October 26, 2011 – Eastern League (EL) Altoona Curve
CURVE, Pa. – Pittsburgh Pirates’ outfielder Andrew McCutchen and pitcher Brad Lincoln will return to Altoona for the first time since their playing days when they arrive on Thursday, December 15th for the Pirates’ Caravan stop at the Curve Store in the Logan Valley Mall. McCutchen and Lincoln will be joined on the stop by 1971 World Series hero and current broadcaster Steve Blass and third base coach Nick Leyva. The Caravan event will run from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

McCutchen is coming off his most productive Major League season with career highs in home runs (23) and RBI (89) during the 2011 campaign. The centerfielder was also named to the National League All-Star team for the mid-season classic in Phoenix. The Pirates’ first round pick in 2005, McCutchen played for the Altoona Curve in 2006 and 2007 during his ascent to Pittsburgh. The native of Florida hit .258 in 118 games for the Curve in 2007 while smacking 10 home runs and 48 RBI.

Lincoln made his Major League debut in 2010 and appeared in 12 games (eight starts) for the Buccos in 2011. Pittsburgh’s first round pick in 2006 makes his way back to Curve, Pa. for the first time since making 13 starts for the Curve in 2009 before a mid-season promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis. In his 13 games with the Curve, Lincoln boasted a 2.28 ERA while striking out 65 batters in 75.0 innings.

“We think Pirates’ and Curve fans from around Central Pennsylvania will be eager to see Andrew and Brad back in Altoona as part of this year’s Caravan,” said Curve General Manager Rob Egan. “Andrew has blossomed into a Major League All-Star and Brad really hit his stride in a Curve uniform in 2009 on his way up to Pittsburgh. It’s always exciting to see former Curve players reach the major leagues and, in the case of these two, become key contributors in Pittsburgh.”

Blass most recently completed his 26th season as a color commentator and his 52nd year of involvement with the Pirates organization in 2011. He’s been associated with the Pirates since signing his first professional contract on June 27, 1960 and went on to play 10 Major League seasons in a Bucco uniform. He turned in one of his best seasons in 1972, winning a career-high 19 games en route to being named a National League All-Star.

The Connecticut native was dominant in the 1971 World Series vs. Baltimore, earning two complete-game victories (including Game 7) and allowing just two runs and seven hits in 18 innings of work.

Leyva became a part of Clint Hurdle’s staff on November 24, 2010 and the 2011 campaign was his 35th season in professional baseball (17th at the Major League level). Prior to joining the Pirates, Leyva was the bench coach under Cito Gaston in Toronto for the 2010 campaign after serving as the third-base coach for the previous two seasons. Leyva also managed the Philadelphia Phillies from 1989-1991.

Fans wishing to attend the 90-minute autograph session with McCutchen, Lincoln, Blass, and Leyva are asked to bring a canned good or non-perishable food item to benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Society Soup Kitchen of Altoona.

The Curve Store at the Logan Valley Mall in Altoona will open on Friday, November 18th and operate through Tuesday, December 27th. It will retain the same location as last year, on the lower level near Santa’s Village (across from Orange Julius), and be open the same operating hours as the mall itself.

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Oct. 13
	   1903 -- The Boston Pilgrims won the first World Series, five games to three, with a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
	   1914 -- The Boston Braves completed the first sweep in World Series history with a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics.
	   1921 -- Art Nehf tossed a 1-0, four-hitter against the New York Yankees for the World Series title in eight games. The Giants scored their run in the first inning on an error by shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh.
	   1960 -- Bill Mazeroski opened the bottom of the ninth with a home run off Ralph Terry of the Yankees to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 10-9 victory and the World Series in seven games.
	   1971 -- The first World Series night game was played in Pittsburgh with the Pirates beating Baltimore 4-3. Roberto Clemente had three hits for Pittsburgh.
	   1978 -- New York third baseman Graig Nettles put on a fielding clinic and prevented seven runs as the Yankees beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in the third game of the World Series. Nettles made four spectacular stops and gave the Yankees the first victory of the series.
	   1984 -- Alan Trammell's two home runs backed Jack Morris' second complete game to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-2 victory and a 3-1 lead over the San Diego Padres in the World Series.
	   1993 -- Tommy Greene of Philadelphia outpitched Greg Maddux and the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 to win the National League pennant in six games.
	   1996 -- Powered by a three-homer third inning and eight strong innings from Andy Pettitte(notes), New York won its 34th American League pennant with a 6-4 victory over Baltimore. The Yankees took the ALCS 4-1 and went to the World Series for the first time since 1981.
	   1998 -- The New York Yankees advanced to the World Series for a record 35th time after beating the Cleveland Indians 9-5 to win the AL championship series in six games.
	   2002 -- Adam Kennedy(notes) hit his third homer of the game in the seventh inning and the Angels erupted for a 13-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins to win the AL championship series in five games and advance to the World Series for the first time in their 42-year history.
	   2007 -- Manny Ramirez(notes) hit his 23rd postseason homer in Boston's 13-6 11-inning loss to Cleveland. The two-run drive broke the playoff record he had shared with former New York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams.
	   Today's birthdays: Taylor Buchholz(notes) 30; Trevor Hoffman(notes) 44.

