MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder hit back-to-back homers and Zack Greinke remained perfect at Miller Park to lift the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers to a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Braun and Fielder homered in the eighth after the Pirates had chased Greinke (11-4) with two runs earlier in the inning. Milwaukee won its 10th straight at Miller Park against Pittsburgh and is a major league best 42-15 at home this year.

The 2009 AL Cy Young winner struck out nine and retired 11 straight at one point as Milwaukee maintained its four-game lead over St. Louis in the division race.

Milwaukee built a 4-0 lead off Paul Maholm (6-13) before the Pirates rallied, only to have Braun and Fielder answer right back.

The Pirates are 11 games back in the NL Central and continue their skid out of contention with their 14th loss in 17 games. Pittsburgh finally figured out Greinke with run-scoring doubles by Michael McKenry and Andrew McCutchen in the eighth.

But Braun, who also hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth, led off the bottom of the inning with a homer and Fielder hit another fastball from Joe Beimel to right field for his 28th home run the season.

Jonathan Lucroy added a two-out RBI single off Jose Veras and reliever Francisco Rodriguez followed with his first career hit in his second at-bat on an infield single that caused the Brewers bullpen to celebrate wildly.

It may cost Milwaukee.

Rodriguez warmed up for the ninth, but left after talking to trainer Roger Caplinger. The Brewers said Rodriguez exited with a right leg cramp, but he was stretching his left leg after he awkwardly stepped on the bag to beat Garrett Jones to first for his hit.

Greinke is 8-0 with a 3.36 ERA in 10 starts in Milwaukee this year. He allowed a first-inning single to Xavier Paul before retiring 11 straight — including five consecutive strikeouts to finish two short of the franchise record set by Steve Woodard in 1999.

After allowing three hits in the first seven innings, Greinke began to tire in the eighth and left with two outs after McCutchen’s double. Rodriguez got the final out before Braun and Fielder’s fireworks and then was later forced to hit.

Milwaukee is now 14-2 in a stretch of 16 straight games against NL Central opponents after the Pirates and Cardinals led the division just over two weeks ago.

Josh Wilson singled in Milwaukee’s first run in the second. The veteran infielder is one of three Brewers filling in for the injured Rickie Weeks. Weeks is expected to miss two to four more weeks with a badly sprained left ankle, even though the Brewers are 12-2 without the All-Star second baseman in the lineup.

Casey McGehee tripled in two more in the third before Braun’s sacrifice gave Milwaukee a 4-0 lead and put the Brewers on their way to their 34th home win in the last 37 games against the Pirates.

Notes: Maholm lost his fourth straight. … The Pirates activated RHP Ross Ohlendorf from the 60-day disabled list and immediately optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis. Ohlendorf has been out since April with a strained shoulder. … Brewers RHP Marco Estrada (2-8, 4.80 ERA) faces RHP Kevin Correia (12-10, 4.78) in Saturday’s game. Estrada is starting after LHP Chris Narveson was placed on the 15-day DL after cutting his thumb and needing eight stitches. … Narveson said he hopes he can resume throwing in the next few days and return as soon as he can on Aug. 22.

Baltimore also traded setup man Koji Uehara and cash to Texas for right-hander Tommy Hunter and infielder Chris Davis.

As a smooth-fielding first baseman with a capable right-handed bat, Lee fills a pair of holes for the Pirates (54-51), who are looking to snap a record streak of 18 consecutive losing seasons.

“I’ve kind of known it’s been coming the last couple days, so it’s not a shock or anything. It’s just the business of baseball,” Lee said in the Baltimore clubhouse minutes before the deal was announced.

Buoyed by their first shot at the postseason in years, the small-budget Pirates find themselves in an unusual and perhaps unexpected position at this year’s trade deadline, looking to add pieces instead of sell them off.

“They are playing good. They turned it around, so good for them. I’m still playing baseball, so that’s always a good thing,” Lee said. “It would be exciting if we won the World Series.”

A two-time All-Star, the 35-year-old Lee has playoff experience with Florida, the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta. He won a World Series ring with the Marlins in 2003.

Lee’s most productive days appear to be behind him, but he’s been coming on of late after a slow start in Baltimore. He is batting .246 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs this season.

Lee has hit safely in 14 of his last 18 games since July 8, batting .309 during that stretch. He had two homers and seven RBIs on Baltimore’s current road trip.

Lyle Overbay was supposed to provide steady play at first base for the Pirates this season, but he’s hitting only .227 with seven homers and 35 RBIs.

“We are pleased to add a quality veteran player like Derrek Lee to our ballclub,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said in a statement. “He is an experienced, productive right-handed hitter and solid defender who should add to our team on the field and in the clubhouse.”

Lee signed a $7.25 million, one-year contract with the Orioles before the season. In 15 major league seasons he has a .281 batting average, 324 homers, 1,060 RBIs and three Gold Gloves.

“I knew coming into the year there was a pretty good chance I wasn’t going to finish it here. So, I understood all of it,” Lee said.

Following a 17-3 loss to the New York Yankees that finished a doubleheader sweep, several Orioles teammates came over to Lee at his locker to ask about the trade and say goodbye with a hug or handshake.

“I enjoyed these guys,” Lee said. “Ballpark is beautiful. We didn’t play as well as we wanted to, I didn’t play as well as I wanted to. But I enjoyed my time.”

Baltimore said the 23-year-old Baker will be assigned to Class-A Frederick. He was hitting .285 with 15 homers, 21 doubles and 72 RBIs with Class-A Bradenton this season.

Baker was selected by Pittsburgh in the 11th round of the 2009 draft. He is a .263 career hitter in 289 minor league games.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

SECAUCUS, N.J. — The Pittsburgh Pirates wanted Gerrit Cole’s blazing fastball blowing away hitters for them.

In a baseball draft dominated early by outstanding pitching prospects, the Pirates were convinced Cole was the best of the bunch and took the UCLA right-hander with the No. 1 pick Monday night.

“We felt he’d have the biggest potential impact for us of anybody on the board,” general manager Neal Huntington said.

Cole, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior, posted mediocre numbers this season for the Bruins (6-8, 3.31 ERA), but has what many consider to be the best pure stuff in the draft. He’s the latest promising young arm that Pittsburgh, which finished with baseball’s worst record a year ago, has added in the last two drafts.

The Pirates took a pair of high school right-handers with their first two picks last year in Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie, giving them three potential front-line starters.

“It’s a game of attrition, and you can never have too much if it,” Huntington said. “It’s the most valuable commodity in our game. We didn’t consciously go out to stockpile arms — we stay true to the board. More often than not, that happened to be a pitcher.”

Cole’s teammate on the UCLA staff, right-hander Trevor Bauer, wasn’t far behind, going third overall to the Arizona Diamondbacks. It marked the first time a pair of teammates went in the top three picks since Arizona State’s Bob Horner and Hubie Brooks in 1978.

