In his first two starts of the season Charlie Morton has 32 ground ball outs
Charlie Morton (2-0, 1.93) allowed one earned run on three hits in seven innings of work to earn his second win of the season in the Pirates 5-2 victory over the Padres on Saturday night. Morton also made an impact his bat, driving in the go-ahead run in the sixth to put the Pirates ahead 3-2. On the mound, a big plus again for Morton on the night was that his sinker was in top form, getting 16 ground ball outs. “The sinker had really good life,” manager Clint Hurdle said via Pirates.com “[Andrew] McCutchen was commenting on it from center field throughout the game.” Of the 21 batters Morton retired, 16 were ground outs, 2 were strikeouts, 2 were foul
Daily 5 Weekend Edition: Kang investment, Alvarez/Expectations, Pens/Draft Pick Compensation, Cup Final
TIOPS DAILY FIVE Rumblings, Musings, Opinions 1. Neal Huntington in January on the Pirates winning the posting fee for Jung Ho Kang and eventually signing the 28 year old Infielder. “This is an unprecedented situation, so it’s difficult to truly project how he will perform,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. “That is why we had multiple people watch him play multiple times. We feel good about bringing him into our organization and we feel that this is going to be a very good investment for our organization.” A very good investment indeed. It remains a very small sampling so far but Kang is showing enough signs that he is an impact player and his quickly ability to adjust to
Pedro Alvarez drives in Pirates only 2-runs in loss, hitting .357 since May 15
Pedro Alvarez went 2-4 with 2 RBI in the Pirates 6-2 loss to the Padres on Friday night. Alvarez drove in the Pirates only two runs in the game, a 2-run RBI single in the third inning, scoring Neil Walker and Starling Marte. Alvarez with 9 home runs, 25 RBI on the season, has a batting line of .247/.325/425 on the season. Just little over two weeks ago, Alvarez’s batting average was as low as .202 In the midst of a solid two-week stretch, Since May 15 — Alvarez is 15-42 (.357) with 4 home runs, 10 RBI. 2015 Stats: .247 – 9 HR – 25 RBI
Scahill allows walk off grand slam in ninth
With the bases loaded and 2 outs, Rob Scahill left a slider over the plate and Derek Norris drove the pitch over the left center wall, delivering a walk off grand slam win for the San Diego Padres, 6-2 on Friday night. Jedd Gyorko started the winning rally with a leadoff walk from Scahill (1-3). Abraham Almonte bunted and Scahill fielded it but threw it away at first for an error, allowing Gyorko to take third and Almonte second. Cory Spangenberg was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Pirates then got two straight force plays at home. With Norris up to the plate with the bases loaded, Scahill got a fastball in for a ball then made a bad
Pirates bullpen squanders lead, strong start from Liriano
The Pirates bullpen squandered a dominant start from Francisco Liriano (2-4, 3.47 ERA) on Friday night. Liriano threw six shutout innings, allowing 3 hits, striking out 11 and walking 1 as Liriano put the Pirates in position to close out their eighth straight game. Liriano left the game with a 2-0 lead but the lead would be squandered in the seventh and the game eventually lost in the ninth on a Derek Norris walk-off grand slam, 6-2 Padres win. The Pirates have won just 2 of Liriano’s 10 starts this season. Liriano has a 23 K to 3 BB ratio over his last two starts. 2015 Stats: 2-4, 3.47 ERA, 75 SO, 24 BB, 1.09 WHIP
Pirates first six runs scored on homers, crush Padres 11-5
PIRATES CRUSH PADRES, 11-5 The Pittsburgh Pirates (25-22) had an early home run barrage and cruised to their seventh straight win, 11-5 against the San Diego Padres (23-26) on Thursday night. Jung Ho Kang crushed a three-run homer (450 feet) in the first inning and Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco also went deep off Ian Kennedy as the Pirates first six runs scored were all on homers. Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker and Francisco Cervelli each had three of the Pirates 15 hits, while Josh Harrison went 2-3 with a double, two walks in the victory. The Pirates 1-5 hitters did significant damage in the game, going a combined 10-for-21 with 2 home runs, 8 RBI: Josh Harrison – 2-3, double,
Buffalo Sabres announce hiring of Dan Bylsma
BREAKING NEWS: Dan Bylsma has been named the 17th head coach in #Sabres franchise history. #WelcomeDan pic.twitter.com/vQ6FbdPDnY — Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) May 28, 2015 The Buffalo Sabres have officially hired Dan Bylsma as their new head coach. Bylsma will be introduced to the Buffalo media at 4:00 p.m. The deal is for 5 years and believed to be worth at least $3 million per season. The Penguins will receive a 2016 third round pick as compensation.
Daily 5: Rutherford still blabbering about Despres, Pens to get compensation for Bylsma & more
TIOPS DAILY FIVE Rumblings, Musings, Opinions* 1. Jim Rutherford is still blabbering about the Simon Despres trade. “If I had a chance to make that trade today, as we speak, I wouldn’t make it,” Rutherford told Trib Total Media on Wednesday. Jason Mackey of the Trib writes, [In trading Despres, Rutherford acknowledged, then and now, that he could come to regret the move. But he wanted a right-handed shot and experience for the postseason. The Penguins’ glut of highly drafted defensemen since 2009 also has left NHL-level openings at a premium “We have a lot of young defensemen coming,” Rutherford said. “I knew at the time, over time, the trade would certainly be in Anaheim’s favor. But at the time
Christian Ehrhoff selling his Upper St. Clair home for $1.295 million
View image | gettyimages.com Penguins defenseman Christian Ehrhoff has put his home in Upper St. Clair on the market for $1.295 million, according to Realtor.com Ehrhoff bought the 4,280 square-foot home in August for $1.15 million. The veteran defenseman has been told by the Penguins that they won’t make an offer before July 1, though, Jim Rutherford’s motto is to not close any doors with most of the Penguins free agents, except for Craig Adams.
Tom Kostopoulos signs AHL contract with Wilkes Barre
Veteran forward Tom Kostopoulos has resigned with the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins, the team announced this afternoon. Kostopoulos signed an AHL contract. Kostopoulos, 36, enters his 17th professional season, ninth year in the Penguins organization. In 72 games this season, Kostopoulos had 16 goals and 44 points. In 630 NHL games with Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Montreal, Carolina, Calgary and New Jersey, Kostopoulos has totaled 61 goals, 96 assists, 157 points and 723 penalty minutes. He has compiled 415 points (163G-252A) over 542 AHL contests between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Manchester.