George trotted over the circuit and lifted his cap at the plate. An enthusiast threw a silver dollar at him, which (Miller) accepted with a smile.”

Doggie Miller 1888 Allen & Ginter reprint

• 1921 - OF Tom Saffell was born in Etowah, Tennessee. He played for the Bucs from 1949-51, then after three seasons in the minors, returned in 1955. The speedy OF’er hit .239 for the Bucs. He was a minor celeb, though, as he was the pitcher for the 1960 TV show “Home Run Derby.” That show was said to inspire the ASG’s home run derby, and is also part of ESPN’s Classic series.
• 1927 - The Pirates pushed across two runs in the bottom of the eighth to edge the Brooklyn Dodgers 6-5 at Forbes Field to remain tied with the Cubs for the NL lead. They were almost derailed by a former mate, Max Carey, who had three hits, three runs, and three stolen bases. But the Waner brothers came through in the clutch. Lloyd had three hits and scored twice, both times driven home by Paul. Little Poison took over the league lead in hits with 82 while Lee Meadows went the distance for the win.
• 1928 - NY Giant future Hall of Famer Carl “King” Hubbell made his MLB debut against the Pirates at the Polo Grounds. He pitched a scoreless first inning‚ but the Bucs scored five times in the second to knock him out of the game, winning 7-5 behind Burleigh Grimes. Paul Waner had three hits and two RBI to lead a balanced Bucco attack.

Burleigh Grimes TSN Conlon Collection

• 1946 - RHP John Lamb was born in Sharon, Connecticut. He worked three years for Pittsburgh (1970-71, 1973) and slashed at 0-2 with five saves and a 4.07 ERA out of the bullpen. He was part of the Bucs triple entree of Moose, Veale and Lamb in ‘70-71.
• 1950 - Ray Mueller went 2-for-2 with two walks, a homer, two runs and two RBI, Wally Westlake hit a home run and Bob Dillinger collected three hits as the Bucs beat Boston 8-4 at Braves Field. Mel Queen got the win and Murry Dickson tossed three frames for the save.
• 2008 - OF Xavier Nady and RHP Damaso Marte were traded to the New York Yankees for RHPs Jeff Karstens, Daniel McCutchen & Ross Ohlendorf along with OF Jose Tabata.

Daniel McCutchen 2010 Topps Chrome Refractor series

• 2011 - The day of the Jerry Meals game in Atlanta, heralding the end of the Bucco's improbable pennant run. The ump blew a call at home in the 19th inning, giving the Braves a 4-3 win and starting a downward spiral of epic proportions for Pittsburgh. At 6 hours and 39 minutes, it was the longest game in club history. The Pirates filed a protest (at 2:30 in the morning) but the judgment call was upheld, even though the League Office admitted it was wrong. To add a little salt to the wound, Meals is from Butler!
• 2012 - Starling Marte homered to left center against Houston’s Dallas Keuchel on the first MLB pitch he saw (Keuchel has since rebounded nicely) as Pittsburgh won 5-3 at Minute Maid Park. AJ Burnett took home the victory.

Pirates Plundered By Nats 9-3

Michael Taylor opened with a single off AJ, then went to second when Burnett's pickoff try went awry. AJ then went to work, whiffing a pair sandwiched around a grounder to strand him. gregory lined out to Taylor on the track in center, a nice play as the field at this time of evening is half shade, half sunlight. Gio Gonzalez got the next two outs routinely.

Ian Desmond and Jose Lobaton singled back-to-back with an out in the second to put Nats on the corners. AJ wild pitched a run home without the courtesy of covering home; Fran had a play but no one to throw to it cost him the game's first run. Taylor ran down another liner to center to keep A-Ram off the bases before JHK singled and left on base. Aj worked a quiet thrid with a pair of whiffs (he has six). El Coffee has been seeing the ball well; he doubled with two outs, but Starling couldn't cash him in.

JHK kept his hitting streak alive tonight (photo via MLB.com)

Yunel Escobar started the fourth with a double and the next batter, Clint Robinson, got plunked. Desmond bunted them up, and Lobaton got plunked next to load them (nothing malicious; both were back foot curves). A whiff brought up Gonzalez, hitting .045. He singled off AJ's glove to bring home a run. Taylor singled in another, but Lobaton was nailed at home by Starling to leave it a 3-0 game. Gio tossed another routine frame. A-Ram has squared up twice, both times lining out to deep center; Taylor is the wrong guy to test.