“I’m ecstatic,” Bauer said. “It’s awesome for Gerrit and it’s awesome for me. It’s great for the program and UCLA. Just an all-around great day.”

Cole was a first-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2008, but refused to listen to an offer and instead attended UCLA — as he insisted to teams he would.

“The draft three years ago was obviously somewhat unexpected, but I feel like the Yankees handled that with a lot of class,” Cole said, adding that New York scouting director Damon Oppenheimer texted him a congratulatory note Monday night. “I felt it was the correct decision.”

The Pirates, picking No. 1 for the fourth time in franchise history, are hoping Cole ends up being the ace of their pitching staff. He has a fastball that’s consistently clocked at 95 mph and was up around 100 at times late this season. Cole’s changeup and slider are also outstanding.

With the second choice, the Seattle Mariners tabbed Virginia lefty Danny Hultzen, the Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year the last two seasons. Watching with family and friends, Hultzen looked stunned when the pick was announced, putting his hands on his head.

“This is completely unexpected. It’s a huge honor, though,” Hultzen said in an interview on MLB Network.

Hultzen, a junior, is 11-3 with a 1.57 ERA and 148 strikeouts while leading the top-ranked Cavaliers to the super regionals of the NCAA tournament.

Arizona, which had two of the first seven picks, grabbed Bauer at No. 3. The Pac-10 pitcher of the year outshined Cole statistically, going 13-2 with a 1.25 ERA and a Division I-leading and Pac-10-record 203 strikeouts. He ended the season having thrown nine straight complete games.

With the seventh pick, the Diamondbacks took another pitcher in right-hander Archie Bradley from Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma. Bradley went 12-1 and fanned 133 against just 11 walks in 71 1/3 innings while posting a 0.29 ERA this year. He was also considered one of the country’s best quarterback prospects and is committed to play football at Oklahoma.

It was the first time since the amateur draft began in 1965 that the first four selections were all pitchers. Of the 33 picks in the first round, 19 were pitchers — one shy of the draft record set in 1999 and matched in 2001.

It was the first time since the amateur draft began in 1965 that the first four selections were all pitchers.

“The three college pitchers who were taken early were probably the best three college pitchers there was in the country,” Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers said, “and I think the two high school pitchers who were taken in Bundy and Bradley were probably two of the best high school pitchers in the draft.”

Kansas City ended the run on the mound at No. 5 by taking a local high school outfielder in Bubba Starling. The Royals have had their eye on the star out of Gardner-Edgerton High School in Kansas since he was 14. And, for good reason.

The 6-5, 200-pound Starling is one of the most impressive all-around athletes in the draft and has eye-popping power. He’ll now have a difficult decision: Starling has already committed to Nebraska to play quarterback after rushing for 2,471 yards and 31 touchdowns, and throwing for 790 yards and eight TDs last season.

“One thing I wouldn’t do on this kid is put any limitations on him,” said Lonnie Goldberg, Kansas City’s director of scouting. “We’ve seen what he’s done on various diamonds and fields.”

Anthony Rendon, a slick-fielding and sweet-swinging third baseman from Rice, celebrated his 21st birthday by going sixth overall to Washington. He was hampered by a strained shoulder for most of this season, limiting him to DH — although he played some second base in the postseason. Still, he hit .327 with six homers and 37 RBI. Teams also constantly pitched around him, as evidenced by his Division I-leading 80 walks.

“I’m feeling great,” Rendon said. “I’ve got no problems with me right now. I think my injuries only make me stronger as a person.”

Two Florida high school shortstops went back-to-back, with Francisco Lindor from Montverde Academy going to Cleveland at No. 8, and Javier Baez from Arlington Country Day to the Chicago Cubs one pick later.

Rounding out the top 10, San Diego took slugger Cory Spangenberg, who played third base for Indian River Junior College in Florida.

Tampa Bay was busy early in the draft with 12 picks before the third round. With their first selection, at No. 24, the Rays took South Carolina high school righty Taylor Guerrieri.

The last time the Pirates had the top pick in the draft they selected pitcher Bryan Bullington in 2002. They also took pitcher Kris Benson at No. 1 in 1996 and infielder Jeff King in 1986.

“We’re working hard to never pick No. 1,” Huntington said. “It’s a long process. It’s not an easy thing to turn around a major league team.”

Washington chose slugger Bryce Harper with the first pick last year.

After the first 60 picks were broadcast live from MLB Network studios Monday night, the draft continues by conference call with team representatives on Tuesday for rounds 2-30, and finishes Wednesday with rounds 31-50.

SECAUCUS, N.J. — The Pittsburgh Pirates selected hard-throwing UCLA righty Gerrit Cole with the No. 1 pick in the baseball draft Monday night.

[+] Enlarge

Jayne Kamin-Oncea/US PresswireUCLA Bruins starter Gerrit Cole was taken first overall by the Pirates in the 2011 MLB draft.

Cole, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior, posted mediocre numbers this season for the Bruins (6-8, 3.31 ERA), but has what many consider to be the best pure stuff in the draft. His college teammate, right-hander Trevor Bauer, wasn’t far behind, going third overall to Arizona.

Cole was a first-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2008, but refused to listen to an offer and instead attended UCLA — as he insisted to teams he would.

The Pirates, picking No. 1 for the fourth time in franchise history, are hoping Cole ends up being the ace of their pitching staff. He has a fastball that’s consistently clocked at 95 mph and was up around 100 at times late this season. Cole’s changeup and slider are also outstanding.

“Gerrit Cole has the size, strength, overall package of stuff and mentality to develop into a top-of-the-rotation major league starting pitcher,” said Greg Smith, the Pirates’ director of scouting.

Cole is the latest promising young arm that Pittsburgh, which finished with baseball’s worst record a year ago, has added in the last two drafts. The Pirates took a pair of high school right-handers with their first two picks last year in Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie, giving them three potential front-line starters.

With the second choice, the Seattle Mariners tabbed Virginia lefty Danny Hultzen, the Atlantic Coast Conference pitcher of the year the last two seasons. Watching with family and friends, Hultzen looked stunned when the pick was announced, putting his hands on his head.

“This is completely unexpected. It’s a huge honor, though,” Hultzen said in an interview on MLB Network. “I’m very excited. … I really don’t know what to say right now. I’m completely speechless.”

Hultzen, a junior, is 11-3 with a 1.57 ERA and 148 strikeouts while leading the top-ranked Cavaliers to the super regionals of the NCAA tournament.

Arizona, which had two of the first seven picks, couldn’t pass up Bauer at No. 3. The Pac-10 pitcher of the year outshined Cole statistically, going 13-2 with a 1.27 ERA and a Division I-leading and Pac-10-record 203 strikeouts. He ended the season having thrown nine straight complete games.

With the seventh pick, the Diamondbacks took another pitcher in right-hander Archie Bradley from Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma. Bradley went 12-1 and fanned 133 against just 11 walks in 71 1-3 innings while posting a 0.29 ERA this year. He was also considered one of the country’s best quarterback prospects and is committed to play football at Oklahoma.

