Baseball Historians

Game 114 Recap-
New Pirates SP RH Jeff Karstens(2-0,0.00) appears to have mastered the National League, since his July 26 trade in the Xavier Nady-Damaso Marte package. He pitched his 2 straight great game-15 scoreless Pirate innings against 1st place teams- carrying a perfect game into the 8th inning, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to 2-0 win [...]

Pirates-Yankees trade was finalized and players going to Pirates for RF Xavier Nady and RP Damaso Marte.
OF Jose Tabata, RH Jeff Karstens, Dan McCutchen & Ross Ohlendorf.
Karstens and McCutchen substituted for minor leaguers pitchers Phil Coke and George Kontos

Game 104 Recap-
San Diego 1b Adrian Gonzalez and 3b Kevin  Kouzmanoff both hit early 3 run home runs to lead the Padres over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-6 Saturday at PNC Park in Pennsylvania. The Padres punished Pirates RH SP John Van Benschoten and he was in the shower by the 2nd inning. Gonzalez had 3 [...]

Game 103 Recap-
On a night when the team traded 2 of their better players(see previous post), The Pittsburgh Pirates showed heart-as they have all season- but came up just short, losing to the San Diego Padres,6-5 Friday at PNC Park. The team without RF Xavier Nady(pulled and replaced with Jason Michaels) and closer Damaso Marte, [...]

Tough, tough night for Pirates fans. Team has traded LH Damaso Marte(4-0,3.47.5 saves,15 holds) & RF Xavier Nady(.330-13-57) to the New York Yankees for 4 prospects– top OF prospect Jose Tabata, RHPs Ross Ohlendorf(6.53 era) & George Kontos as well as LH Phil Coke. This was tough as the move was announced and leaked midgame, [...]

Game 102 Recap-
RH Yoslan Herrera,(1-1,9.75), starred over 6 shut out innings, earned his 1st ML win and the team supported him with 9 runs, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the San Diego Padres, 9-1 Thursday at PNC Park. The club broke a 3 game losing streak and all 3 starting outfielders(LF Jason Bay, CF Nate [...]

Game 101 Recap-
The Pittsburgh Pirates collected 14 hits, helping them sweep a road series for the 1st time this season, defeating the Houston Astros, 8-7 Wednesday at Minute Maid Park in Texas.  The Pirates pen pitched 6 innings and allowed only 2 runs while using 5 pitchers. 3b Doug Mientkiewicz was on base 5 times [...]

Game 100 Recap-
Pirates LH Paul Maholm pitched 8 strong innings & the team hit 3 home runs in support, helping Pittsburgh defeat the Houston Astros 8-2 Tuesday at Minute Maid Park. Maholm’s performance was huge with the team depleted by injuries throughout the pitching staff, any starting pitcher going beyond 6 innings is a bonus, [...]

Game 99 Recap-
Pirates 2b Freddy Sanchez 3 run inside the park home run hi-lighted a 7 run uprising in the 9th to rally Pittsburgh past the Houston Astros 9-3 Monday at Minute Maid Park. The rally occurred vs  Astros closer Jose Valverde(4-3,4.86, 6th blown save), who over a 1/3 of an inning, allowed 5 hits(2 [...]

Game 98 Recap-
The Pittsburgh Pirates plated 3 runs in the 1st vs Rockies ace Aaron Cook but the Colorado batters picked him up, helping the club sweep the 4 game weekend series, 11-3 at Coors Field.  Jeff Baker and Matt Holliday homered for the home team & the Colorado batters collected 15 hits vs 4 [...]

Game 97 Recap-
The Colorado Rockies roughed up a kid pitcher, while they got a tremendous performance from their own starter, helping them defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-1 at Coors Field Saturday in Denver. Reserve OF Scott Podsednik had 4 hits(3 doubles) & 2 runs, while LH Jorge De La Rosa(4-5,6.71) pitched a tough 6 innings [...]

Game 96 Recap-
The Colorado Rockies hit 3 home runs, 2 of the traditional variety & 1 inside the park, helping them defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 Friday Night at Coors Field. Reigning NL MVP LF Matt Holliday(2 run shot in the 1st) & RF Brad Hawpe(solo shot in the 6th) homers left the park, [...]

Game 95 Recap-
The Colorado Rockies got big performances from both the starting pitcher AND catcher, helping them defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates,5-3 Thursday Night at Coors Field in Denver to open the 2nd half. C Chris Iannetta(homer,3 rbi) provided the offense & RH SP Ubaldo Jimenez(5-9,4.20) was strong over 7 innings. Jimenez allowed 5 hits [...]

Pirates CF Nate McLouth was 1 for 4 in the game but still made a big impact. He preserved the tie in the 11th inning by throwing out Tampa Rays C Dioner Navarro at the plate with a great throw. NL C Russell Martin made a great block and tag to assist for the 2nd [...]