Bryce Harper doubled with an out in the fifth and Escobar followed with another knock. Clint Robinson followed with another single, and it was 4-0. AJ's curve has been very good, but been up and over the plate regularly, too. It was another easy inning for Gonzalez.

Den Dekker dribbled a single between the plate and mound to open the sixth and was bunted to second. A single moved Nationals to the corners; make that second and third after a stolen sack. A sac fly brought in another run, and that was it for AJ as Deolis Guerra came on. In an unusual offensive switch, Pedro took over first for S-Rod. Guerra closed it out.

Good move at first; Pedro singled to open the Buc half, and a boot put Bucs at the corners. Starling singled and the Pirates were on the board. Cutch yanked a fastball away into left, and it was 5-2. That was it; Aaron Barrett took the ball and got A-Ram to bang into a 6-4-3 DP. JHK got bopped with a pitch, bringing up Fran, whose single made it 5-3. Lefty Felipe Rivero came in to face The Kid and got him on a liner to right.

Deolis gave up a leadoff double to Escobar and an out later, Ian Desmond homered for the third straight night to make it 7-3. Pittsburgh went down 1-2-3. Arqimedes toed the rubber in the eighth, looking to rediscover his mechanics. Didn't find them this outing; a walk and homer made it 9-3. Tanner Roarke put the Bucs away quietly. A walk and an error put Arqie in a jackpot in the ninth, but he recovered to keep any more runs from coming in. Fran walked with an out, and that was it for the excitement.

Well, we knew AJ was due to regress, and he has in the last month. And Gio owns the Bucs; he's 4-0 in five starts against them. The bullpen hasn't been been up to the task; it's no wonder the FO is looking for relief help. The series ends tomorrow, when Gerrit Cole will try to make it 3-of-4 against Joe Ross.

• JHK has a seven-game hitting streak, tho his string of six multi-hit games ended.
• Cutch struck out three times (the team only whiffed seven times); it's the third time he's done that since July 12th, after K'ing three times in a game only once before that date.
• In the last nine games since AS break, the Pirate staff has given up four or more runs seven times; the other two times, they gave up three. The club is pretty fortunate to be 4-5 in that span after surrendering 50 runs while scoring 36 times (29 in four games).
• AJ moved past Jack Morris for 33rd in the all-time whiff list tonight. He K'ed eight, bringing his career total to 2,480 punch outs.
• Deolis Guerra has given up three homers in 14-1/3 IP.
• Another sellout: 38,185 spun the turnstiles tonight.
• Emmanuel Burriss has pinch hit for DC in all three games. He's walked twice, singled and scored twice in three plate appearances.
• PNC Park is the only NL ballyard Byce Harper hasn't gone long in.
• Matt den Dekker, LF'er for the Nationals, was drafted by the Pirates in 2009 as a junior from Florida, but didn't sign, joining the Mets organization as a draftee in 2010.
• That flash you just saw was the skyrocketing value of Cole Hamels, who no-hit the Cubs today. Chicago had the longest streak in MLB of not being no-hit, 7,920 games dating back to 1965 and Sandy Koufax, before Hamels' outing.

AJ v Gio Gonzalez; Lineup (A-Ram at Cleanup) & Notes

Today's Game - AJ Burnett (8-3, 2.44) takes on lefty Gio Gonzalez (7-4, 3

.93) in game two of the set. AJ's been bitten by the long ball in his past couple of starts, but still hasn't dropped a decision in over a month, last losing on June 19th. Burnett lost 4-1 to Joe Ross earlier in the year in his last outing v the Nats. AJ has seen Washingtons plenty in his career, and has a lifetime slash of 12-6/3.23 against them.

Gio Gonzalez has found a personal caddy, ala Gerrit Cole & Chris Stewar, in Jose Lobaton. He's caught seven of Gonzalez’s past eight starts, and during that stretch, the lefty has a 3.14 ERA. Gio four-hit the Bucs earlier in the year, tossing seven innings of shutout ball with Lobaton as his battery mate. In six career starts against Pittsburgh, he's 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA. The game starts at 7:05 and will be on Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

Today's Lineup - Gregory Polanco RF, Starling Marte LF, Cutch CF, A- Ram 3B, Jung-Ho Kang SS, Fran Cervelli C, Neil Walker 2B, Sean Rodriguez 1B, Burnett P.