At No. 4, Baltimore selected Bradley’s good buddy, Dylan Bundy, another high school pitcher from Oklahoma. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound righty went 11-0 with 158 strikeouts and only five walks in 71 innings for Owasso High School.

It was the first time since the amateur draft began in 1965 that the first four selections were all pitchers.

Kansas City ended the run on the mound by taking a local high school outfielder in Bubba Starling. The Royals have had their eye on the star out of Gardner-Edgerton High School in Kansas since he was 14. And, for good reason.

The 6-5, 200-pound Starling is one of the most impressive all-around athletes in the draft and has eye-popping power. He’ll now have a difficult decision: Starling has already committed to Nebraska to play quarterback after rushing for 2,471 yards and 31 touchdowns, and throwing for 790 yards and eight TDs last season.

Anthony Rendon, a slick-fielding and sweet-swinging third baseman from Rice, celebrated his 21st birthday by going sixth overall to Washington. He was hampered by a strained shoulder for most of this season, limiting him to DH — although he played some second base in the postseason. Still, he hit .327 with six homers and 37 RBIs. Teams also constantly pitched around him, as evidenced by his Division I-leading 80 walks.

“I’m feeling great,” Rendon said. “I’ve got no problems with me right now. I think my injuries only make me stronger as a person.”

Two Florida high school shortstops went back-to-back, with Francisco Lindor from Montverde Academy going to Cleveland at No. 8, and Javier Baez from Arlington Country Day to the Chicago Cubs one pick later.

Rounding out the top 10, San Diego took slugger Cory Spangenberg, who played third base for Indian River Junior College in Florida.

The last time the Pirates had the top pick in the draft they selected pitcher Bryan Bullington in 2002. They also took pitcher Kris Benson at No. 1 in 1996 and infielder Jeff King in 1986.

“We’re working hard to never pick No. 1,” Pittsburgh general manager Neal Huntington said. “It’s a long process. It’s not an easy thing to turn around a major league team.”

Washington chose slugger Bryce Harper with the first pick last year.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected hard-throwing UCLA righty Gerrit Cole with the No. 1 pick in the baseball draft Monday night.

Cole, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior, posted mediocre numbers this season for the Bruins (6-8, 3.31 ERA), but has what many consider to be the best pure stuff in the draft. His college teammate, right-hander Trevor Bauer, wasn’t far behind, going third overall to Arizona.

Cole was a first-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2008, but refused to listen to an offer and instead attended UCLA – as he insisted to teams he would.

The Pirates, picking No. 1 for the fourth time in franchise history, are hoping Cole ends up being the ace of their pitching staff. He has a fastball that’s consistently clocked at 95 mph and was up around 100 at times late this season. Cole’s changeup and slider are also outstanding.

“Gerrit Cole has the size, strength, overall package of stuff and mentality to develop into a top-of-the-rotation major league starting pitcher,” said Greg Smith, the Pirates’ director of scouting.

Cole is the latest promising young arm that Pittsburgh, which finished with baseball’s worst record a year ago, has added in the last two drafts. The Pirates took a pair of high school right-handers with their first two picks last year in Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie, giving them three potential front-line starters.

With the second choice, the Seattle Mariners tabbed Virginia lefty Danny Hultzen, the Atlantic Coast Conference pitcher of the year the last two seasons. Watching with family and friends, Hultzen looked stunned when the pick was announced, putting his hands on his head.

“This is completely unexpected. It’s a huge honor, though,” Hultzen said in an interview on MLB Network. “I’m very excited. … I really don’t know what to say right now. I’m completely speechless.”

Hultzen, a junior, is 11-3 with a 1.57 ERA and 148 strikeouts while leading the top-ranked Cavaliers to the super regionals of the NCAA tournament.

Arizona, which had two of the first seven picks, couldn’t pass up Bauer at No. 3. The Pac-10 pitcher of the year outshined Cole statistically, going 13-2 with a 1.27 ERA and a Division I-leading and Pac-10-record 203 strikeouts. He ended the season having thrown nine straight complete games.

With the seventh pick, the Diamondbacks took another pitcher in right-hander Archie Bradley from Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma. Bradley went 12-1 and fanned 133 against just 11 walks in 71 1-3 innings while posting a 0.29 ERA this year. He was also considered one of the country’s best quarterback prospects and is committed to play football at Oklahoma.

At No. 4, Baltimore selected Bradley’s good buddy, Dylan Bundy, another high school pitcher from Oklahoma. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound righty went 11-0 with 158 strikeouts and only five walks in 71 innings for Owasso High School.

It was the first time since the amateur draft began in 1965 that the first four selections were all pitchers.

Kansas City ended the run on the mound by taking a local high school outfielder in Bubba Starling. The Royals have had their eye on the star out of Gardner-Edgerton High School in Kansas since he was 14. And, for good reason.

The 6-5, 200-pound Starling is one of the most impressive all-around athletes in the draft and has eye-popping power. He’ll now have a difficult decision: Starling has already committed to Nebraska to play quarterback after rushing for 2,471 yards and 31 touchdowns, and throwing for 790 yards and eight TDs last season.

Anthony Rendon, a slick-fielding and sweet-swinging third baseman from Rice, celebrated his 21st birthday by going sixth overall to Washington. He was hampered by a strained shoulder for most of this season, limiting him to DH – although he played some second base in the postseason. Still, he hit .327 with six homers and 37 RBIs. Teams also constantly pitched around him, as evidenced by his Division I-leading 80 walks.

“I’m feeling great,” Rendon said. “I’ve got no problems with me right now. I think my injuries only make me stronger as a person.”

Two Florida high school shortstops went back-to-back, with Francisco Lindor from Montverde Academy going to Cleveland at No. 8, and Javier Baez from Arlington Country Day to the Chicago Cubs one pick later.

Rounding out the top 10, San Diego took slugger Cory Spangenberg, who played third base for Indian River Junior College in Florida.

The last time the Pirates had the top pick in the draft they selected pitcher Bryan Bullington in 2002. They also took pitcher Kris Benson at No. 1 in 1996 and infielder Jeff King in 1986.

“We’re working hard to never pick No. 1,” Pittsburgh general manager Neal Huntington said. “It’s a long process. It’s not an easy thing to turn around a major league team.”

Washington chose slugger Bryce Harper with the first pick last year.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Gerrit Cole Will Be First Pick of 2011 MLB Draft

For the first time since 2002, the Pittsburgh Pirates have the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft.

Unfortunately for the Pirates, this year’s draft class does not boast a consensus No. 1 selection (i.e. Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper). Instead, there are three players that many think have a shot to go No. 1: UCLA right-hander Gerrit Cole, Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon, and Virginia left-hander Danny Hultzen.

However, the latest word around the campfire is that the Pirates have already made up their minds. According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, the Pirates are going to take Cole.

Not exactly a shocker, to say the least. While Rendon and Hultzen are in play for the top pick, baseball pundits universally regard Cole as the best player in this year’s draft class, and that pretty much means the Pirates would be fools to pass him up.

