Bell’s single lifts 1st Place Pirates over White Sox 3-2 !!!!

Bell’s single lifts Pirates over reeling White Sox 3-2
By JOHN PERROTTO, Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pinch-hitter Josh Bell singled to break a seventh-inning tie, and the streaking Pittsburgh Pirates beat the skidding Chicago White Sox 3-2 Wednesday.
Pittsburgh has won seven of eight and improved to 10-2 in interleague play this season.
Chicago has lost eight of nine and 13 of 15. A major league-worst 10-29, the White Sox have matched their worst start since 1948.
Pittsburgh has won eight straight over Chicago, outscoring the White Sox 45-17. The Pirates also swept a two-game series last week against them in Chicago.
With the score tied 2-2, Elias Diaz doubled off Joakim Soria (0-2) leading off the seventh and Jordy Mercer walked with one out. Bell, rested from the starting lineup in a day game after a night game, grounded a single into left.
Rookie Edgar Santana (1-0) allowed one hit in 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his first major league win. Felipe Vazquez allowed Welington Castillo’s two-out single in the ninth, then got Jose Abreu to hit into a game-ending forceout. Vazquez remained perfect in eight save opportunities.
Chicago lost despite outhitting the Pirates 8-4.
Leury Garcia homered in the second and Yolmer Sanchez in the fifth.
Pittsburgh’s Sean Rodriguez hit a two-run double in the second.
Pirates starter Jameson Taillon went 5 2/3 innings and showed no ill effects from a cut right index finger that forced him from Friday’s start against San Francisco after three innings.
Hector Santiago pitched five innings for Chicago in place of Carson Fulmer, who was pushed back to Saturday against Texas to allow extra work with pitching coach Don Cooper.
ANDERSON’S DAY OFF
White Sox SS Tim Anderson was not in the lineup after starting each of the first 37 games. He pinch hit in the ninth and flied out. Sanchez, the regular third baseman, played shortstop and Matt Davidson, normally the designated hitter, started at third.
Sanchez made a sliding over-the-shoulder catch in short left field to take away a hit from David Freese in the seventh inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: C Francisco Cervelli (bruised right forearm) and CF Starling Marte (strained right oblique) were out of the lineup after leaving Tuesday night’s 7-0 win. Both are lday to day. … RHP Joe Musgrove (strained right shoulder) is expected to make his last rehab start Thursday for Triple-A Indianapolis then make his Pirates’ debut Tuesday at Cincinnati. He was acquired from Houston in the offseason.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP James Shields (1-4, 5.44 ERA) starts Thursday’s opener of a four-game series against visiting Texas and LHP Cole Hamels (2-4, 3.48). Shields is winless in eight starts since beating the Royals at Kansas City on opening day.
Pirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (4-2, 4.17) will be on the mound Thursday for the start of a four-game series at San Diego. LHP Eric Lauer (1-2, 8.27) starts for the Padres. Kuhl is 3-1 in his last five starts.
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WPIAL Playoff Baseball & Softball: May 16, 2018

BASEBALL

Tuesday’s Scores
[4A] Hopewell 3, Belle Vernon 1
[3A] Valley 7, Beaver Falls 5
[1A] Monessen 2, Western Beaver 0
[1A] Eden Christian 12, Rochester 4
[1A] Jeannette 2, Leechburg 0
[2A] Carlynton 14, California 8
[2A] Laurel 7, Fort Cherry 5
[2A] Brentwood 8, Chartiers-Houston 2
[3A] Steel Valley 15, Charleroi 0
[4A] New Castle 8. Freeport 3
[4A] West Mifflin 1, Deer Lakes 0
[4A] Greensburg-Salem 8, South Park 2
[5A] Laurel Highlands 6, Fox Chapel 5
[5A] Mars 2, Trinity 1
[5A] Chartiers Valley 12, Latrobe 2
[5A] Franklin Regional 11, Montour 2
[5A] Hampton 4, Gateway 2
[6A] Plum 3, Mt. Lebanon 1
[6A] Pine-Richland 5, Peters Twp. 1
[6A] Canon-McMillan 2, Norwin 0
[6A] Butler 4, Upper St. Clair 1

4:00pm
[1A] Cornell vs. West Greene (at Peters Twp.)
[2A] Shenango vs. Bishop Canevin (at Chippewa Park)

4:30pm
[3A] Burrell vs. Mount Pleasant (at Latrobe)

6:30pm
[3A] Waynesburg Central vs. Shady Side Academy (at Peters Twp.)