Aramis Ramirez debuts at clean up; Gregory is in against the lefty, Pedro is out.

Back to the future with A-Ram (Bowman 1999 series)

• Brent Morel's name wasn't on the lineup card; meaning he's the guy lopped to clear a space for A-Ram. (He was later DFA'ed, being out of options).
• JHK has hit .400 with a 1.094 OPS since July 6th, when Josh was put on the DL.
• The Pirates have homered six times in the last two games, going long three times in back-to-back games for the first time since April 30 (4) and May 1 (3), 2013.
• Aramis Ramirez will wear #17 and Pedro Florimon will change to #23. Nick Leyva gets to keep #16.
• Weekend warriors: The Pirates have won their last seven Saturday games at PNC Park.
• The game at PNC Park on Sunday, August 23rd against the Giants has been changed from 1:35 to 8:05 start to accommodate ESPN. The Steelers moved their pre-season opener against the Packers from 8 to 1 because of the change.

7/25: HBD Doug Drabek, Alex Presley, John Tener; Kiki Swipes 'Em All; Bucs Back on ESPN; Great Games Galore

• 1863 - John Tener was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and moved to the City as a babe. A pitcher for the Pittsburgh Burghers in 1890, he later served as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1911 to 1914, and President of the National Baseball League from 1915 to 1918.
• 1894 - The Chicago Colts pounded out 26 hits, 12 for extra bases, and laid a 24-6 beating on Pittsburgh at the West Side Grounds. Every Colt had at least a hit and a run, and Chicago batted around in four innings. It could have been worse; the game was called after seven innings so the Pirates could catch a train back home. The Pittsburg Press noted that the game “...resulted in the most disastrous whipping recorded in the annals of the national league of baseball,” adding that “...the Pittsburg fielders were kept busy chasing savage drives...Pittsburg’s weakness in the box was apparent,” as it was in the 18-11 loss suffered the day before. Still, the club did finish the year at 65-65, albeit with a 5.62 team ERA.
• 1896 - The Pirates traded 1B Jake Beckley to the New York Giants for 1B Harry Davis and cash. Beckley was a local favorite and would eventually enter the Hall of Fame, so the deal didn’t sit very well with the fans. Both teams got a good year, bad year out of the players, who then went on to star for different clubs. Beckley spent seven years with Cincinnati and hit .325 over that span, cementing his HoF path, while Davis spent 16 of his last 17 seasons (he played 22 years) hitting .279 for the Philadelphia Athletics.

Jake Beckley (image by Dick Perez)

• 1908 - Before an overflow crowd of 30,000 at the Polo Grounds, the Pirates' Lefty Leifield topped the NY Giants and Christy Mathewson, 7-2. Two errors in the seventh opened the gates for five Pirate runs. Pittsburgh was led by Honus Wagner, who went 5-for-5 to take over the batting lead from a hitless Mike Donlin of the Giants. After each hit, Wagner held up a finger to show the number of safeties he had to RF Donlin, according to the BR Bullpen entry.
• 1912 - The Pirates blew an early lead against Brooklyn, but rallied to tie the score in the eighth and then rode Howie Camnitz’s arm to a 14 inning, 8-7 win over the Superbas at Forbes Field. Camnitz gave up just two hits in six innings, and got the win when Dots Miller’s sac fly brought home Chief Wilson, who had singled and moved to third on a Honus Wagner double.
• 1913 - Max Carey scored five runs against the Phils without a hit‚ reaching first via an error and four walks‚ as the Bucs won 12-2 at Forbes Field. He also stole four bases and advanced twice on wild pitches to help Claude Hendrix to the win. The Pittsburg Press griped that “The battle was a long, drawn out affair that required two hours and 10 minutes.”