As far as what the Pirates are getting with the No. 1 selection, Cole is a 6-foot-4, 220-pounder with a fastball that can reach as high as 100 mph. He also throws a killer changeup that will cross the plate in the high 80s, and he has a slider that is developing into a true out pitch.

Cole has actually already had his name called in the first round of the draft before today. The New York Yankees selected him 28th overall back in 2008, but Cole decided to head to UCLA instead. Seeing as how he’s about to be the top overall pick, it’s safe to say that decision panned out nicely.

In 2002, the Pirates used the No. 1 pick on Bryan Bullington, a right-hander out of Ball State. He appeared in just 26 major league games during his career, and is now playing in Japan. In choosing to draft Bullington, the Pirates passed up Jon Lester, Prince Fielder, Cole Hamels and several other stars.

For more 2011 MLB Draft coverage, including updated MLB Draft results and MLB Draft grades, stay tuned to Bleacher Report.

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<span>Flag This Article</span> </div> </p> <p>If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it. </p> </div> <p class="posted">Posted in <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/category/pirates-news/" title="View all posts in pirates-news" rel="category tag">pirates-news</a><span class="comments"><span>Comments Off</span></span></p> </div><!--/post--> <div class="post-alt blog" id="post-1945"> <h2><a title="Permanent Link to Pittsburgh Pirates promote former Princeton, UC standout Josh Harrison" href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/pittsburgh-pirates-promote-former-princeton-uc-standout-josh-harrison/" rel="bookmark">Pittsburgh Pirates promote former Princeton, UC standout Josh Harrison</a></h2> <p class="post_date">Posted on 31 May 2011. <span class="singletags">Tags: <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/bearcats/" rel="tag">bearcats</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/harrison/" rel="tag">harrison</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/indianapolis/" rel="tag">indianapolis</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/international/" rel="tag">international</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pirates/" rel="tag">pirates</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pittsburgh/" rel="tag">pittsburgh</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/press/" rel="tag">press</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/princeton/" rel="tag">princeton</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/princeton-high/" rel="tag">princeton-high</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/school/" rel="tag">school</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/year/" rel="tag">year</a></span></p> <div class="entry"> <div readability="91.946843853821"> <p>Former Princeton High School and University of Cincinnati standout Josh Harrison was promoted to the Pittsburgh Pirates from Triple-A Indianapolis, May 30.</p> <div readability="7"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8613" src="http://cincinnati.com/blogs/presspreps/files/2011/05/princeton-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /> <p>Josh Harrison during his playing days at the University of Cincinnati. Terrence Huge/Contributor</p> </div> <p>Harrison, 23, set the tone for what would become an illustrious college and minor-league career during his senior year at Princeton High School.</p> <p>During the 2005 campaign, Harrison led the Vikings with a .448 average, to go along with 15 doubles and 23 RBIs.</p> <p>He earned his ticket to the “The Show” after ranking fifth in the International League with a .321 average to go along with eight doubles, two triples, two home runs, 11 RBIs in 37 games this year.</p> <p>Since his minor-league career began in 2008, the infielder has hit .307 to go along with 84 doubles, 14 home runs, 170 RBIs and 75 stolen bases.</p> <p>The Chicago Cubs drafted Harrison in the sixth round with the 191st pick in 2008. He was traded to the Pirates, along with Kevin Hart and Jose Ascanio in exchange for John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny on July 30, 2009.</p> <p>While at UC (2006-2008), Harrison dominated Big East pitching.</p> <p>He ended his collegiate career ranked among the top 10 in batting (4th, 358), runs (3rd, 192),  hits (4th, 246), RBIs (5, 153), total bases (5th, 366), and stolen bases (2nd, 63).</p> <p>In his final season at UC, the 5-foot-8 righthander helped lead the Bearcats to a school-record 39 wins. He was named Big East co-Player of the Year after batting .378 with 90 hits and 22 doubles during the 2008 campaign.</p> <p><em>Gannett News Service contributed to this report</em></p> <p>Posted in: Uncategorized</p> <p>Tags: Cincinnati.com, Evendale, Glendale, Indianapolis Indians, Josh Harrison, Major League Baseball, NL Central, Pittsburgh Pirates, Press Preps, Princeton High School, Sharonville, Springdale</p> </p></div> </p> <p> Leave any suggestions in the comment box. </p> </div> <p class="posted">Posted in <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/category/pirates-news/" title="View all posts in pirates-news" rel="category tag">pirates-news</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/category/uncategorized/" title="View all posts in Uncategorized" rel="category tag">Uncategorized</a><span class="comments"><span>Comments Off</span></span></p> </div><!--/post--> <div class="post-alt blog" id="post-1943"> <h2><a title="Permanent Link to Cincinnati Reds fall to Pittsburgh Pirates" href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/cincinnati-reds-fall-to-pittsburgh-pirates/" rel="bookmark">Cincinnati Reds fall to Pittsburgh Pirates</a></h2> <p class="post_date">Posted on 30 May 2011. <span class="singletags">Tags: <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/behind-the-reds/" rel="tag">behind-the-reds</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/bruce/" rel="tag">bruce</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/cincinnati/" rel="tag">cincinnati</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/eighth/" rel="tag">eighth</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/houston/" rel="tag">houston</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/jordan/" rel="tag">jordan</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/perennially/" rel="tag">perennially</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pirates/" rel="tag">pirates</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pittsburgh/" rel="tag">pittsburgh</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/reds/" rel="tag">reds</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/year/" rel="tag">year</a></span></p> <div class="entry"> <div readability="131"> <p>CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds were having a marvelous homestand, until the (usually) lowly Pittsburgh Pirates showed up.</p> <p>Jay Bruce hit two solo homers Thursday, but the Pirates beat the Reds 5-3. With the loss, Cincinnati fell out of first place in the NL Central.</p> <p>Cincinnati had been 5-0 on the homestand with sweeps against St. Louis and the Chicago Cubs. The Reds then were swept in two games against the Pirates and are 1-5 against them this year.</p> <p>“It shows that in the big leagues, anybody can beat you, no matter who they are or where they are in the standings,” Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker said. “They’ve had some well-pitched games against us.”</p> <p>The Reds are a half-game behind St. Louis, which beat Houston 4-2 on Thursday.</p> <p>Cincinnati was outscored 10-3 by Pittsburgh. Entering the series, the perennially rebuilding Pirates stood fourth in the NL Central and were 6 1/2 games behind the Reds.</p> <p>Cincinnati had an uneven day that included a throwing error and some baserunning mistakes, but Baker said Pittsburgh starter James McDonald (3-3) was the difference. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound right-hander allowed only one run in 6 2/3 innings.</p> <p>“He had his control, he kept the ball down, and he was locating and throwing his breaking ball for strikes,” Baker said.</p> <p>“He pitched well,” said Bruce, who hit one of his two homers against McDonald. “He kept his fastball down for the most part, and he elevated when he wanted to. He made pitches when he needed to.”