7:00pm
[6A] Penn-Trafford vs. North Allegheny (at Latrobe)

SOFTBALL

Tuesday’s Scores
[4A] Knoch 12, Blackhawk 0
[4A] Ambridge 6, Derry 2
[4A] Beaver 6, Highlands 1
[3A] Ellwood City 4, South Allegheny 1
[3A] Waynesburg Central 7, Freedom 3
[3A] Steel Valley 9, Deer Lakes 6
[3A] Burrell 10, McGuffey 4
[4A] Elizabeth Forward 15, New Castle 0
[4A] Belle Vernon 12, Uniontown 0
[4A] Indiana 13, West Mifflin 11
[6A] Peters Twp. 16, Seneca Valley 13
[6A] Norwin 8, North Hills 2
[6A] North Allegheny 6, Bethel Park 5
[6A] Mt. Lebanon 6, Pine-Richland 2
[6A] Canon-McMillan 15, Fox Chapel 12

2:00pm
[2A] Serra Catholic vs. Shenango (at Hampton Community Park)
[2A] Mohawk vs. Apollo-Ridge (at Hampton Community Park)

3:00pm
[1A] Quigley Catholic vs. Riverview (at Plum)
[2A] Beth-Center vs. Seton-LaSalle (at Baldwin

4:00pm
[2A] Shady Side Academy vs. Neshannock (at Hampton Community Park)
[2A] Northgate vs. Chartiers-Houston (at West Allegheny)
[5A] Mars vs. Kiski Area (at Hampton Community Park)

5:00pm
[5A] Hampton vs. Connellsville (at Plum)
[5A] Gateway vs. Trinity (at Baldwin)

6:00pm
[5A] Moon vs. Thomas Jefferson (at West Allegheny)

Williams Dominates the White Sox!!! Bucs win 7-0 and back in First Place in the Central!!!

By ALAN SAUNDERS, Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Trevor Williams had a better outing against the struggling Chicago White Sox this time while facing them for the second straight start.
Williams scattered six hits and struck out six without a walk in seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the White Sox 7-0 Tuesday night.
Four days earlier, he gave up four runs and seven hits — including two home runs — in five innings before the Pirates rallied for a 6-5 win in Chicago. Williams said he didn’t make any drastic changes to his approach, and credited the pitcher-friendly PNC Park as an aid.
“I thought we did our homework well last time,” he said. “I thought it was just two pitches that left the yard. If we were playing at their yard today, some would have left the yard, as well.”
Chicago has lost eight of nine and 12 of 14, dropping to a major league-worst 10-28. The White Sox have matched the poorest 38-game start in team history.
Williams (5-2) was also helped by a Pirates offense that continued to roll. Pittsburgh scored four runs in the first inning and chased Chicago starter Reynaldo Lopez in the third.
Staked with an advantage, Williams pitched through the seventh inning for the first time this season.
“It was a really strong effort and a really good back-on-track outing for him,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.
Kyle Crick and Richard Rodriguez completed the seven-hitter for Pittsburgh’s major league league-best seventh shutout.
The tables turned from the previous game on the other side of the ball, as well. The Pirates jumped all over Lopez (0-3) after he had held them to two runs in 7 1/3 innings the last time out.
Pittsburgh built its 4-0 first-inning lead on Adam Frazier’s homer, Josh Bell’s two-run double and Colin Moran’s RBI double. Sean Rodriguez and Bell also had run-scoring hits in the second.
“Last time through, he was throwing a lot of off-speed early,” Bell said of Lopez. “I feel like, for the most part, we were anticipating slower, earlier and it kind of just worked out for us.”
Bell went 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs. Gregory Polanco, who also had two hits, added an RBI double in the sixth.
Lopez allowed six runs and seven hits while walking two and hitting one in his shortest outing of the year.
“I think he didn’t really feel comfortable in the beginning,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “Today was one of those days where he wasn’t able to rebound and refocus and get back into a particular zone.”
The Pirates are now 9-2 in interleague play, including 3-0 against Chicago, while the White Sox are 1-7.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: 2B Yoan Moncada (left hamstring tightness) was activated from the disabled list and went 1 for 4. He had been out since May 4.
Pirates: CF Starling Marte left the game at the end of the first inning with discomfort in his right side. Marte doubled and scored in the bottom of the first. He was replaced by Rodriguez. … C Francisco Cervelli left the game at the end of the third inning with right forearm discomfort. He was hit by a 93 mph fastball in the bottom of the inning by Lopez. Cervelli was replaced by Elias Diaz.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Hector Santiago (0-1, 5.60 ERA) will make a spot start on Wednesday in the series finale. Santiago has made two starts this season. He’ll be replacing RHP Carson Fulmer, whose scheduled start was pushed back to Saturday.
Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-3, 4.08 ERA) is expected to start on Wednesday. He left his previous start on May 11 after just three innings with a laceration on the middle finger of his right hand.
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More AP baseball: www.apnews.com/tags/MLBbaseball