Team MVP
All Star CF Nate McLouth-Having a great season after entering Spring training battling for his job,hitting .281-19-65 with 11 steals…2nd in MLB in doubles with 33, also an excellent CF(watch his throw in the AS game)
2nd Half Preview-
Team is 44-50 at the break, start a 7 game road trip Thursday at Colorado. Team has [...]

Game 94 Recap-
Cardinals 2b Aaron MIles had 5 rbi and St Louis had to absorb another Pirates rally midgame pulling away late, beating Pittsburgh, 11-6. This was a game of survival with both teams combining for 23 runs Saturday, both starters went 5 innings + despite allowing 10 earned runs combined. Today the teams had [...]

Game 93 Recap-
Reserve OF Jason Michaels 2 run home run in the  10th inning was the difference and completed a huge comeback as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 12-11 in 10 innings Saturday night at PNC Park. The Pirates scored 9 runs from the 7th inning on and had 3 key homers [...]

Game 92 Recap-
St Louis RH Kyle Lohse(11-2,3.39) was outstanding over 7 innings and the Cardinals got home runs from RF Ryan Ludwick & CF Rick Ankiel, helping them beat the Pittsburgh Pirates,6-0 at PNC Park Friday. Lohse has won 8 straight and has not lost since May 9th(12 starts) while giving up 2 runs or [...]

Game 91 Recap-
Pirates All Star CF Nate McLouth  hit a tie breaking 2 run shot in the 8th & gave LH Paul Maholm a well deserved win, helping Pittsburgh beat the New York Yankees, 4-2. This day was supposed to be a day off for both clubs but is a make-up from a June 26th [...]

Game 90 Recap-
The Houston Astros plated 4 runs in the 1st, hi-lighted by a SS Geoff Blum 3 run homer, & never looked back, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-4 Wednesday at PNC Park. The win avoids a 3 game sweep for the Astros, “I think that win was pretty necessary considering the way things have [...]

Game 89 Recap-
In a game that featured crazy weather and 4 homers(2 by each team), the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for 3 in the 8th to beat the Houston Astros,4-3. The game started late and was stopped in the 6th for another 30 minutes, strange, strange game. 7 runs, 6 produced by home runs- Astros RF [...]

Game 88 Recap-
The Pittsburgh Pirates collected 14 hits, while CF Nate McLouth and C Ryan Doumit homered, leading the way in a 10-7 victory over the Houston Astros Monday at PNC Park. The Astros played a 17 inning game Sunday, using 6 relievers for 10 2/3 innings & they needed a big game from starter [...]

Game 87 Recap-
The Milwaukee Brewers rapped out 16 hits, helping them sweep the3 game series vs  struggling Pittsburgh Pirates Sunday, 11-6 at Miller Park in Wisconsin.  The Brew crew tied franchise records with 9 doubled and 12 extra base hits,” We feel like we’re rolling on all cylinders,” said 3b Bill Hall, who had three [...]

Game 86 Recap-
Brewes slugging 1b Prince Fielder singled to left center in the 9th, driving in 2b Richie Weeks and helping  Milwaukee beat the Pittsburgh Pirates,2-1 in Wisconsin Saturday night. This was a low scoring ,well played game and fast moving as well.(Just under 2:15 in game time,shortest game at Miller Park all season)
Pirates LH [...]

Sorry Folks, even I need a vacation.. to follow the team, go to espn.com or pirates.com
Happy 4th of July- Do something for a Veteran!

Game 84 Recap-
On a night when the team learned closer Matt Capps would be gone for up to 2 months(see today’s breaking story) , the bats picked it up. RF Xavier Nady had 2 homers and 4 rbi to lead the Pirates to a 9-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds  Thursday at Great American Ball [...]

June 2
BREAKING NEWS
Pirates closer RH Matt Capps(2-3,3.12,17 saves ) will miss at least 8 weeks with a shoulder injury. After blowing his last 2 saves, he returned to Pittsburgh and an MRI showed bursitis & tightness that is preventing him getting full extension on his delivery.
General Manager Neal Huntington outlined a plan of [...]

Game 83 Recap-
What started out as a low scoring, well pitched game by 2 young starters, developed into a battle of bullpens and late inning comebacks with the Pirates doing it a bit better and beating the Cincinnati Reds, 6-5 in 11 innings at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. SS Jack Wilson(rbi triple) & [...]

Game 82 Recap-
Certified Hall of Famer CF Ken Griffey Jr hit a two run shot off of Pittsburgh closer Matt Capps(1-3,2.97 era, 17 saves) to close out a stunning Reds victory over the Pirates, 4-3 at All American Ballpark in Cincinati. This was a tight game all night as each clubs starter pitched great and [...]

Game 81 Recap-
The Tampa Bay Rays got 4 run producing plays from back ups and got solid pitching from 3 sources, helping them beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 Sunday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.   The win allows the Rays to take 2 of three in the series and puts them in 1st place for [...]