Kevin Gorman stories, Page 78
Coming back as the closer: Since being traded by Padres, David Bednar thriving with Pirates
Returning to San Diego’s Petco Park this weekend is special for David Bednar, as the Padres drafted him in the 35th round out of Lafayette in 2016 and developed him into a major-leaguer. “I came up all the way with the Padres,” Bednar said. “It’s always cool to see all...
For Pirates rookie outfielder Cal Mitchell, 1st road trip to San Diego a happy homecoming
Cal Mitchell had his first pinch-me moment in the third inning of his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he caught Charlie Blackmon’s fly ball to right field and threw it back into the infield. “It was like, ‘OK, I got to have my first touch,’ ” Mitchell said....
Jack Suwinski, Josh VanMeter hit 3-run homers as Pirates roll past Rockies
The Pittsburgh Pirates readily acknowledge their need to manufacture runs, with a lineup that lacks the power to rely on home runs. Two swings snapped the Pirates out of an offensive funk. Jack Suwinski hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning, and Josh VanMeter added another three-run shot in...
Major league debut an ‘amazing’ experience for Pirates OF Cal Mitchell
After recording his first major league hit — an RBI single to break a scoreless tie, no less — Cal Mitchell was too worried about what was going on in the game to absorb the gravity of his career milestone. “Uh, no,” Mitchell said, sheepishly. “I had to run the...
Pirates rookies Roansy Contreras, Cal Mitchell shine but Rockies rally for 10-inning win
When the Pittsburgh Pirates needed a starting pitcher and an outfielder, they turned to Roansy Contreras and Cal Mitchell in hopes that the pair of prospects would provide a boost. Where Contreras became the first Pirates pitcher in the modern era to not allow a run in his first two...
GM Ben Cherington: Pirates want to make prospect promotions ‘because they’ve earned it’
The Pittsburgh Pirates have shown signs a youth movement is coming, with Ben Cherington placing an emphasis on the development of their top prospects with an eye toward the future. The Pirates general manager is making moves in the present, however, based on different criteria. Performance remains a priority, though...
Pirates promote Cal Mitchell, Roansy Contreras; Heath Hembree, Daniel Vogelbach to IL
The Pittsburgh Pirates are addressing their depleted outfield depth by calling up Cal Mitchell, along with right-handed pitcher Roansy Contreras, from Triple-A Indianapolis for Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies. Contreras will be the Pirates’ starting pitcher and Mitchell will start in right field. To make room on the 26-man...
Ke’Bryan Hayes scores game-winning run as Pirates beat Rockies
After an embarrassing loss that finished off a sweep by the St. Louis Cardinals, Derek Shelton challenged the Pittsburgh Pirates to play with more energy in their series against the Colorado Rockies. When the Pirates continually put runners in scoring position but failed to generate runs, Ke’Bryan Hayes took matters...
After struggles with strike zone, Bryse Wilson optioned as Pirates select Yerry De Los Santos
Bryse Wilson’s struggles to stay in the strike zone, especially in his last start, got the right-hander optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said the primary focus for Wilson is to start for Indianapolis, or at least pitch the bulk of innings in games if the Indians...
Catcher Roberto Perez expresses frustration with injury, hopes to return to Pirates next year
When Roberto Perez collapsed while rounding second base, the Pittsburgh Pirates catcher was hoping that he had just tweaked his left hamstring. The pop he heard told him otherwise. “I knew right away,” Perez said Monday at PNC Park, after undergoing season-ending surgery last week. “I’d never been in so...
Bryan Reynolds hits inside-the-park home run but Pirates’ rally falls short against Cardinals
Bryan Reynolds raced around the bases as the long fly ball ricocheted off the top of the wall in the left field cutout and rolled almost to the North Side Notch in left-center as Corey Dickerson chased it. Reynolds lost his helmet while rounding second but never broke stride and...
Pirates SS Rodolfo Castro remains confident while learning hard lessons in majors
Rodolfo Castro was right where he wanted to be to celebrate his 23rd birthday Saturday, playing his favorite position in the major leagues and hoping to prove he’s a fast learner. The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie started at shortstop for the eighth time in nine games Saturday night, a day after...
‘It means the world’: Pirates backup catcher Tyler Heineman makes good 1st impression
The Pittsburgh Pirates gave Tyler Heineman time to test the waters before putting him behind the plate, allowing their new backup catcher the chance to catch bullpen sessions and learn the pitching staff. Then they threw Heineman into the deep end. Two days after being claimed off waivers from the...