WPIAL Baseball & Softball Playoffs: May 15, 2018

SOFTBALL

Monday’s Scores
[2A] CW North Catholic 15, OLSH 0
[1A] Sewickley Academy 13, Mapletown 12
[1A] St. Joseph 13, Western Beaver 0
[1A] Bishop Canevin 7, Carmichaels 6
[2A] Laurel 8, Bentworth 1
[2A] Frazier 16, Brentwood 0

2:00pm
[4A] Knoch vs. Blackhawk at Hampton Community Park
[3A] Ellwood City vs. South Allegheny at Hampton Community Park
[6A] Fox Chapel vs. Canon-McMillan at Peterswood Park (Peters Twp.)
[6A] North Hills vs. Norwin at Plum

3:00pm
[3A] Freedom vs. Waynesburg Central at Baldwin

4:00pm
[6A] Mt. Lebanon vs. Pine-Richland at Hampton Community Park
[6A] Bethel Park vs. North Allegheny at Peterswood Park (Peters Twp.)
[4A] New Castle vs. Elizabeth Forward at West Allegheny
[4A] West Mifflin vs. Indiana at Plum
[3A] Deer Lakes vs. Steel Valley at Hampton Community Park

5:00pm
[4A] Beaver vs. Highlands at Baldwin
[3A] McGuffey vs. Burrell at Latrobe

6:00pm
[6A] Seneca Valley vs. Peters Twp. at West Allegheny

7:00pm
[4A] Ambridge vs. Derry at Baldwin
[4A] Belle Vernon vs. Uniontown at Latrobe

BASEBALL

2:00pm
[1A] Western Beaver vs. Monessen at Burkett Complex (Robinson Twp.)
[1A] Rochester vs. Eden Christian at Matulevic Field (Shaler)
[1A] Leechburg vs. Jeannette at Fox Chapel
[2A] Laurel vs. Fort Cherry at Chippewa Park
[3A] Steel Valley vs. Charleroi at Boyce-Mayview Park (Upper St. Clair)
[5A] Mars vs. Trinity at Seneca Valley
[5A] Montour vs. Franklin Regional at West Mifflin
[5A] Laurel Highlands vs. Fox Chapel at Hempfield

4:00pm
[4A] South Park vs. Greensburg-Salem at Gateway
[6A] Plum vs. Mt. Lebanon at North Allegheny

4:30pm
[3A] Beaver Falls vs. Valley at Matulevic Field (Shaler)
[4A] Hopewell vs. Belle Vernon at Hempfield
[2A] Bishop Canevin vs. Shenango at Chippewa Park
[2A] Chartiers-Houston vs. Brentwood at Burkett Complex (Robinson Twp.)
[4A] New Castle vs. Freeport at Seneca Valley
[5A] Hampton vs. Gateway at Fox Chapel
[5A] Latrobe vs. Chartiers Valley at West Mifflin
[6A] Norwin vs. Canon-McMillan at Boyce-Mayview Park (Upper St. Clair)

6:30pm
[4A] West Mifflin vs. Deer Lakes at Gateway

7:00pm
[2A] Carlynton vs. California at Burkett Complex (Robinson Twp.)
[6A] Butler vs. Upper St. Clair at North Allegheny
[6A] Pine-Richland vs. Peters Twp. at Boyce-Mayview Park (Upper St. Clair)

Pro Sports Scores & Schedule: May 14, 2018

MLB

Sunday’s Scores
San Francisco 5, Pittsburgh 0
Cleveland 11, Kansas City 2
Detroit 5, Seattle 4
Baltimore 17, Tampa Bay 1
Philadelphia 4, NY Mets 2
NY Yankees 6, Oakland 2
Atlanta 4, Miami 3
Houston 6, Texas 1
Boston 5, Toronto 3
Milwaukee 7, Colorado 3
Chi. White Sox 5, Chi. Cubs 3
Cincinnati 5, LA Dodgers 3
LA Angels 2, Minnesota 1
San Diego 5, St. Louis 3
Washington 6, Arizona 4