</p> <p>Reds starter Johnny Cueto (2-1) was the loser for the first time in three starts since returning from the disabled list. The Pirates scored three runs against Cueto in the fifth inning, the first earned runs he’s allowed in 18 1/3 innings this year.</p> <p>Cueto lasted five innings, having thrown 94 pitches. The total was elevated by a 31-pitch second inning, when he escaped a bases-loaded jam.</p> <p>“Johnny was pretty good,” Baker said. “He had a lot of pitches in the second inning, and that kind of did him in.”</p> <p>Cueto said his problem Thursday was keeping his shoulder squared to home plate, as he threw only 58 strikes.</p> <p>“I was flying open every time I was throwing,” Cueto said through a translator. “That’s why I was missing my spots and getting behind in the count a lot.”</p> <p>Bruce homered to center to put Cinicnnati ahead 1-0 in the second inning. Bruce was back in the lineup after being scratched Wednesday by a cold.</p> <p>“I felt better today, just trying to get some energy back, but, obviously, I wish we’d have won,” Bruce said. “The Pirates have given us a tough time this year.”</p> <p>Cueto allowed an RBI single by Xavier Paul in the fifth as Pittsburgh tied it at 1. Neil Walker’s two-run double later in the inning made it 3-1.</p> <p>Ryan Doumit put the Pirates up 4-1 with a solo homer in the sixth inning against reliever Jordan Smith.</p> <p>Andrew McCutchen hit an RBI double in the eighth against Nick Masset to make it 5-1. Joey Votto’s RBI single in the eighth cut the Reds’ deficit to 5-2.</p> <p>Bruce’s second homer, an opposite-field shot to left, brought Cincinnati to 5-3 to start the ninth. Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan allowed Bruce’s homer, then retired the next three hitters to get the save.</p> <p>The Reds visit AL Central leader Cleveland today to begin their longest road trip of the year, a 10-day, 10-game trek. After three games in Cleveland, Cincinnati plays four in Philadelphia and three in Atlanta. The Reds return home May 30 against Milwaukee.</p> </p></div> </p> <p> Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news. </p> </div> <p class="posted">Posted in <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/category/pirates-news/" title="View all posts in pirates-news" rel="category tag">pirates-news</a><span class="comments"><span>Comments Off</span></span></p> </div><!--/post--> <div class="post-alt blog" id="post-1903"> <h2><a title="Permanent Link to Pittsburgh Pirates: Getting over Some Past Bugaboos" href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/pittsburgh-pirates-getting-over-some-past-bugaboos/" rel="bookmark">Pittsburgh Pirates: Getting over Some Past Bugaboos</a></h2> <p class="post_date">Posted on 24 May 2011. <span class="singletags">Tags: <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/contending/" rel="tag">contending</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/florida/" rel="tag">florida</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/kevin-correia/" rel="tag">kevin-correia</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/philadelphia/" rel="tag">philadelphia</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pirates/" rel="tag">pirates</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pittsburgh/" rel="tag">pittsburgh</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/regard/" rel="tag">regard</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/road/" rel="tag">road</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/team/" rel="tag">team</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/victory-at-home/" rel="tag">victory-at-home</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/year/" rel="tag">year</a></span></p> <div class="entry"> <div readability="75.409514467876"> <p>In compiling not only eighteen consecutive losing seasons but a large number of last place finishes in the NL Central, the Pittsburgh Pirates were particularly prone to losing in certain types of situations.This team is now in the process of overcoming some of those stumbling blocks.</p> <p>It used to be that the Pirates could “never” win on the road. Their 17-64 showing in this regard in 2010 was epic in incompetence. But this year, they have a 13-12 mark in this regard, exceeded only by the contending Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and Florida Marlins.</p> <p>One major reason is Kevin Correia, who’s 5-0 away from home.. He’s not so good in PNC Park (which may not be “home” to the San Diego transplant), but he makes up for it by winning games on the road, a mark of a veteran pitcher. It is one area in which the team’s mostly rookie players otherwise have trouble.</p> <p>The Pirates used to be cannon fodder for American League Teams in interleague play. But the Bucs just took two out of three against the very comparable Detroit Tigers. Correia was part of this “win,” with his first victory at home. From a scoring perspective, the home team went 16-5 in the series, enough for a sweep, except that they failed to score in the final game.</p> <p>Pittsburgh still has one bugaboo remaining: the tendency to lose season series to the otherwise mediocre Milwaukee Brewers by lopsided margins. Correia has been no panacea here, having lost both his games against this team. But that is reflected by the club record of 0-5 so far against this team,which mirrors the horrible 1-14 2008 season series.</p> <p>The Pirates have lifted themselves out of the cellar by improving in two of the three areas discussed above. The Brewers are most of what now stands between them and a winning record.</p> <p>The year that Pittsburgh puts together a winning season against Milwaukee is probably the year in which they will be contenders. That’s not likely to happen in 2011, but it could happen in 2012, or more likely, in 2013.</p> <p>In the meantime, “two out of three ain’t bad.”</p> </p></div> </p> <p> Leave any suggestions in the comment box. </p> </div> <p class="posted">Posted in <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/category/pirates-news/" title="View all posts in pirates-news" rel="category tag">pirates-news</a><span class="comments"><span>Comments Off</span></span></p> </div><!--/post--> <div class="post-alt blog" id="post-1900"> <h2><a title="Permanent Link to Pittsburgh Pirates: Two Weeks ’til D-Day, Bucs Are on the Clock" href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/pittsburgh-pirates-two-weeks-til-d-day-bucs-are-on-the-clock/" rel="bookmark">Pittsburgh Pirates: Two Weeks ’til D-Day, Bucs Are on the Clock</a></h2> <p class="post_date">Posted on 24 May 2011. <span class="singletags">Tags: <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/anthony-rendon/" rel="tag">anthony-rendon</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/career/" rel="tag">career</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/junior/" rel="tag">junior</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pirates/" rel="tag">pirates</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/power/" rel="tag">power</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/rendon/" rel="tag">rendon</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/school/" rel="tag">school</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/year/" rel="tag">year</a></span></p> <div class="entry"> <div readability="192.93829525243"> <p><span><span>(For complete Pirates coverage, see Piratesreport.com.)</span></span></p> <p><span><span>In exactly two weeks, when the annual draft is set to begin, the Pirates will make what quite possibly will be their most important personnel decision of the year. </span></span></p> <p><span><span>Until then, about only this much will be certain: The organization will have the first overall pick, and the mystery man won’t be known until it’s time to reveal his name.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>“Publicly, it will absolutely come down until two minutes before the draft,” general manager <strong>Neal Huntington</strong> said.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>The internal discussions may not cease until right before then. </span></span></p> <p><span><span>Unlike the last two years, when pitcher <strong>Stephen Strasburg</strong> and outfielder <strong>Bryce Harper </strong>were the consensus No. 1 picks, there is no obvious candidate this time around. For that reason, if one asked five talent evaluators for their selections, he probably would receive two or three different responses. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span><span>“It is a deeper draft than it is top-heavy,” Huntington said. “If you look back at the 2008 draft, it was remarkable in that regard. If you look at the 2009 draft, it seemed to be two players that stood above the rest of the group. If you looked at last year’s draft, it seemed to be three players that stood above the rest of the group.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span><span>“This year it’s a more clouded issue at the top of the draft. Maybe it was clearer to some coming into the year, but because some guys have faded back and others have elevated, there’s not a clear-cut No. 1 this year. That’s why we continue to work and follow a handful of players and do our due diligence and dig up as much information as we can and evaluate them appropriately.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span><span>In recent weeks, scouting director <strong>Greg Smith</strong> and team scouts have watched a slew of candidates in person, spoken with representatives and acquaintances, poured over information and game films and debated the possibilities. According to Huntington, Smith will make the final determination with input from himself, team scouts and a select few others in the organization. Seven-to-10 persons among them will have seen the top pick perform in person this season. </span></span></p> <p><span><span>Indications are that the first pick is likely to come from this short list of candidates:</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span><span><strong>Dylan Bundy</strong></span></span></p> <p><span><span>Pitcher, 6’1″, 200 lbs, Owasso (Okla.) High School</span></span></p> <div readability="6"> <div readability="7"> <h4>Who should the Pirates select in the first pick in the draft?</h4> </p></div> <ul> <div> <h4>Who should the Pirates select in the first pick in the draft?</h4> <li> <h4>Dylan Bundy </h4> </li> <li> <h4>Gerrit Cole</h4> </li> <li> <h4>Danny Hultzen </h4> </li> <li> <h4>Anthony Rendon </h4> </li> <p> <label>Total votes: 1</label> </div> </ul> </div> <p><span><span><strong>Why Bundy will be the first pick:</strong> In the absence of a Strasburg type, why not draft an 18-year-old phenom whom some scouts believe has the biggest upside of them all? Some locals consider him to be the greatest prep athlete ever in a state that has produced Johnny Bench and Mickey Mantle among others. Not only has his fastball reached triple figures this season, but his curveball rates as a plus pitch and his change-up isn’t far behind. At his current rate, he could arrive to the big leagues as early as the 2013 season. </span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>Why Bundy won’t be the first pick:</strong> High school pitchers fail at a high rate, and the Pirates cannot afford to whiff at the top pick especially. Representatives reportedly told interested parties that he wants a six-year, $30-million contract. If accurate, that would leave less money to spend in later rounds. Although he may have a growth spurt ahead of him, the organization prefers taller pitchers who throw on steeper downhill planes. He is a strong advocate of a long-toss program, and there has been talk about a clash of philosophies along those lines.</span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>What ESPN analyst Keith Law says:</strong> “The rare high school pitcher who looks like a </span></span><span><span>college pitcher and could be in the big leagues in that short a time.”</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span><span><strong>Gerrit Cole</strong></span></span></p> <p><span><span>Pitcher, 6’4″, 220 lbs, UCLA. </span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>Why Cole will be the first pick:</strong> The junior possesses the best combination of size, strength, durability and experience, which translates into the safest pick with the most potential. His fastball has been clocked in the mid-90s consistently, while his slider and change-up are above average. The consensus is that he will develop into a No. 2 or 3 starter eventually. The New York Yankees drafted him three years ago, and since then, he has matured into a team leader.</span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>Why Cole won’t be the first pick:</strong> Statistically, he hasn’t wowed anyone this season. The drop-off was largely the result of three consecutive sub-par starts. He lacked command and confidence, although he has fared better since then. While most scouts project him to be a top-of-the-rotation starter, others believe he will be a closer down the line. The latter could be the same career path taken by Stetson Allie, whom the Pirates drafted in the second round last year.</span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>What Baseball America says:</strong> “Though Cole has battled his command recently, he’d seem to have the advantage over the wounded (Anthony) Rendon.”</span></span></p> <p><strong><span><span>Danny Hultzen</span></span></strong></p> <p><span><span>Pitcher, 6’3″, 200 lbs, University of Virginia.</span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>Why Hultzen will be the first pick:</strong> The organization prefers someone who is on the fast track to the major leagues, and many scouts consider the southpaw to be more polished than the rest. He also could be more affordable than the others, which would allow for greater flexibility in later rounds. An uncanny strike-thrower who doesn’t beat himself, the junior relies on a low-90s fastball, an advanced change-up and an above-average slider. His athletic talents have allowed him to hold his own as a part-time outfielder or designated hitter. </span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>Why Hultzen won’t be the first pick:</strong> As much finesse as fire, he lacks the power arm that one associates with the No. 1 pick. While the junior may pay more immediate dividends than the others, there’s a chance that he will max out earlier as well. His arm slot has been inconsistent at times, which may be problematical in his career. </span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>What Law says:</strong> “Polished and ready to go. One of at least three starters in this draft who could probably go straight to Double A (ball).” </span></span></p> <p><strong><span><span>Anthony Rendon</span></span></strong></p> <p><span><span>Third baseman, 6′, 180 lbs, Rice University. </span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>Why Rendon will be the first pick:</strong> He’s the consensus choice as the best pure hitter in a draft that has a shortage of them. The junior is the definition of a tough out–a highly disciplined hitter who lays off pitches outside the strike-zone, attacks pitches that he can handle and doesn’t waver in his approach. His strong wrists and forearms generate excellent bat speed, and as a result, he is able to hit for power despite his average size. In the field, he’s a solid fielder who should improve with experience. He has a good feel for the game.</span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>Why Rendon won’t be the first pick:</strong> Health concerns. Because of a strained right shoulder that the junior sustained early in the season, he has been limited to a designated hitter role since then. His statistics have taken a noticeable turn for the worse across the board, and because his corner has not released a medical update, it’s unclear whether the decline is related to health or stricter NCAA bat standards or both. Earlier in his college career, he underwent surgeries to repair ligament damage and a fracture in his right ankle. </span></span></p> <p><span><span><strong>What Baseball America says:</strong> “As frustrating as this season has been, Rendon remains a strong candidate to go No. 1 overall.”</span></span></p> </p></div> </p> <p>Not much else going on in the MLB planet today.</p> </div> <p class="posted">Posted in <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/category/pirates-news/" title="View all posts in pirates-news" rel="category tag">pirates-news</a><span class="comments"><span>Comments Off</span></span></p> </div><!