Max Carey 1912 Recruit series

• 1917 - 1B George “Highpockets” Kelly was claimed by the Bucs in a waiver deal with the NY Giants. He got in eight games, and after the injured player he replaced (43 year old Honus Wagner) came back, he was returned to the Giants in another waiver deal. Kelly became a Hall-of-Fame player for NY, hitting .297 over 16 seasons.
• 1921 - CF Max Carey corralled 11 flies during the Pirates' 6-3 win over New York at Forbes Field. He also scored three times, going 3-for-4 with two doubles. Rabbit Maranville, batting behind him, drove home three to support Babe Adams, who went the distance for the win.
• 1925 - In a ho-hum 7-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Forbes Field, Kiki Cuyler became the last Bucco to steal second, third and home in a game.
• 1931 - Larry French went the distance at Forbes Field during a 14-inning, 3-2 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the longest NL contest of the season. It wasn’t exactly a gem, as he gave up 15 hits, but enough of an effort to outlast Fred Heimach, who also went gate-to-gate. Pie Traynor had three hits (two 3B & 2B), two runs and an RBI. It was the second game of a twin bill; the Bucs took the opener 5-2. Spades Wood not only tossed a three hitter, but drove in a pair of runs. Traynor had two hits in that match, including a double, and scored twice.

Spades Wood (photo tnfotos Baseball Page)

• 1944 - Max Butcher tossed a six-hit goose egg at the Polo Grounds as the Bucs blasted the NY Giants‚ 15-0. Pittsburgh banged out 20 hits and posted a nine run second inning. Bob Elliott had six RBI and a homer while Pete Coscarart and Jim Russell each added four knocks.
• 1951 - The Pirates overcame a 4-0 deficit by scoring four times in the seventh and once again in the eighth to storm past the NY Giants 5-4 at Forbes Field. Joe Garagiola’s homer in the seventh was the big blow. The game winner was a bases loaded sac fly by George Strickland delivered an inning later. Ted Wilks got the win after two innings of clean relief work with three whiffs.
• 1956 - The Bucs blew a four run lead by giving up eight tallies to the Cubs in the last two innings. But Chicago wasn’t the only comeback club at Forbes Field. Roberto Clemente ripped an inside the park, ninth inning grand slam to bring the Bucs back for a 9-8 win. He banged the pitch off Jim Brosnan, and it ricocheted off the base of the left field light standard and ran along the track into center. Clemente ran through 3B coach Bobby Bragan’s stop sign and as Ernie Bank’s relay headed home "He slid, missed the plate, then reached back to rest his hand on the rubber... as the crowd of 12,431 went goofy with excitement" wrote Jack Herndon of the Post Gazette. It was the first walk-off, inside-the-park grand slam in MLB history. In the same game, Dale Long hit his 20th homer, then a club record for lefties, breaking Arky Vaughan’s 1935 mark.

Dale Long 1957 Topps series

• 1960 - The Bucs regained first place when Bob Friend defeated the Cardinals 4-2 at Busch Stadium behind homers from Bill Virdon, Bob Skinner and Roberto Clemente. Pittsburgh wouldn’t relinquish the top spot for the remainder of the season.
• 1962 - RHP Doug Drabek was born in Victoria, Texas. He tossed six seasons (1987-92) in Pittsburgh with a line of 92-62/3.02. Drabek won the Cy Young in 1990 when he went 22-6, but oddly never made an All-Star team as a Pirate.
• 1963 - Tommie Sisk pitched five innings of near perfect relief (he walked two) and rode Roberto Clemente’s three run homer to a 6-2 win over league leading Los Angeles and ace Sandy Koufax at Dodger Stadium. Smoky Burgess chipped in with a pair of RBI. Koufax had entered the game with just three losses and a 1.75 ERA.
• 1972 - The NL nosed the AL 4-3 at Atlanta Stadium in the All-Star game. Manager Danny Murtaugh had a boatload of Bucs on his roster: P Steve Blass, OFs Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Al Oliver plus C Manny Sanguillen. Blass went an inning and gave up a run. Sangy went 1-for-2, Pops 0-for-1 with a walk, and Scoops went 0-for-1. The Great One didn’t get in the last of his 12 All-Star games; he was voted a starter, but was injured. He did have a pretty capable replacement, though - Hank Aaron played in his stead.