2:20pm
Atlanta at Chi. Cubs

7:00pm
Tampa Bay at Kansas City

7:10pm
Cleveland at Detroit
Seattle at Minnesota
Oakland at Boston

9:40pm
Milwaukee at Arizona

10:07pm
Houston at LA Angels

10:10pm
Colorado at San Diego

10:15pm
Cincinnati at San Francisco

NHL

Sunday’s Scores
Washington 6, Tampa Bay 2
[Capitals lead series 2-0]

8:00pm
Vegas at Winnipeg
[Jets lead series 1-0]

NBA

Sunday’s Scores
Boston 108, Cleveland 83
[Celtics lead series 1-0]

9:00pm
Golden State at Houston
[Game 1]

Local coaching legend Chuck Knox Dies at the age of 86!!!!

Chuck Knox, former Rams, Seahawks, Bills coach, dies at 86 By The Associated Press
Chuck Knox, the former NFL coach who took the Los Angeles Rams to three straight NFC championship games and also led the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills, has died. He was 86.
The Rams and Seahawks said Sunday that Knox died Saturday night.
“He established a winning culture and a legacy that will never be forgotten, being the only coach to lead the Rams to five consecutive double-digit-win seasons,” the Rams said in a statement. “The memories and accomplishments that Coach Knox left behind will continue to inspire us and Rams fans. We hold his family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
Called “Ground Chuck,” for his run-first offenses, Knox was the NFL coach of the year in 1973, 1980 and 1984, winning the award with all three teams he coached. He went 186-147-1 during 22 seasons as an NFL head coach, including two stints with the Rams. He won five straight NFC West titles from 1973-77, and he returned in 1992 for the franchise’s final three seasons in Los Angeles before its move to St. Louis.
Hall of Fame defensive end Jack Youngblood posted a picture on Twitter thanking Knox for his trust and “allowing us to make our way to Canton.”
“Chuck Knox was one of the most influential men in the early days of my career,” Youngblood wrote. “Great coach and an even better man.”
Knox left the Rams in 1978 for the Buffalo Bills. After five seasons, he took over the Seahawks in 1983 and immediately led the franchise to its first playoff berth and the AFC title game. He spent nine seasons with Seattle.
“His presence projected an external toughness, but merited instantaneous respect by the genuine care and concern he held for his players,” the Seahawks said in a statement. “He was one of the great influencers not only in football, but in life.”
Knox is the only coach to be enshrined in the Seahawks “Ring of Honor.” He was revered in Seattle for turning the young franchise into a contender in the AFC West for most of his tenure.
Current Seattle coach Pete Carroll tweeted Sunday that Knox was, “A true Seahawks legend and a man who had a great impact on so many.”
Knox was a two-way tackle at Juniata College in his native Pennsylvania, serving as a captain on the school’s undefeated 1953 team. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Juniata. He was a high school assistant at Tyrone and then head coach at Ellwood City before moving on to Wake Forest and Kentucky.
Knox considered at one-time returning to Juniata as a history professor and was working on a master’s degree at Penn State before deciding coaching was where he should be.
“During that time, I thought what I really wanted to do was coach and not go into the academic area,” Knox told the AP in a 2005 interview. “I know I made the right choice. It’s what I wanted to do.”
Knox entered professional football in the AFL with the New York Jets as offensive line coach in 1963, and played a key role in the recruitment of quarterback Joe Namath. He remained with the Jets until 1966, and was then offensive line coach with the Detroit Lions from 1967-1972.
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Giants beat Pirates 5-0!!! Bucs take two out of three to win another series!!!

