Pirates promoting top prospect Tyler Glasnow to Triple-A
Big news in Pirates circles as the team is promoting top prospect Tyler Glasnow to Triple-A Indianapolis, according to Piratesprospects.com. Glasnow, 21, is one of baseball’s premier prospects in the game, ranked by Baseball America as the 7th best prospect in baseball. Glasnow is 5-3 in Altoona this season with a 2.43 ERA and 82/19 K/BB ratio. 2015 Stats (Altoona-AA): 63.0 IP, 5-3, 2.43 ERA, 82 SO, 19 BB
Evaluating Charlie Morton’s night vs the Twins
Charlie Morton (6-4, 4.61 ERA) went 5 2/3 innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 earned runs, while striking out 5 and walking 4 in receiving a no decision in the Pirates 8-7 win over the Twins tonight. Morton struggled with his command again, walking 4, throwing just 64 strikes on 105 pitches and 13 first pitch strikes in facing 25 batters. After pitching a 1-2-3 fifth, Morton took the mound in the sixth with a 3-2 lead. He allowed a lead off walk to Miguel Sano but came back by striking out Trevor Plouffe and Eddie Rosario with swing and misses. Morton, though, was unable to finish the inning as Aaron Hicks down 0-2 in the count, triple to deep right center off
Gerrit Cole goes for win No. 14
Coming off a 9-3 loss Saturday night, sending Gerrit Cole to the mound will boost the Pirates chances today of taking three of four from the Nationals. Cole, 13-4 on the season, goes for win No. 14 as he looks to become the first Pirates pitcher with 14 wins by August 1st in 44 years. The Pirates are 9-2 over Cole’s last 11 starts. Cole has been dominant against the NL East with a 5-0 record this season but today will be the first time he’s faced the Nationals this season. Cole is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA, 11/4 K/BB ratio in two career starts vs the Nationals. In Cole’s previous outing, a 3-1 loss to the Royals on July
A.J. Burnett struck out 8, walked none, but lacked good location in 9-3 loss
A.J. Burnett Saturday night flashed excellent stuff like he has for most of the season but he lacked excellent location in a Pirates 9-3 loss to the Nationals on Saturday night. Burnett in 5 2/3 innings, struck out 8 and walked none, but was pounded for 11 hits and 5 earned runs. Burnett escaped the first three innings by being down just 1-0, the one-run being a mental error from Burnett in not covering home on a wild pitch in the second inning, and things got away from him in the fourth. Burnett hit two batters in the fourth, loading the bases and Gio Gonzalez hit a two-out grounder that Burnett failed to handle, scoring Yunel Escobar and Michael Taylor would
Aramis Ramirez batting cleanup tonight for Pirates
Aramis Ramirez tonight will appear in a Pirates uniform for the first time since July 22, 2003. Ramirez who will wear No. 17, will start at third base and bat cleanup. Ramirez is 0-5 with an RBI, 3 walks in his career vs Nationals lefty Gio Gonzalez. PIRATES LINEUP 1. Gregory Polanco, RF 2. Starling Marte, LF 3. Andrew McCutchen, CF 4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B 5. Jung Ho Kang, SS 6. Francisco Cervelli, C 7. Neil Walker, 2B 8. Sean Rodriguez, 1B 9. A.J. Burnett, P 2015 Stats: .247 – 11 HR – 42 RBI
Travis Ishikawa has big night as Pirates outslug Royals
A controversy at first base emerging for the Pirates? Management sure hopes so….. Ishikawa homered and drove in four runs, leading the Pirates to a 10-7 win on Monday night. Ishikawa had three-extra base hits on the night, going 3-5 with a home run, 2 doubles and 4 RBIs in the victory. “Big night at the plate,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told reporters after the game “He showed a real good swing to left field Sunday in Milwaukee when he pounded the ball to the wall. He hit another one sharp. Those two balls hit hard in this ballpark to dead left field. And that shot to the gap in right-center in the eighth was a shot in the arm
Starling Marte back in lineup, batting cleanup
Starling Marte (oblique) is back in the lineup tonight vs the Cardinals after missing the last five games due to a left side injury. Marte will start in left field and bat cleanup. Marte is batting .281 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI on the season. He is 1-6 in his career vs John Lackey. PIRATES LINEUP 1. Gregory Polanco, RF 2. Neil Walker, 2B 3. Andrew McCutchen, CF 4. Starling Marte, LF 5. Jung Ho Kang, 3B 6. Pedro Alvarez, 1B 7. Francisco Cervelli, C 8. Jordy Mercer, SS 9. A.J. Burnett, P
Surging Neil Walker continues to be a big development for Pirates this month
Neil Walker is starting to develop the nickname of Mr. July. Walker went 3-4 with a HR and 2 RBIs in the Pirates 5-2 win over the Cardinals Friday night. Walker’s two-run homer in the fourth pushed the Pirates lead to 5-2 and they never looked back. Cardinals starter Lance Lynn lasted just four innings and Walker cited Lynn not hitting outside corners with his sinkers that forced the Cardinals starter to throw more fastballs than he likely wanted. Walker would took advantage, sending a Lynn 94 MPH fastball out for his third homer this month. “When he’s not hitting that outside corner with the sinker, you get yourself in some good hitting counts and he has to attack you,”
Andrew McCutchen riding career high 14 game hitting streak
Andrew McCutchen doubled and singled in Tuesday night’s 3-2 victory over the Padres. McCutchen’s 2-hit night extended his hitting streak to 14 games, his previous career high was 13 games in 2009. McCutchen went 2-4 with an RBI in the win and was robbed of a home run by Justin Upton. McCutchen is 18-for-47 (.383) during the 14 game hitting streak. 2015 Stats: .301 – 10 HR – 51 RBI
Tyler Glasnow ranked No. 7 on Baseball America’s Midseason Top-50 Prospects List
Top Pirates prospect Tyler Glasnow is ranked No. 7 on Baseball America’s Midseason Top-50 Prospects list. The 21 year old is the 3rd highest rated pitcher on the list. The publication writes of Glasnow [Talk about unhittable. For his career, Glasnow has allowed just 176 hits in 312 innings] Glasnow has dealt with an injury filled 2015 season. He is 2-2 with a 2.84 ERA in eight starts for Double-A Altoona. Glasnow has a 44/13 K/BB ratio. In the 2014 season, Glasnow was one of the most dominant pitchers in the minors going 12-5 with a 1.74 ERA in Class-A. 2015 Stats (Altoona-AA): 38.0 IP, 2-2, 2.84 ERA, 44 SO, 13 BB