Al Oliver 1974 Pirate Promo series

• 1982 - John Candelaria faced the minimum 27 batters in a four hit shutout win over the Atlanta Braves. Three DP and a caught stealing took the Brave runners off the basepaths in an 8-0 whipping at TRS. The middle of the Pirate lineup - Bill Madlock, Jason Thompson and Dave Parker - drove home a pair of runs each.
• 1985 - OF Alex Presley was born in Monroe, Louisiana. Picked in the eighth round of the 2006 draft, he hit .261 as a yo-yo part of the Pirate roster between 2010-13, when he was traded to Minnesota as part of the Justin Morneau deal.
• 1992 - Danny Jackson gave up one hit at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, but it was unfortunately a home run to David Justice as the Braves behind Charlie Leibrandt beat the Bucs 1-0 for their 13th straight win. The Pirates best chance to score was in the first, but both Andy Van Slyke and Lloyd McClendon were caught stealing to run themselves out of the frame - and prob the game. Pittsburgh didn’t make any noise again until the seventh, with Otis Nixon sprinted to the fence and pulled back AVS’s blast from over the wall. The last hurrah was in the ninth, when Barry Bonds bounced out with two down and two aboard.

Danny Jackson 1993 Select series

• 2003 - Pittsburgh won its fifth game in six tries 10-5 over the Cards at Busch Stadium. Reggie Sanders had a homer and triple, Brian Giles a homer and double and Jose Hernandez added a pair of two-baggers against Saint Louis. Brian Meadows got the win in relief of Kip Wells.
• 2004 - The Bucs won their eighth game in ten outings with a 6-5 decision against the Reds at PNC Park. Tike Redman had a homer and three RBI as Sean Burnett, who was yanked with an out in the sixth, got the win behind 3-2/3 scoreless innings from the pen.
• 2011 - In their first ESPN-televised game in seven years, the Pirates defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-1 behind James McDonald, who struck out nine in 5-2/3 frames, and four relievers at Turner Field, keeping the Bucs tied for first place in the NL Central for the last time in 2011.

Mad Max Touched For Three Bombs As Bucs Outblast Nats 7-5

The first was a quiet frame for Jeff Locke and Maz Scherzer; Washington had a calm second, too, Pittsburgh didn't. Jung-Ho singled in the Bucco half, and then Pedro lost a ball 453' feet from the plate in right center to make it 2-0; it went one hop off the River Walk and into the Allegheny. The third went by scorelessly. In fact, Jeff Locke hasn't allow a baserunner over the first three innings. You know what happens next, right?

The lefty threw 43 pitches in the fourth; nine batters took a turn as he surrendered three walks, a single, double, and homer, with throws to the wrong base and a sac pop up thrown in the mix to make 4-2 Nats. Starling and JHK led of the fourth with knocks, but never moved.

In the fifth, Harper took advantage of Cutch and Polanco, stretching a bloop to the RC no man's land into a double as the pair ho-hummed playing the ball. That put Nationals at second and third, but a diving grab over the bag by The Kid saved any damage; all four balls hit this frame were bullets. The Bucs responded again. Jaff Decker walked, the El Coffee (in a brlliiant appearance; he was 0-2, fouled off six balls & finally found one he liked) and The Kid went deep back-to-back, and who'd a thunk the Pirates were up 5-4 on Scherzer?

Vanimal entered in the sixth and gave up a homer to Ian Desmond, and it was tied again, 5-5. Sammy Solis took the ball, and gave up a Fran single with an out. With two gone, Brent Morel doubled in Cervelli and Gregory's roller up the middle put the Pirates up a pair.

Gregory drove in three tonight (photo Mike James/Baseball America)

Jared Hughes toed the rubber in the seventh, and Flo bounced the throw for a lead grounder that S-Rod couldn't pick. A force, stolen base and tapper moved Michael Taylor to third with Bryce Harper up; Jared worked around him, then got serious and closed out the frame. Aaron Barrett got the call for the Nats, and Cutch opened with a single but went nowhere.

Tony Watson climbed the hill and it was 1-2-3, although the Nats were swinging it; they lined out twice in the frame. Casey Jannsen strolled in for Washington. Fran doubled with an out and went to third on a Flo roller, but stayed 90' short as Ishy whiffed swinging at a 3-2 hook.

It was Shark time, only his second appearance since the ASG. Emmanuel Burris opened with a bunt knock, but two pitches later, a 3-6-3 DP ended that early bit of drama. Taylor lined the next pitch into the grass for a single but no sweat; three pitches later, Melancon had his 31st save to bag Vance's 4th win. AJ and Gio Gonzalez tangle tomorrow night.