Hernandez, Hundley help Giants beat Pirates 5-0, stop slide
By ALAN SAUNDERS, Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — San Francisco turned some of those fly-ball outs into home runs.
Gorkys Hernandez homered off Ivan Nova to spark a five-run sixth inning, Nick Hundley added a three-run drive and the Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-0 Sunday to stop a season-high six game-losing streak.
“We hit probably nine, 10 balls right on the screws that their outfielders made plays on,” Hundley said. “So, it was nice to get a couple over the wall then open up the game a little bit.”
San Francisco averaged 8.25 runs per game while winning four straight from May 2-6 but averaged just two runs per game in the first five games of its losing streak. With back-to-back five-run bursts, manager Bruce Bochy hopes the offense may have reignited,
“I think we had some really good at bats and finally broke through,” Bochy said. “Last couple days, they’ve been a lot better.”
Derek Holland (2-4) allowed four hits and five walks in 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts, repeatedly pitching out of trouble. Pittsburgh went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position, including 0 for 8 against Holland, who allowed runners to reach second in four innings.
“I’m still a little upset with this one even though I got to go 6 1/3,” Holland said. “The five walks, that’s the killer. I did a good job, though, of keeping them from scoring.”
Reyes Moronto, Will Smith and Hunter Strickland completed a seven-hitter, the fourth shutout for the Giants this season. The Pirates were blanked for the third time this year.
Andrew McCutchen was 1 for 4 with a walk and went 4 for 14 (.286) with three doubles in his first series at Pittsburgh since the Pirates traded the five-time All-Star to the Giants during the offseason. He extended his hitting streak to 12 games, and he is 16 for 43 (.372) in that stretch.
Nova (2-3) gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings and is 0-2 in five starts since beating Miami on April 15.
Brandon Belt and Pablo Sandoval singled following Hernandez’s homer, and Hundley homered on the first pitch from Richard Rodriguez.
Nova He blamed himself for not being able to field Pablo Sandoval’s sixth-inning grounder.
“If I make that play, it’s three outs,” he said “I didn’t make it. I paid for it.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (broken left hand) is expected to throw off a mound on Monday. If his rehab goes well, could be ready when he is eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day disabled list on May 25. … INF Alen Hanson was held out with a strained left hamstring.
Pirates: RHP Joe Musgrove (right shoulder strain) will have one more rehab start after throwing 5 2/3 innings on Saturday. … 2B Josh Harrison (broken left hand) has taken batting practice and is ready for a rehab stint. He is expected to return to big league action in about two weeks. … RHP Jameson Taillon (right finger laceration) is unsure whether he can make his scheduled start Wednesday. Taillon left his outing on Friday after three innings.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Chris Stratton (3-3, 4.60) is to start Monday at home against Cincinnati. The Giants have been outscored 35-9 in his losses.
Pirates: RHP Trevor Williams (4-2, 3.13 ERA) is slated to pitch Tuesday’s opener of a two-game series against the visiting Chicago White Sox. The Pirates are 8-2 in Interleague play.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Pirates top Giants 6-5 for 5th straight win!!! Only half game out of first place!!!