Pirates can’t solve Adam Wainwright, as Cardinals use 4-run 6th to win
Derek Shelton was well aware of Adam Wainwright’s mastery of the Pittsburgh Pirates, as the 40-year-old St. Louis Cardinals ace was 9-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last 11 starts against them. “We’ve got to do something different,” Shelton said. “The formula, so far, has not worked.” Nothing Shelton...
Pirates searching for answers to reverse slumping offense after no-hitter, 2 shutouts
Over the past three games, the Pittsburgh Pirates have found themselves in an unfathomable offensive funk where they have been no-hit once and shut out twice — against two teams sitting below them in NL Central standings. The struggles at the plate actually have stretched longer than a week. Since...
Pirates done in by defensive lapses, blanked by Cubs in back-to-back games
After going 48 hours between hits, the Pittsburgh Pirates continued their search for offense. They might want to look for their defense while they’re at it. JT Brubaker recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts, but the right-hander couldn’t count on Pirates infielders to make even the most routine defensive plays. The...
Tyler Beede brings pedigree to Pirates, seeking fresh start with solid debut
As one of only 20 players drafted twice in the first round and a former top prospect in the San Francisco Giants’ system, Tyler Beede brought plenty of pedigree to the Pittsburgh Pirates. What Beede wants more than anything is a fresh start after Tommy John surgery sidetracked his once-promising...
Willson Contreras’ grand slam caps 8-run 1st as Cubs shut out Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates had no answer for Chicago Cubs leadoff batter Willson Contreras in the first inning — or left-hander Wade Miley for the first seven innings. Contreras hit a double and a grand slam in an eight-run first, and Miley tossed a one-hitter over seven scoreless innings as the...
Pirates claim C Tyler Heineman off waivers, DFA Andrew Knapp
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a pair of moves at catcher Monday, claiming Tyler Heineman off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays and designating Andrew Knapp for assignment. Heineman, 30, is a 5-foot-10, 190-pound switch hitter who has slashed .221/.284/.324 with four doubles, one home run and four RBIs in 30...
‘My job is to beat the pitcher’: Pirates DH Daniel Vogelbach a must-hear voice on hitting
From the end of the dugout where Derek Shelton watches games, the Pittsburgh Pirates manager can hear the constant chatter coming from their biggest player, in terms of size and volume. With every pitch, Daniel Vogelbach is earning a reputation as hitter’s hitter, someone who analyzes everything from a pitcher’s...
‘I’m never going to forget this day’: Pirates LHP Jose Quintana celebrates 10 years in majors
On a day when Hunter Greene no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates for seven-plus innings, Jose Quintana quietly matched the Cincinnati Reds rookie zero for zero in the line score. Quintana celebrated 10 years of major-league service Sunday – a major milestone for the 33-year-old left-hander – by tossing seven scoreless innings...
Reds rookie Hunter Greene dominates, but Pirates win without getting a hit
The Pittsburgh Pirates found Hunter Greene to be unhittable, as the Cincinnati Reds rookie right-hander mixed a 100-mph fastball with an electric slider for seven-plus scoreless innings on Sunday. So the Pirates drew a line by drawing balls. After three consecutive walks to load the bases with one out in...
Zach Thompson extends scoreless streak to 12 innings; Pirates snap skid
Zach Thompson looked spent as the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-foot-7 right-hander stood on the mound, enduring a muggy, 78-degree day from the first pitch and a scoreless streak that gained gravity with every inning. Thompson faced the first 19 Cincinnati Reds batters Saturday night without allowing a hit, until Brandon Drury...
‘Of course I want to hit more home runs’: Pirates 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes focuses on hard hits
Ke’Bryan Hayes knows the old baseball adage — home runs are thrown, not hit — so the Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman isn’t focusing on the fact that he has yet to hit a homer this season entering Saturday. Hayes has good reason to pay more attention to the positive numbers...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton doesn’t hide disgust after Reds pound Mitch Keller
With Mitch Keller still searching for his first major-league victory in almost a year after getting lit up by the Cincinnati Reds, Derek Shelton didn’t bother to disguise his disgust. The Pittsburgh Pirates manager made no excuses for Keller giving up five runs on five extra-base hits, blaming it squarely...