• JHK has a six game hitting streak, all multi-hit performances.
• Every starting position player but Pedro Florimon had a hit; Gregory, The Kid, JHK and Fran had a pair each. On the flip side, the Bucs rang up their fifth straight double digit strikeout count.
• For Mark the Shark, it was his 29th save opportunity in a row converted, a franchise record that grows every outing.
• Two big at-bats came of the Pirates' maligned bench; B-More doubled in a run and scored with two outs while Jaff Decker drew a lead off walk and plated.
• This is the first time Max Scherzer has given up three HRs in a game since Sept. 15th, 2011 against the NY Mets. His five inning outing was his second shortest of the year; he was yanked once earlier after 4-2/3 IP against the Reds.
• Tonight's attendance of 38,371 was the 13th sellout of the season.
• Maz was honored pre-game for his selection as a member of the "Franchise Four."

Jeff Locke v Max Scherzer; Lineup & Notes

Today's Game - Jeff Locke (5-6, 4.01) draws the unenviable task of mixing it up with Max Scherzer (10-8, 2.09) tonight. Jeff has put together seven good starts in a row after an early bumpy patch that saw his ERA bloat to 5.37 and over that span, he's tossed to a 1.96 ERA. He's quite the home boy, too. Locke has gone 7-4 with a 2.86 ERA in his last 20 PNC starts, while the Bucs have gone 15-5. Locke-Down hasn't faced the Nats this year. He's only tossed twice against them, without a decision and a 2.53 ERA.

Mad Max is on the short list for Cy Young candidates, and last time out against the Buccos, he took a perfecto into the ninth, only to lose it with two outs and two strikes when JT's elbow got clipped (he did get a no-no). Scherzer is 4-2 lifetime against the Pirates with a 2.50 ERA in seven starts and 68 K in 50 IP. The game starts at 7:05 and will be aired by Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan.

Well, as much a big boy line up as they can put together right now, at least until A-Ram hits town (smart man, missing Scherzer).

• Andrew McCutchen scored the 600th run of his career last night. Since his debut in 2009, four players have scored more runs (Miggy, Ian Kinsler, Sir Albert & Robinson Cano).
• Starling Marte has 10 hits in his last four games while JHK has five straight multi-hit contests.. 
• Pedro is tied with Dick Stuart and Andy Van Slyke for 14th place on the Pirates all-time home run list with 117.
• The game at PNC Park on Sunday, August 9th, against the LA Dodgers has been changed from a 1:35 start to an 8:08 PM first pitch to accommodate ESPN.

7/24: Roberto: Award Performances; Little Poison HoF; HBD Barry, Preston; Wandy Deal; Good Bat Day

• 1899 - The Pirates swept a pair from Philadelphia‚ winning both games on ninth inning blasts by rookies. After the Phils scored five in the ninth in the opener‚ Jimmy Williams hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the frame to win‚ 9-8. In the nitecap‚ Ginger Beaumont tripled with the bases loaded to cap a 5-4 victory.
• 1901 - The Pirates scored in every inning while defeating the Reds 11-2 at Exposition Park. Jesse Tannehill tossed a seven hitter for the win. Ginger Beaumont had four hits and Claude Ritchey tripled twice as the Bucs banged out 14 hits, four for triples. The Pittsburg Press opined that “The Reds as they are now made up should not be able to win from the Pirates in a hundred years.”

Ginger Beaumont 1906 Fan Craze series

• 1927 - OF/1B Preston Ward was born in Columbia, Missouri. Ward came to Pittsburgh as part of the Kiner deal, and was a back-up/platoon guy from 1953-56, hitting .240 in 305 games. He spent nine years in MLB, mostly serving as a reserve for five teams.
• 1931 - The Brooklyn Dodgers banged out 21 hits during the game (Babe Herman hit for the cycle) and scored three times in the ninth, but reliever Larry French put down the rally as the Bucs hung on for an 8-7 win at Forbes Field. The Pirates had 13 knocks, seven for extra bases, and jumped out to an early 8-1 lead behind Pie Traynor’s three RBI and Eddie Phillips’ homer.
• 1956 - Honored at a Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce luncheon before the game, Roberto Clemente proved his plaudits were well deserved by leading the Bucs to a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs at Forbes Field. Roberto drove in four RBI on three shots to left center: a sacrifice fly, a triple off the wall, and a homer into Schenley Plaza. Ron Kline got the win with help from Howie Pollet.
• 1964 - Barry Bonds was born in Riverside, California. The slugger, a first round pick in the 1985 draft, spent seven summers in Pittsburgh, putting up a line of .275/176/556 with two All-Star appearances before really busting out with San Francisco, where he became the all-time HR leader.