Pirates top Giants 6-5 for 5th straight win
By WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Gregory Polanco and Francisco Cervelli homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of a sloppy inning by former closer Tony Watson to slip by the San Francisco Giants 6-5 on Saturday for their fifth straight victory.
Watson (1-2), an All-Star for Pittsburgh during his six-plus seasons with the club, loaded the bases in the eighth, and then gave the Pirates the lead when he hit former teammate Jordy Mercer to force in Josh Bell. Felipe Vazquez (2-0), who took over as Pirates closer when Watson faltered last season, got the final five outs after Pittsburgh blew a two-run lead earlier in the night.
Bell finished with two hits and his adept baserunning kept Pittsburgh’s eighth-inning rally alive. Bell was at third when pinch-hitter David Freese hit a chopper up the third-base line. Bell avoided Evan Longoria’s tag to make it back to third safely and Freese reached first without a throw. Watson then plunked Mercer to put the Pirates in front.
Former Pirates star Andrew McCutchen went 2 for 5 to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Longoria and Alen Hanson homered in San Francisco’s sixth straight loss.
McCutchen received multiple standing ovations and two video tributes in his initial return to PNC Park on Friday night, with chants of “MVP” raining down from the upper deck before his first at-bat. The moment proved cathartic for both McCutchen and his former team, which blasted four home runs on its way to an 11-2 victory.
Things were a bit more muted 24 hours later, thanks in part to a 93-minute rain delay that left most of the crowd hiding under ponchos for protection from an intermittent downpour. Just like Friday, however, the crowd rose to its feet when McCutchen walked toward the batter’s box in the first. McCutchen took off his helmet as the applause washed over him. He tried to cut it a bit shorter than the one on Friday, but Cervelli wouldn’t let him. The catcher stood on the infield grass and refused to move toward his usual spot behind the plate to make sure his former teammate drank it all in.
Then the baseball began and the Pirates kept right on rolling even without the player most responsible for the franchise’s turnaround.
The team that finished 29th in the majors in home runs and 28th in runs last season is currently in the top 10 in both categories a quarter of the way into 2018. Polanco and Cervelli — who combined for just 16 homers in 2017 — now have 14 between the two of them. Polanco sent a shot to the seats in right-center just out of McCutchen’s reach in the third and Cervelli took advantage of Jeff Samardzija late.
Samardzija has struggled to find anything resembling rhythm this season and failed to go longer than five innings in each of his first four starters this season. He worked into the sixth this time around and stuck around at least one batter too many. Cervelli drove Samardzija’s 98th pitch over the fence in center to put Pittsburgh in front.
Samardzija allowed five runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings as his ERA rose to 6.94.
Pittsburgh starter Chad Kuhl recovered from a shaky start to pitch six innings, giving up three runs and six hits with four walks and six strikeouts.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: OF Hunter Pence (sprained right thumb) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sacramento. Manager Bruce Bochy said there’s a chance Pence, who has not played since April 18, could return at some point during a seven-game homestand that starts Monday against Cincinnati.
Pirates: RHP Joe Musgrove (strained right shoulder) pitched 5 2/3 no-hit innings in a rehab start at Triple-A Indianapolis. Musgrove threw 60 of his 79 pitches for strikes. … Pittsburgh is hopeful Jameson Taillon can make his next scheduled start. He exited after three innings on Friday due to a laceration on his right ring finger.
UP NEXT
Giants: Derek Holland (1-4, 5.66 ERA) will look for his first road win in nearly a year on Sunday. Holland’s last road victory came on May 21, 2017, while pitching for the Chicago White Sox.
Pirates: Ivan Nova (2-2, 4.84 ERA) lasted just two innings in his previous start on Tuesday in Chicago. Nova has given up 10 runs in his last 5 2/3 innings.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Pirates rip Giants 11-2 in McCutchen’s return to Pittsburgh

Pirates rip Giants 11-2 in McCutchen’s return to Pittsburgh
By WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The men Andrew McCutchen used to call his teammates wanted to make sure McCutchen would have his moment. So when the San Francisco Giants outfielder stepped out of the batter’s box on Friday night to acknowledge the standing ovation at PNC Park in the five-time All-Star’s first game back since being traded in January, the Pittsburgh Pirates clapped right along.
Then McCutchen put his helmet on, dug in and went back to work. The Pirates did, too. Six pitches later McCutchen was headed back to the dugout after striking out looking, and Pittsburgh set about showcasing that the franchise remains very much alive even without the player most vital to its turnaround.
“We can’t just dwell on the past and wish he was here the whole time,” Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer said. “It’s time to move on.”
That’s easier to do when you’re hitting the ball all over the yard.
Starling Marte, Josh Bell and Jose Osuna all hit two-run homers, Max Moroff added a three-run blast and the Pirates beat the Giants 11-2 on Friday night.
McCutchen, who played his first nine seasons in Pittsburgh before being shipped to the Giants four months ago, let the outpouring from the largest crowd to watch a Pirates home game this season pour over him when he came to bat in the first inning. He finished 1 for 5 with a double and threw out Pittsburgh’s Colin Moran at home to end the sixth while being cheered whenever he came to bat or made a play in the field.
“I don’t think there was anything normal about it,” McCutchen said about the response. “You try to make it as normal as possible, but you’re playing against guys you played with for a long time and that’s not normal. I tried my best not to think about it, but I think they had the advantage over me. I was trying to ride through it. I did my best.”
Steven Brault (3-1) picked up the win in relief after Pittsburgh starter Jameson Taillon left after three innings with a laceration on his right hand. Mercer went 3 for 4 and scored twice for the Pirates, who have won five of six.
San Francisco rookie Andrew Suarez (1-2) lasted just four innings in his fourth career start, giving up five runs on seven hits, including home runs to Marte in the first and Osuna in the fourth. Austin Jackson’s two-run double off Brault in the fourth briefly tied the game at 2, but Suarez struggled in the bottom of the inning as the Giants dropped their fifth straight.
“(The key) is starting pitching,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s how you get on a roll, good starting pitching. If you’re struggling, it’s usually because your starters are in a little rut and that’s what’s happening with us right now.”
The Giants went 2 for 16 with runners in scoring position and struck out 14 times. San Francisco has fanned 68 times during its five-game slide.
“We’re having a hard time making contact or even getting a productive out,” Bochy said. “That’s why we have had five ugly losses. We’re not doing anything offensively, the (opposing) pitchers are on top of their games and that’s why we’re in the little streak that we’re on right now.”
Pittsburgh is off to a solid start in the competitive NL Central despite a roster makeover that included sending McCutchen — the 2013 NL MVP — west in exchange for reliever Kyle Crick, outfield prospect Bryan Reynolds and international bonus slot money.
General manager Neal Huntington described the decision to trade McCutchen as tough but necessary. So far, it looks prescient.
Marte, McCutchen’s replacement in center, drilled a two-run shot off Suarez in the first. Osuna added a pinch-hit homer to the bleachers in left field in the fifth to put the Pirates up 5-2, and Pittsburgh poured it on from there.
“I answered a lot of questions over the winter about where the power is going to come from,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “The power is coming from a lot of different places.”
APPRECIATIVE CROWD
Attendance was announced at 34,720, and many fans showed their appreciation for McCutchen by wearing versions of his No. 22 jersey.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: OF Mac Williamson (concussion) remains out indefinitely. Bochy said it will be at least another week before Williamson is cleared to exit the concussion protocol program. Williamson hasn’t played since he was injured on April 24. … Bochy said OF Hunter Pence’s strained right thumb is “doing better.”
UP NEXT
Giants: Jeff Samardzija (1-2, 6.62 ERA) will try to bounce back Saturday after getting drilled in an 11-0 loss to Philadelphia last Monday. Samardzija is 6-4 with a 2.80 ERA in his career against Pittsburgh.
Pirates: Chad Kuhl (4-2, 4.12) is 3-1 in his last four starts and tied a career high with eight strikeouts in a victory over Milwaukee last Sunday.
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Pirates win 6-5 with 4-run 9th capped off by a Colin Moran 2 run Homer!!!!

