Kevin Gorman stories, Page 87

Ben Cherington says that it was “completely coincidental” that he was in Indianapolis at the same time as Mitch Keller, but the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager used it to spend time talking with the struggling right-hander. “I really believe he’s in a good spot, and he’s committed,” Cherington said Saturday...

The Pittsburgh Pirates responded to their double-digit losing streak by scoring double-digit runs for a double-digit lead — one they almost blew. After losing 10 consecutive games, the Pirates took out their frustrations early on the Cleveland Indians, then hung on for dear life. With the tying run at third...

When Adam Frazier came to bat with two outs, runners on second and third and trailing by one run and smacked the game winner over the Clemente Wall at PNC Park, his teammates mobbed him in celebration. Half of them, anyway. Frazier’s walk-off homer was part of an intrasquad batting...

If there was a simple solution to snapping a 10-game losing streak, Derek Shelton swears he would have done it by now. The Pittsburgh Pirates are down to hoping a day off does the trick. “There’s no magic elixir,” Shelton said. “If there was, I’d be using it already. Just...

With the Pittsburgh Pirates plunging toward rock bottom in a season sinking into the abyss, a familiar face delivered the final dagger. Josh Bell blasted a two-run homer in the seventh inning to lift the Washington Nationals to a 3-1 victory Wednesday afternoon at Nationals Park for a sweep of...

Colin Moran remains day to day with lower back tightness, but Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said he’s “confident we can avoid” having to place the first baseman on the 10-day injured list. “We’ll get him out in the cage here in a little bit, see where he’s at, how...

Their Steve Blass Award winner remains in Bradenton, the veteran they signed to eat innings is on the 10-day injured list for the second stint and their future staff ace has been demoted to Triple-A Indianapolis. The starting rotation for the Pittsburgh Pirates is about as patchwork as a pitching...

The Pittsburgh Pirates have the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft on July 11, but are keeping their choice a secret. While filling in for Pirates general manager Ben Cherington on his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan on Sunday afternoon, assistant general manager Steve Sanders wouldn’t...

Wil Crowe was cruising through the Milwaukee Brewers lineup, retiring 15 consecutive batters in the first five innings when the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander took the mound for the sixth. Tim Lopes fouled off five pitches before drawing a 10-pitch walk, putting the tying run on base for the Brewers. That’s...

On the day the Pittsburgh Pirates sent a starting pitcher to the minors to work on his command, Chad Kuhl had control issues of his own. For this, he blamed the baseballs. Kuhl walked four batters and hit another to allow the Milwaukee Brewers to rally from a four-run deficit...

When Mitch Keller struggled with everything from fastball command to visible frustration on the mound, the Pittsburgh Pirates reached a point where they decided he needed a break from facing major league hitters. Pirates manager Derek Shelton announced Saturday that Keller was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis, a stunning demotion for...

Upon returning to the Pittsburgh Pirates active roster after a stint on the injured list, Phillip Evans wore a smile almost as big as the new sunglasses that became a necessary accessory. Evans learned the hard way how to dress to play the outfield after losing a Luis Arraez routine...

After another start in which he struggled with fastball command, Mitch Keller was in no mood to make excuses just because the Pittsburgh Pirates were playing the reigning World Series champions. The right-hander’s frustration level with the recurring theme of his season was palpable following a 6-3 rain-shortened loss to...

When the Pittsburgh Pirates reached 60 games last year, it was with relief. They had completed baseball’s shortened season amid the coronavirus pandemic — even if it went down as one of the worst in franchise history. “I think last year was such an unknown; we were hoping to get...

The Pittsburgh Pirates found ways to get runners in scoring position against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as eight of their first 12 batters reached base. What they couldn’t do was bring them home. Justin Turner outdid them in two swings. The red-bearded third baseman hit a pair of solo home...

When the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Jose Soriano with the top pick in the Rule 5 Draft in December, they took a risk on a 22-year-old right-hander who still was recovering from Tommy John surgery. When Soriano dealt with discomfort in his right elbow, team physicians found a significant setback: new...

When Ke’Bryan Hayes hit the ball, he had no idea that he didn’t touch ‘em all. A day after Pittsburgh Pirates rookie third baseman and top prospect had a home run erased after he missed the bag while rounding first base in the first inning of a 5-3 loss to...

It was the home run trot that was not, a play that started with fireworks but ended with a blank. How a Ke’Bryan Hayes homer was officially scored as a putout became the inexplicable storyline for the Pittsburgh Pirates after the rookie third baseman failed to touch first as he...

Maybe Lloyd McClendon had the right idea when the former Pittsburgh Pirates manager marched off with first base in protest of a call 20 years ago this month. Eleven days after rookie first baseman Will Craig made an epic error by chasing Javier Baez of the Chicago Cubs in a...

The Pittsburgh Pirates have activated infielder/outfielder Phillip Evans to the major league roster and reinstated right-hander Mitch Keller from the injured list, manager Derek Shelton announced Tuesday afternoon. “It’s nice,” Shelton said. “Anytime you add guys back that are part of your regular group, it’s important.” To make room on...

When Garth Brooks spent two weeks in spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019, Jameson Taillon teased the country music star for taking live batting practice against Clay Holmes. It’s not just that Holmes strikes an imposing presence on the mound but that the right-hander has nasty stuff. The...

Derek Shelton had to be delighted the Pittsburgh Pirates finally had Adam Frazier, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and Colin Moran back at the top of their batting order and Chad Kuhl on the mound. Just like Opening Day at Wrigley Field. Since then, Hayes missed two months with a left...

The Pittsburgh Pirates welcomed Colin Moran back with open arms, inserting him into the starting lineup at first base and in the cleanup spot of the batting order after a 28-day absence. And Moran made an immediate impact, fielding a pair of grounders in the top of the first inning...

The Pittsburgh Pirates soon will be allowed to take off their masks in the dugout and bullpen and loosen road restrictions, as they are expected to reach the 85% vaccination threshold by the end of the week. Pirates general manager Ben Cherington revealed the vaccination update Sunday afternoon on his...

The Pittsburgh Pirates have their starting infield back together again but lost a starting pitcher to the covid-injured list. Pirates manager Derek Shelton announced Sunday morning that first baseman Colin Moran will be activated from the injured list, but right-hander Mitch Keller will go on the covid-IL. Keller was removed...