Barry Bonds 1992 Stadium Club Members Only series

• 1967 - With his induction into the Hall of Fame, Lloyd Waner joined Paul as the first pair of brothers to be enshrined at Cooperstown. Little Poison played for 18 seasons, hitting .316 while amassing 2,459 hits.
• 1969 - The Pirates beat the Padres in walkoff fashion at Forbes Field with a 4-3, 10-inning win. Carl Taylor’s double in the extra frame brought home Matty Alou for the game-winning run. Willie Stargell and Richie Hebner added solo shots. Dock Ellis went the distance for the win.
• 1970 - 43,290 fans showed up for Roberto Clemente day at TRS. Pirate ownership buried him with gifts (cash gifts were, at Clemente’s request, donated to charities), and he put on a show of his own, cracking a pair of hits and making a couple of diving grabs in the field during an 11-0 thumping of the Houston Astros. Danny Murtaugh pulled him in the eighth inning so he could get a final ovation on the night (he also had cut his knee making a catch); several fans had made the trip from Puerto Rico to help honor their native son. Dock Ellis tossed a four-hitter behind a 15 hit attack.

Roberto & family on his day (photo Ed Morgan/Pittsburgh Press)

• 1973 - The NL romped over the AL 7-1 at Royals Stadium in the All Star game. Dave Giusti pitched a clean seventh inning and Willie Stargell K’ed against Nolan Ryan in his only at bat.
• 1979 - A baffling fourth inning call resulted in a 34 minute rhubarb during the Pirates-Reds game at TRS. With Buc runners on 1st and 3rd‚ a 3-1 pitch to Omar Moreno was called a ball‚ but Johnny Bench threw to 2B ahead of the runner from 1B‚ Lee Lacy‚ who was going on the pitch. Lacy was called out by ump Dick Stello even though the runner was entitled to second base after the walk. After questioning the out call, Lacy left the base and was tagged out again by Dave Concepcion‚ reigniting the argument. The Bucs protested the game, but NL president Chub Feeney upheld the call and the Pirates 6-5 loss was in the books.
• 2004 - The whole Pirate attack chipped in during a 14-4 romp over the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park. The Buccos had 11 batters with at least a hit and banged out six doubles as 10 different players scored and eight Pirates drove in runs. Jason Bay had three hits and three RBI while Jose Castillo scored four times to lead the attack. The Bucs scored seven times in the sixth to take control.

Jason Bay 2005 (photo Getty Images)

• 2008 - The Bucs won their fourth in a row by hammering the Padres at PNC Park by a 9-1 score. Nate McLouth, Jason Bay and Xavier Nady homered while Yoslan Herrera tossed six scoreless frames to claim the win, his first in the majors. For the X-Man, it was his last Bucco blast - he was traded to the Yankees two days later. The streak had begun with a sweep of the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park; during their short winning string, the Pirates hit 10 homers and outscored Houston and San Diego by a 34-13 count.
• 2012 - Wandy Rodriguez was traded by the Houston Astros with cash to the Pirates for minor league prospects RHP Colton Cain, LHP Rudy Owens and OF Robbie Grossman as the Bucs looked to shore up their stretch run rotation. Wandy ended up injury prone, and made just 31 starts with 11 wins as a Pirate until he was released in late May of 2014.
• 2013 - Francisco Liriano and Stephen Strasberg hooked up in a 1-0 battle, with the Pirates up, going into the ninth. Both starters turned the game over to the bullpens, and that’s when the fun started. The Bucs put up a three spot on Drew Storen, with Mike McKenry’s two run knock being the big blow, and Washington came back at Nationals Park to score a pair off Justin Wilson until Jason Grilli came to the rescue in a 4-2 Pirate win. The only score in the first eight frames came on a second inning homer by Pedro Alvarez.

Home Sweet Home: Bucs & FranKKKKKKKKKKKie Roll To 7-3 Win

Third baseman? We don't need no stinkin' third baseman said Frankie, who threw out the first two Nat batters and then K'ed Bryce Harper. After a pair of routine outs, Cutch touched Doug Fister with a flare to center. It was enough as he came home on Starling's two-strike triple to The Notch. JHK flew out, but the Bucs were up 1-0.