  • Pirates win 6-5 with 4-run 9th, White Sox fall to 9-25
    BY MIKE HELFGOT, Associated Press
    CHICAGO (AP) — Colin Moran hit a two-run homer that capped a four-run rally against Nate Jones in the ninth inning, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates over Chicago 6-5 on Wednesday and sending the last-place White Sox to their ninth loss in 10 games.
    Chicago took a 5-2 lead into the ninth behind Reynaldo Lopez, who allowed two runs and three hits in a career-high 7 1/3 innings.
    Jace Fry struck out the final two batters of the eighth, but Jones (2-1) blew a save for the second time in three chances as the White Sox lost their fifth in a row and fell to 9-25. Chicago is off to its second-worst 34-game start behind an 8-26 opening in 1948. The White Sox have the poorest home record in the major leagues at 3-15.
    Starling Marte and Josh Bell singled on consecutive pitches off Jones, Corey Dickerson grounded out and Elias Diaz cut the lead to one with a two-run double on an 0-2 pitch.
    Moran took a ball and then hit drive to right-center.
    Richard Rodriguez (1-1) won despite allowing consecutive doubles to Jose Rondon and Welington Castillo in the eighth. Felipe Vazquez pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save in seven chances.
    Jordy Mercer and Gregory Polanco hit solo home runs in the sixth for the Pirates, who had trailed 4-0. Tim Anderson and Daniel Palka hit two-run homers for the White Sox.
    Pittsburgh starter Trevor Williams allowed a season-high four runs and seven hits in five innings.
    TRAINER’S ROOM
    Pirates: RHP Joe Musgrove (right shoulder strain) is expected to make his next start for Triple-A Indianapolis. He pitched four scoreless innings for Double-A Altoona on Monday.
    White Sox: 3B prospect Jake Burger has torn his left Achilles tendon again and will be sidelined for an additional year. Burger first tore the tendon Feb. 26 while running out a ground ball during an exhibition game against Oakland. Burger was the taken by the White Sox with the 11th overall pick in last year’s amateur draft. … OF Nicky Delmonico (bruised right quadriceps) left in the fifth, two innings after colliding with Pirates 1B Josh Bell while rounding the base on a single. … 2B Yoan Moncada (left hamstring tightness) took ground balls before the game. The team is optimistic that can be activated from the 10-day DL when eligible on May 15.
    UP NEXT
    Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-3, 4.42) started Friday at San Francisco. He is 0-3 in his last five starts.
    White Sox: RHP Carson Fulmer (2-2, 5.02 ERA) starts Friday at Wrigley Field.
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