Trying to do a live blog tonight so I can not only give you game reaction but also some thoughts about the trades and the direction of the ballclub. 7:05pm start time, be there or be square...
Pirates (54-52) vs. Cubs (43-65) @ 7:05 PM, PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Lineups:
Pirates: Cubs:
Andrew McCutchen, CF Reed Johnson, RF
Garrett Jones, RF Starlin Castro, SS
Neil Walker, 2B Jeff Baker, 3B
Derrek Lee, 1B Geovany Soto, C
Ryan Ludwick, LF Marlon Byrd, CF
Pedro Alvarez, 3B Alfonso Soriano, LF
Ronny Cedeno, SS Carlos Pena, 1B
Mike McKenry, C Darwin Barney, 2B
Paul Maholm, LHP Carlos Zambrano, RHP
Game Updates:
7:10pm - Quick inning for Paul Maholm getting two groundballs, with one going for a double play. Nice inning. Bucs turn to bat and hopefully we see Lee and Ludwick get their first cracks in the bottom of the 1st.
7:19pm - Pirates go down nice and quick against Zambrano in the 1st with Derrek Lee's debut a strikeout.
7:29pm - Maholm has walked two and struck out two in the top of the 2nd and now is ahead 1-2 on Darwin Barney, will the two walks come back to haunt him...? Now a passed ball and a full count to Barney. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, need a big pitch from Maholm with Zambrano, an excellent hitting pitcher in the on deck circle...
7:32pm - Barney pops up and Maholm gets out of the inning. He has attacked hitters all year and he got away from that in Pena's at bat. Need to go right at him, can't be afraid to make a mistake.
7:37pm - Pedro is up and I would like to see a stat showing how many first pitch fastballs he fouls off to the seats down the left field line. I think he is pulling off the ball, needs to stay on it all the way through...in my humble opinion. Well, he didn't strikeout but did GIDP. Baby steps.
7:48pm - Bucs get behind 1-0 on a sac fly with a real strong throw from Ludwick in left field. Run scoring got on by HBP. Free passes will kill you. Paul is struggling with his control and he either needs to find it soon or the Bucs need to score a couple runs for him.
7:55pm - Cutch just walked, if he doesn't steal with 2 outs I will be pissed.
8:00pm - Jones flies out. After three, Cubs up 1-0. Also, nice looking crowd tonight for a Monday. Good to see people supporting the club after a tough roadtrip.
8:05pm - Maholm retires the Cubs in order including going after Pena and getting him to fly out to center.
8:13pm - As I was typing the fact that the Pirates were quietly getting no hit in the middle of the 4th inning, Derrek Lee launches one into the left field bleachers, tying the score at 1-1. Neil Huntington = smartest man alive.
8:16pm - Pedro swings at 1st pitch fastball and drills it up the middle, followed by a base hit for Cedeno. Fort McKenry up with a runner in scoring position and 2 outs.
8:19pm - How the hell did Pedro just get picked off at 2nd. Unbelievable.
8:27pm - Another double play as Maholm gets out of the 5th after giving up a base hit to Zambrano.
8:35pm - McCutchen hits a ball to the notch that is caught and Maholm gets hit by a groundball that probably would have been an out anyways...no luck tonight. 1-1 after 5 innings.
8:44pm - Maholm gives up 2 singles and a double and now the Bucs are down 2-1 with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Gonna need some magic to get out of this without much more damage.
8:50pm - A slow roller that can't be turned into a double play and a sacrifice fly and the Pirates now trail 4-1 at the end of the top of the 6th. Need some runs and need them soon.
9:01pm - Pirates string two hits together but all with 2 outs. Cedeno swings at ball four (surprise) and the Bucs are still down 4-1.
9:08pm - Grilled cheese goes 1-2-3 in the 7th. Bucs need to cut into the lead.
9:18pm - Pearce is worthless as a pinch hitter. Big, long swing and doesn't know how to lay off a curveball in the dirt. Worthless.
9:29pm - Bottom of the 8th, Need. Runs. Now.
9:32pm - Holy Derrek freakin' Lee. Hammers a ball into the right centerfield seats. Neal Huntington = genius. Keep it going.
9:41pm - Ronny strikes out again on a 3-2 pitch way out of the zone. Learn plate discipline Ronny. Bucs now down 4-3 heading to the 9th.
9:51pm - Daniel McCutchen hangs an 0-2 slider and it is drilled into left field for a double scoring a run. Bucs now down 5-3 heading into the bottom of the 9th. McKenry, a pinch hitter and then the top of the order will face Marmol. Need some baserunners.