Buc fielders coulda brought a lawn chair and cold one to the field; Frankie whiffed a pair and 1-3'ed another Nat in the second. Fister left Pedro a two seamer at the belt on the outside edge, and El Toro dropped it over the fence in left to make it 2-0. Fran fisted one into center, and Brent Morel singled to left. Frankie tried to bunt three times; didn't work, and there the runners stayed.

Frankie issued a one out walk in the third. Fister couldn't move him up, bunting through three pitches, and Michael Taylor became Liriano's third K of the frame. With two gone, JHK doubled and went to third on a wild pitch. Pedro walked, but Fran looked at strike three, a ball pretty much down the middle. You keep waiting on some more Bucco production; they've stranded five and gone 0-for-5 with RISP with a chance to run away early.

Filthy Frankie struck out the side again; he has nine punch outs through four frames. After B-More and Frankie whiffed, Gregory doubled the opposite way (and should have gone for three). No diff; The Kid went down looking; Fister has six K's after four. His season high was only four, 'nuff said.

Frankie was firing bullets tonight (photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates)

Clint Robinson walked to open the fifth and was singled to second by Ian Desmond, and an 0-2 wild pitch moved them up a station. After a K, Francisco uncorked another wild one to score Robinson; Tyler Moore walked to put Nats on the corners. Fister went down trying to bunt, and Taylor grounded a 3-2 pitch to short to end the frame, the first out not initiated by Liriano. Starling legged out an infield knock with one gone and raced home as Jung-Ho drove an 84 MPH, center cut fastball to left for a double. He went to third on the throw home and came around on a dribbler by Pedro; 4-1 gives Frankie some elbow room.

With an out, Danny Espinosa singled, but Frankie got Wilson Ramos to roll a 3-2 change to short for a  nicely turned 6-4-3 inning ender. Tanner Roarke stepped in and put the Bucs down in order. Pedro Florimon entered the game at short, with JHK sliding to third and B-More to the pine.

Robinson opened the seventh with a double, cashing out Francisco and bringing in Jared Hughes. A couple of grounders sandwiched around a whiff kept DC off the board. The Kid picked a curve off his shoe tops and banged it for a lead off double; Cutch caught all of a center cut fastball and drove it far (411') over the Heinz sign.

Antonio Bastardo got the ball in the eighth and S-Rod went to first as the good hands team now covered the field. AB walked the first hitter in five pitches. Two outs later, Harper singled to right, but a grounder got Antonio out of the inning. Abel De Los Santos climbed the hill and was greeted by a Fran bomb into the shrubs, followed by a Flo dink into left. The music ended after that, with the Bucs up 7-1.

Arqimedes Caminero came in to finish and walked the first batter on four pitches with a five run lead, then fell behind Ian Desmond and gave up a two run long ball, with emphasis on the long. He was nicked again for a two out single, but closed it out.

As Dorothy said, there's no place like home. We'll see tomorrow when Jeff Locke throws down the gauntlet to Max Scherzer.

• JHK has a five game hitting streak. Every Pirate batter except Frankie and S-Rod had a hit or two (Cutch, Starling, Jung-Ho, Fran) tonight.
• Frankie's 11 K just missed his season high of a dozen, which he's hit twice.
• A-Ram is expected to join the team on Saturday.
• If Clint Robinson's name sounds vaguely familiar, it's because he was in the organization for a training camp. The Bucs got him and Vin Mazzaro in November of 2012, then DFA'ed Robinson in late March, losing him to Toronto. He ended up playing for the Dodgers in 2014 and Washington this season.
• Despite the forgettable road trip, it was a beautiful night for baseball and the fans poured into PNC. The attendance of 37,799 was the 12th sellout of the season.
• The twitter world was buzzing that the Pirates next imminent move was to pick up a reliever; they could use someone dependable behind the three amigos of Melancon, Watson and Hughes. Rob Scahill is also beginning his rehab assignment, but at the GCL Rookie league level, while John Holdzkom may be in shape to help in September.
• The other hot story, carried by every media outlet that covers baseball, is the Pirates are trying hard to deal Pedro. Be interesting to see just what his value is.