--/post--> <div class="post-alt blog" id="post-1848"> <h2><a title="Permanent Link to Pirates Pound Tigers 10-1" href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/pirates-pound-tigers-10-1/" rel="bookmark">Pirates Pound Tigers 10-1</a></h2> <p class="post_date">Posted on 21 May 2011. <span class="singletags">Tags: <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/detroit/" rel="tag">detroit</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/month/" rel="tag">month</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pirates/" rel="tag">pirates</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/year/" rel="tag">year</a></span></p> <div class="entry"> <p> <div readability="119"> <img width="420" height="351" src="http://cbsdetroit.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/pittsburgh-pirate-ryan-doumit-5-21-11.jpg?w=420" class="attachment-single wp-post-image" alt="AP Photo" title="Ryan Doumit" /></p> <p><!-- AddThis Button Begin --></p> <p>PITTSBURGH (AP) — Neil Walker homered and drove in a career-high five runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Detroit Tigers 10-1 on Friday night.</p> <p>Walker’s two-run double in the sixth off Detroit reliever Brayan Villarreal helped break open a tight game. Walker later added a three-run homer in the ninth as the Pirates won their third straight, matching their longest winning streak of the season.</p> <p>Jeff Karstens (3-2) put together his best performance of the year. He retired the first 14 he faced and gave up just one run on three hits in six innings, striking out four without issuing a walk.</p> <p>Brad Penny (5-5) took the loss after suffering a rare bout with wildness. He surrendered five runs in 5 2-3 innings, thanks in part to a season-high five walks, as the Tigers lost their fourth in a row.</p> <p>Detroit manager Jim Leyland, who served as Pittsburgh’s manager from 1986-96, said before the game he’s impressed with the foundation the Pirates have put in place. Pittsburgh hasn’t had a winning season since Leyland guided them to the National League East title in 1992. The Pirates lost 105 games a year ago but have remained competitive so far this spring behind the play of a surprisingly consistent pitching staff.</p> <p>The group includes Karstens, who started the year coming out of the bullpen, but was thrust into a starting role when Ross Ohlendorf went down with right shoulder injury.</p> <p>Though Karstens hasn’t been dominant, he has been effective. He stayed that way against the Tigers by following manager Clint Hurdle’s advice and changing speeds effectively. It was enough to hold one of the American League’s most potent offenses in check.</p> <p>Detroit didn’t get a baserunner until Brennan Boesch’s two-out flare to center with two outs in the fifth. Karstens’ only mistake of the night came on a fastball he left up in the zone while pitching to Ramon Santiago in the sixth. Santiago responded by depositing the pitch into the right-field seats for his first home run of the season to tie it at 1.</p> <p>It didn’t stay tied for long.</p> <p>Lyle Overbay led off the bottom of the inning with a drive over the center-field wall, and then the Pirates — who came in hitting just .236 on the season — really went to work.</p> <p>Penny did little to help himself. He came in having won four of his previous five starts, posting an ERA of 1.51 over that span, with six walks. He nearly matched that Friday, when 52 of his 105 pitches failed to hit the strike zone. Still, he managed to avoid any real trouble until the sixth.</p> <p>Overbay’s blast sparked a six-run outburst as Pittsburgh’s patience paid off. Brandon Wood worked for a walk and later put the Pirates up 3-1 on a fielders’ choice by Matt Diaz. Penny finally exited after walking Andrew McCutchen one batter later.</p> <p>Things didn’t get any better when the struggling Villarreal came on. He walked Jose Tabata to load the bases and Garrett Jones followed with a double to center that pushed the lead to 5-1. Walker then drilled a double of his own to left to give Pittsburgh more than enough breathing room.</p> <p>That matched Pittsburgh’s best inning of the season, as the Pirates also plated six in the third inning of a win in San Diego on May 4.</p> <p>The Pirates won three straight from May 7-9, the last of which put them over .500 at 18-17. But six consecutive losses followed and the team appeared on the verge of another spring swoon. Instead, they responded by sweeping a pair of games at Cincinnati then backed it up with their biggest offensive output of the year.</p> <p>The Tigers, who seemed to right themselves with a seven-game winning streak earlier this month, have scored all of six runs during their four-game skid.</p> <p>Notes: The Pirates gave third baseman Pedro Alvarez the day off after he tweaked his quadriceps, which forced him to sit out five games earlier in the month. … Penny issued his first walk since May 3 when Ronny Cedeno earned a free pass in the bottom of the third, a span of 22 1-3 innings. … Detroit’s Austin Jackson extended his hitting streak to 12 — the longest of his career — with a double in the sixth. … A crowd of 24,396 turned out, the second-highest attended weeknight game of the year.<br/>Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</p> </p></div> </p> <p>Feel free to leave your comments below. </p> </div> <p class="posted">Posted in <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/category/pirates-news/" title="View all posts in pirates-news" rel="category tag">pirates-news</a><span class="comments"><span>Comments Off</span></span></p> </div><!--/post--> <div class="post-alt blog" id="post-1862"> <h2><a title="Permanent Link to Pirates pound Tigers" href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/pirates-pound-tigers/" rel="bookmark">Pirates pound Tigers</a></h2> <p class="post_date">Posted on 21 May 2011. <span class="singletags">Tags: <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/career/" rel="tag">career</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/detroit/" rel="tag">detroit</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/game/" rel="tag">game</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/longest/" rel="tag">longest</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/month/" rel="tag">month</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/night/" rel="tag">night</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pirates/" rel="tag">pirates</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/season/" rel="tag">season</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/spring/" rel="tag">spring</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/tigers/" rel="tag">tigers</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/year/" rel="tag">year</a></span></p> <div class="entry"> <div readability="118"> <p>PITTSBURGH — Neil Walker homered and drove in a career-high five runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Detroit Tigers 10-1 on Friday night.</p> <p>Walker’s two-run double in the sixth off Detroit reliever Brayan Villarreal helped break open a tight game. Walker later added a three-run homer in the ninth as the Pirates won their third straight, matching their longest winning streak of the season.</p> <p>Jeff Karstens (3-2) put together his best performance of the year. He retired the first 14 he faced and gave up just one run on three hits in six innings, striking out four without issuing a walk.</p> <p>Brad Penny (5-5) took the loss after suffering a rare bout with wildness. He surrendered five runs in 5 2-3 innings, thanks in part to a season-high five walks, as the Tigers lost their fourth in a row.</p> <p>Detroit manager Jim Leyland, who served as Pittsburgh’s manager from 1986-96, said before the game he’s impressed with the foundation the Pirates have put in place. Pittsburgh hasn’t had a winning season since Leyland guided them to the National League East title in 1992. The Pirates lost 105 games a year ago but have remained competitive so far this spring behind the play of a surprisingly consistent pitching staff.</p> <p>The group includes Karstens, who started the year coming out of the bullpen, but was thrust into a starting role when Ross Ohlendorf went down with right shoulder injury.</p> <p>Though Karstens hasn’t been dominant, he has been effective.</p> <p>He stayed that way against the Tigers by following manager Clint Hurdle’s advice and changing speeds effectively. It was enough to hold one of the American League’s most potent offenses in check.