The Pittsburgh Pirates started the season strong but finished in fourth place in the National League Central, 24 games behind the division-winning Milwaukee Brewers.

Along the way, they picked up first baseman Derrek Lee(notes) from the Baltimore Orioles. He hit .337 with seven homers and 18 RBIs in 28 games for the Pirates. He’ll soon be a free agent and it isn’t clear if he is aiming to stick around in Steeltown or head elsewhere.

What is clear, though, is that the team will attempt to re-sign Lee, according to PittsburghPirates.com. “The club realizes it lacks in options at first base, and Lee showed (when he was healthy) how substantial an impact he can have in the middle of this Pirates lineup,” the site reports. “The organization is willing to make a competitive offer to try and convince Lee to stay, but no one seems to have much inkling as to whether Lee is interested in seriously entertaining that option.”

The 36-year-old is a two-time All-Star who was the National League batting champion in 2005 when he was with the Chicago Cubs. He’s also won three Gold Gloves and helped the 2003 Florida Marlins win a World Series. Lee has also spent time with the San Diego Padres, the team that drafted him, and Atlanta Braves. “Lee did leave the door open to retirement,” the site reports.

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Source: PittsburghPirates.com

Related: Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Ryan Ludwick’s single in the bottom of the ninth drove in the winning run and the Pittsburgh Pirates came back from a blown save in the top of the inning for a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.

Ludwick’s fly ball to deep center field fell for a single and scored pinch-runner Chase d’Arnaud from second after pinch-hitter Jason Jaramillo had doubled to left with one out.

Garrett Jones homered for the first time in more than a month for Pittsburgh (70-87), which reached 70 wins for the first time since 2004.

The Pirates had been a strike away from that elusive 70th victory, but closer Joel Hanrahan hit Todd Frazier in the hand with a 98 mph fastball, the eighth pitch of a dramatic at-bat with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth.

The blown save was Hanrahan’s fourth save in 43 opportunities.

Paul Janish had two hits and an RBI and Joey Votto had his 99th RBI for the Reds.

A year after winning the National League Central title, Cincinnati (76-81) is assured of its 10th losing season in the past 11 years.

Ryan Doumit had two hits and an RBI and Andrew McCutchen added two hits for Pittsburgh, which won for the second in its past seven games overall and second time in its past seven home games.

Pirates starter Jeff Locke was on a pitch limit and was lifted after 4 2-3 innings when his 80th pitch became an RBI double by Votto.

That left two men on, but Daniel Moskos got Jay Bruce to strike out swinging to end the inning.

Making his third career start, Locke was charged with one run, six hits and two walks.

(Sports Network) – Rookie left-hander Jeff Locke makes the third start of his
career tonight when the Pittsburgh Pirates host the visiting Cincinnati Reds
in the opener of a three-game series at PNC Park.

A second-round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2006, Locke was 8-10 in 28
appearances in the minors this season, posting a 3.70 earned run average and
striking out 139 batters in 153 1/3 innings.

He made his initial big-league start at home against Florida on Sept. 10 and
took a 3-0 loss, then returned six days later for a 7-2 loss to the Dodgers in
Los Angeles.

In eight combined big-league innings, Locke has allowed 10 hits and six runs
while walking six and striking out one.

The Reds start 28-year-old Edinson Volquez, who’s lost three consecutive
starts.

The former National League All-Star, who last won on June 29 at Tampa Bay, was
sent to the minors after an 8-1 loss in St. Louis on July 5. He returned for a
4-1 loss at Colorado on Sept. 11 and was tagged for five runs and six hits in
6 2/3 innings of a 10-1 loss to Milwaukee on Sept. 17.

Volquez is 1-0 in six career starts against the Pirates with a 3.44 ERA.

On Wednesday in Cincinnati, Bronson Arroyo tossed his first shutout in over
two years, as the Reds handled the Houston Astros, 2-0, in the rubber match of
a three-game series.

Arroyo (9-12) gave up six hits and recorded his first shutout since August
2009. The right-hander struck out two and did not issue a walk in his first
win this season since Aug. 24.

Miguel Cairo hit a solo homer for the Reds, who finished their 2011 home
schedule with a 42-39 mark. Chris Heisey had an RBI single in the first
inning.

In Phoenix, Miguel Montero went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, as the Arizona
Diamondbacks hung on to defeat the Pirates, 8-,5 in the rubber match of a
three-game set.

Pirates starter Ross Ohlendorf (1-3) was chased from the game in the third
frame when he loaded the bases without recording an out. He went two-plus
innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits and two walks.

Derrek Lee continued to swing a hot bat for Pittsburgh, going 3-for-4 with a
home run and two RBI.

Pittsburgh is 8-4 versus the Reds this season.

The Sports Network