10:01pm - Bucs lose their 4th straight game and fall to 54-53. Not good. Maholm struggled to throw strikes and get ahead of hitters while the offense really couldn't string any hits together. Only runs scored tonight for the Pirates came on 2 home runs from Derrek Lee who was awesome in his debut. Ryan Ludwick was ok. He played really well in left field and put some good swings on the ball. Bucs need to get healthy against the Cubs over the next few days or they may really go into a free fall. Until tomorrow sports fans...
7:10pm - Quick inning for Paul Maholm getting two groundballs, with one going for a double play. Nice inning. Bucs turn to bat and hopefully we see Lee and Ludwick get their first cracks in the bottom of the 1st.
7:19pm - Pirates go down nice and quick against Zambrano in the 1st with Derrek Lee's debut a strikeout.
7:29pm - Maholm has walked two and struck out two in the top of the 2nd and now is ahead 1-2 on Darwin Barney, will the two walks come back to haunt him...? Now a passed ball and a full count to Barney. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, need a big pitch from Maholm with Zambrano, an excellent hitting pitcher in the on deck circle...
7:32pm - Barney pops up and Maholm gets out of the inning. He has attacked hitters all year and he got away from that in Pena's at bat. Need to go right at him, can't be afraid to make a mistake.
7:37pm - Pedro is up and I would like to see a stat showing how many first pitch fastballs he fouls off to the seats down the left field line. I think he is pulling off the ball, needs to stay on it all the way through...in my humble opinion. Well, he didn't strikeout but did GIDP. Baby steps.
7:48pm - Bucs get behind 1-0 on a sac fly with a real strong throw from Ludwick in left field. Run scoring got on by HBP. Free passes will kill you. Paul is struggling with his control and he either needs to find it soon or the Bucs need to score a couple runs for him.
7:55pm - Cutch just walked, if he doesn't steal with 2 outs I will be pissed.
8:00pm - Jones flies out. After three, Cubs up 1-0. Also, nice looking crowd tonight for a Monday. Good to see people supporting the club after a tough roadtrip.
8:05pm - Maholm retires the Cubs in order including going after Pena and getting him to fly out to center.
8:13pm - As I was typing the fact that the Pirates were quietly getting no hit in the middle of the 4th inning, Derrek Lee launches one into the left field bleachers, tying the score at 1-1. Neil Huntington = smartest man alive.
8:16pm - Pedro swings at 1st pitch fastball and drills it up the middle, followed by a base hit for Cedeno. Fort McKenry up with a runner in scoring position and 2 outs.
8:19pm - How the hell did Pedro just get picked off at 2nd. Unbelievable.
8:27pm - Another double play as Maholm gets out of the 5th after giving up a base hit to Zambrano.
8:35pm - McCutchen hits a ball to the notch that is caught and Maholm gets hit by a groundball that probably would have been an out anyways...no luck tonight. 1-1 after 5 innings.
8:44pm - Maholm gives up 2 singles and a double and now the Bucs are down 2-1 with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Gonna need some magic to get out of this without much more damage.
8:50pm - A slow roller that can't be turned into a double play and a sacrifice fly and the Pirates now trail 4-1 at the end of the top of the 6th. Need some runs and need them soon.
9:01pm - Pirates string two hits together but all with 2 outs. Cedeno swings at ball four (surprise) and the Bucs are still down 4-1.
9:08pm - Grilled cheese goes 1-2-3 in the 7th. Bucs need to cut into the lead.
9:18pm - Pearce is worthless as a pinch hitter. Big, long swing and doesn't know how to lay off a curveball in the dirt. Worthless.
9:29pm - Bottom of the 8th, Need. Runs. Now.
9:32pm - Holy Derrek freakin' Lee. Hammers a ball into the right centerfield seats. Neal Huntington = genius. Keep it going.
9:41pm - Ronny strikes out again on a 3-2 pitch way out of the zone. Learn plate discipline Ronny. Bucs now down 4-3 heading to the 9th.
9:51pm - Daniel McCutchen hangs an 0-2 slider and it is drilled into left field for a double scoring a run. Bucs now down 5-3 heading into the bottom of the 9th. McKenry, a pinch hitter and then the top of the order will face Marmol. Need some baserunners.
10:01pm - Bucs lose their 4th straight game and fall to 54-53. Not good. Maholm struggled to throw strikes and get ahead of hitters while the offense really couldn't string any hits together. Only runs scored tonight for the Pirates came on 2 home runs from Derrek Lee who was awesome in his debut. Ryan Ludwick was ok. He played really well in left field and put some good swings on the ball. Bucs need to get healthy against the Cubs over the next few days or they may really go into a free fall. Until tomorrow sports fans...
No comments:
Post a Comment