</p> <p>Detroit didn’t get a baserunner until Brennan Boesch’s two-out flare to center with two outs in the fifth. Karstens’ only mistake of the night came on a fastball he left up in the zone while pitching to Ramon Santiago in the sixth. Santiago responded by depositing the pitch into the right-field seats for his first home run of the season to tie it at 1.</p> <p>It didn’t stay tied for long.</p> <p>Lyle Overbay led off the bottom of the inning with a drive over the center-field wall, and then the Pirates — who came in hitting just .236 on the season — really went to work.</p> <p>Penny did little to help himself. He came in having won four of his previous five starts, posting an ERA of 1.51 over that span, with six walks. He nearly matched that Friday, when 52 of his 105 pitches failed to hit the strike zone. Still, he managed to avoid any real trouble until the sixth.</p> <p>Overbay’s blast sparked a six-run outburst as Pittsburgh’s patience paid off. Brandon Wood worked for a walk and later put the Pirates up 3-1 on a fielders’ choice by Matt Diaz. Penny finally exited after walking Andrew McCutchen one batter later.</p> <p>Things didn’t get any better when the struggling Villarreal came on. He walked Jose Tabata to load the bases and Garrett Jones followed with a double to center that pushed the lead to 5-1. Walker then drilled a double of his own to left to give Pittsburgh more than enough breathing room.</p> <p>That matched Pittsburgh’s best inning of the season, as the Pirates also plated six in the third inning of a win in San Diego on May 4.</p> <p>The Pirates won three straight from May 7-9, the last of which put them over .500 at 18-17. But six consecutive losses followed and the team appeared on the verge of another spring swoon. Instead, they responded by sweeping a pair of games at Cincinnati then backed it up with their biggest offensive output of the year.</p> <p>The Tigers, who seemed to right themselves with a seven-game winning streak earlier this month, have scored all of six runs during their four-game skid.</p> <p>Notes: The Pirates gave third baseman Pedro Alvarez the day off after he tweaked his quadriceps, which forced him to sit out five games earlier in the month. … Penny issued his first walk since May 3 when Ronny Cedeno earned a free pass in the bottom of the third, a span of 22 1-3 innings. … Detroit’s Austin Jackson extended his hitting streak to 12 — the longest of his career — with a double in the sixth. … A crowd of 24,396 turned out, the second-highest attended weeknight game of the year.</p> </p></div> </p> <p>That’s all the news for today. </p> </div> <p class="posted">Posted in <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/category/pirates-news/" title="View all posts in pirates-news" rel="category tag">pirates-news</a><span class="comments"><span>Comments Off</span></span></p> </div><!--/post--> <div class="post-alt blog" id="post-1859"> <h2><a title="Permanent Link to Walker drives in 5; Pirates roll" href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/walker-drives-in-5-pirates-roll/" rel="bookmark">Walker drives in 5; Pirates roll</a></h2> <p class="post_date">Posted on 21 May 2011. <span class="singletags">Tags: <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/article/" rel="tag">article</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/college/" rel="tag">college</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/game/" rel="tag">game</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/national-league/" rel="tag">national-league</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/nfl/" rel="tag">nfl</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pirates/" rel="tag">pirates</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/pittsburgh/" rel="tag">pittsburgh</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/school/" rel="tag">school</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/season/" rel="tag">season</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/sidelines/" rel="tag">sidelines</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/sixth/" rel="tag">sixth</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/though-karstens/" rel="tag">though-karstens</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/tigers/" rel="tag">tigers</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/varsity-letters/" rel="tag">varsity-letters</a>, <a href="http://www.piratestalk.com/pittsburgh-pirates/tag/year/" rel="tag">year</a></span></p> <div class="entry"> <p> <p> <i>This article has been read 43 times.</i> </p> <div readability="91.676521310668"> Jeff Karstens (3-2) put together his best performance of the year. He retired the first 14 he faced and gave up just one run on three hits in six innings, striking out four without issuing a walk. <p> Brad Penny (5-5) took the loss after suffering a rare bout with wildness. He surrendered five runs in 52/3 innings, thanks in part to a season-high five walks, as the Tigers lost their fourth in a row.</p> <p> Detroit manager Jim Leyland, who served as Pittsburgh’s manager from 1986-96, said before the game he’s impressed with the foundation the Pirates have put in place. Pittsburgh hasn’t had a winning season since Leyland guided them to the National League East title in 1992. The Pirates lost 105 games a year ago but have remained competitive so far this spring behind the play of a surprisingly consistent pitching staff.</p> <p> The group includes Karstens, who started the year coming out of the bullpen, but was thrust into a starting role when Ross Ohlendorf went down with right shoulder injury.</p> <p> Though Karstens hasn’t been dominant, he has been effective. He stayed that way against the Tigers by following manager Clint Hurdle’s advice and changing speeds effectively. It was enough to hold one of the American League’s most potent offenses in check.</p> <p> Detroit didn’t get a baserunner until Brennan Boesch’s two-out flare to center with two outs in the fifth. Karstens’ only mistake of the night came on a fastball he left up in the zone while pitching to Ramon Santiago in the sixth. Santiago responded by depositing the pitch into the right-field seats for his first home run of the season to tie it at 1.</p> <p> It didn’t stay tied for long.</p> <p> Lyle Overbay led off the bottom of the inning with a drive over the center-field wall, and then the Pirates – who came in hitting just .236 on the season – really went to work.</p> <p> Penny did little to help himself. He came in having won four of his previous five starts, posting an ERA of 1.51 over that span, with six walks. He nearly matched that Friday, when 52 of his 105 pitches failed to hit the strike zone. Still, he managed to avoid any real trouble until the sixth.</p> <p> Overbay’s blast sparked a six-run outburst as Pittsburgh’s patience paid off. Brandon Wood worked for a walk and later put the Pirates up 3-1 on a fielders’ choice by Matt Diaz. Penny finally exited after walking Andrew McCutchen one batter later.</p> <p> Things didn’t get any better when the struggling Villarreal came on. He walked Jose Tabata to load the bases and Garrett Jones followed with a double to center that pushed the lead to 5-1. Walker then drilled a double of his own to left to give Pittsburgh more than enough breathing room.</p> <p> That matched Pittsburgh’s best inning of the season, as the Pirates also plated six in the third inning of a win in San Diego on May 4.</p> <p> The Pirates won three straight from May 7-9, the last of which put them over .500 at 18-17. But six consecutive losses followed and the team appeared on the verge of another spring swoon. Instead, they responded by sweeping a pair of games at Cincinnati then backed it up with their biggest offensive output of the year.</p> <p> The Tigers, who seemed to right themselves with a seven-game winning streak earlier this month, have scored all of six runs during their four-game skid.</p> <p> Notes</p> <p> The Pirates gave third baseman Pedro Alvarez the day off after he tweaked his quadriceps, which forced him to sit out five games earlier in the month. … Penny issued his first walk since May 3 when Ronny Cedeno earned a free pass in the bottom of the third, a span of 22 1-3 innings. … Detroit’s Austin Jackson extended his hitting streak to 12 – the longest of his career – with a double in the sixth. … A crowd of 24,396 turned out, the second-highest attended weeknight game of the year.</p> <p><i>©2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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