| | | |
PITTSBURGH ( LIRIANO )
DETROIT ( RYAN ) |
|
|
9ev
| 8
Final
4 |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|  | |
|
| 973 | PITTSBURGH | -125 | Ov 8,-115 | -135 | Ov 9,-110 | | 974 | DETROIT | +115 | Un 8,-105 | +125 | Un 9,-110 |
|
|
|  |
|
| | | | | |
|
|
| All Games | 44-33 | +4 | 32-37 | 4.1 | 0.259 | 0.310 | 0.385 | 0.695 | 3.4 | 0.247 | 0.300 | 0.347 | 0.647 | | Road Games | 20-19 | +0.2 | 15-18 | 4.0 | 0.255 | 0.302 | 0.380 | 0.682 | 3.6 | 0.251 | 0.311 | 0.347 | 0.658 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 8-6 | +0.3 | 4-9 | 3.9 | 0.270 | 0.316 | 0.396 | 0.713 | 2.9 | 0.227 | 0.285 | 0.307 | 0.592 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | -1 | 5-2 | 4.6 | 0.301 | 0.352 | 0.418 | 0.770 | 3.6 | 0.286 | 0.323 | 0.411 | 0.735 | | Grass Games | 44-33 | +4 | 32-37 | 4.1 | 0.259 | 0.310 | 0.385 | 0.695 | 3.4 | 0.247 | 0.300 | 0.347 | 0.647 | | Day Games | 15-11 | +3.2 | 9-13 | 4.1 | 0.266 | 0.312 | 0.396 | 0.709 | 3.3 | 0.238 | 0.297 | 0.337 | 0.635 | | Interleague | 7-4 | +1.4 | 5-6 | 4.3 | 0.290 | 0.327 | 0.436 | 0.763 | 2.7 | 0.206 | 0.252 | 0.312 | 0.564 |
|
| |
|
|
| All Games | 4.1 | 0.259 | 0.310 | 77 | 2685 | 696 | 146 | 6 | 60 | 0.385 | 297 | 198 | 617 | 57 | 559 | 66 | 53 | 88 | 67 | | Road Games | 4.0 | 0.255 | 0.302 | 39 | 1403 | 358 | 76 | 3 | 31 | 0.380 | 149 | 95 | 351 | 28 | 288 | 30 | 35 | 45 | 39 | | Lefty Starters | 3.9 | 0.270 | 0.316 | 14 | 477 | 129 | 23 | 2 | 11 | 0.396 | 54 | 32 | 115 | 12 | 104 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 14 |
|
| |
|
| All Games | 2.39 | 1.143 | 240.7 | 74 | 64 | 211 | 19 | 64 | 211 | 9-13 | 25 | 7 | 78.1% | | Road Games | 2.23 | 1.264 | 121 | 38 | 30 | 112 | 8 | 41 | 115 | 2-9 | 12 | 5 | 70.6% |
|
|
| |
|
|
| All Games | 39-38 | -1.9 | 41-34 | 4.3 | 0.275 | 0.332 | 0.419 | 0.751 | 4.5 | 0.263 | 0.316 | 0.429 | 0.745 | | Home Games | 20-21 | -5.2 | 20-19 | 4.4 | 0.286 | 0.338 | 0.432 | 0.770 | 4.4 | 0.257 | 0.312 | 0.420 | 0.731 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 12-7 | +4.9 | 10-9 | 4.2 | 0.285 | 0.357 | 0.434 | 0.791 | 4.0 | 0.256 | 0.313 | 0.419 | 0.732 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -1.6 | 7-0 | 4.7 | 0.289 | 0.322 | 0.467 | 0.788 | 5.9 | 0.315 | 0.370 | 0.533 | 0.903 | | Grass Games | 39-38 | -1.9 | 41-34 | 4.3 | 0.275 | 0.332 | 0.419 | 0.751 | 4.5 | 0.263 | 0.316 | 0.429 | 0.745 | | Day Games | 21-11 | +9.8 | 21-11 | 5.8 | 0.301 | 0.357 | 0.493 | 0.850 | 4.1 | 0.247 | 0.304 | 0.383 | 0.687 | | Interleague | 7-9 | -2.4 | 7-9 | 3.6 | 0.267 | 0.314 | 0.401 | 0.715 | 4.1 | 0.269 | 0.317 | 0.463 | 0.780 |
|
| |
|
|
| All Games | 4.3 | 0.275 | 0.332 | 77 | 2680 | 737 | 132 | 25 | 68 | 0.419 | 316 | 228 | 597 | 54 | 547 | 92 | 37 | 74 | 29 | | Home Games | 4.4 | 0.286 | 0.338 | 41 | 1418 | 405 | 78 | 17 | 32 | 0.432 | 173 | 112 | 298 | 30 | 297 | 51 | 21 | 44 | 22 | | Lefty Starters | 4.2 | 0.285 | 0.357 | 19 | 656 | 187 | 29 | 9 | 17 | 0.434 | 77 | 73 | 162 | 16 | 148 | 24 | 4 | 19 | 11 |
|
| |
|
| All Games | 3.82 | 1.350 | 223.7 | 102 | 95 | 225 | 26 | 77 | 174 | 12-9 | 18 | 8 | 69.2% | | Home Games | 3.41 | 1.298 | 124 | 52 | 47 | 121 | 14 | 40 | 104 | 7-6 | 6 | 4 | 60% |
|
| | |
|
|
| 6/18/2015 | COLE(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | 3-2 | W | -135 | 7.5 un | U | 13 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | | 6/19/2015 | BURNETT(R) | @ WASHINGTON | ROSS(R) | 1-4 | L | -125 | 7 ov | U | 6 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 0 | | 6/20/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | @ WASHINGTON | SCHERZER(R) | 0-6 | L | 130 | 6.5 un | U | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | | 6/21/2015 | MORTON(R) | @ WASHINGTON | GONZALEZ(L) | 2-9 | L | -110 | 8 ov | O | 8 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 0 | | 6/23/2015 | LOCKE(L) | CINCINNATI | SMITH(R) | 7-6 | W | -150 | 8 un | O | 7 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 1 | | 6/24/2015 | COLE(R) | CINCINNATI | LEAKE(R) | 2-5 | L | -180 | 6.5 ov | O | 8 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 0 | | 6/25/2015 | BURNETT(R) | CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | 4-5 | L | -160 | 7.5 un | O | 11 | 12 | 2 | 17 | 14 | 2 | | 6/26/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | ATLANTA | PEREZ(R) | 3-2 | W | -240 | 6.5 ov | U | 11 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1 | | 6/27/2015 | MORTON(R) | ATLANTA | TEHERAN(R) | 8-4 | W | -155 | 7 ev | O | 13 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 2 | | 6/28/2015 | LOCKE(L) | ATLANTA | WOOD(L) | 1-2 | L | -160 | 7 un | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 0 | | 6/30/2015 | COLE(R) | @ DETROIT | VERLANDER(R) | 5-4 | W | -115 | 7.5 ov | O | 15 | 19 | 0 | 17 | 12 | 1 | | 7/1/2015 | BURNETT(R) | @ DETROIT | SIMON(R) | 9-3 | W | 100 | 8.5 ev | O | 21 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 2 | | 7/2/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | @ DETROIT | RYAN(L) | | | 7/3/2015 | MORTON(R) | CLEVELAND | BAUER(R) | | | 7/4/2015 | LOCKE(L) | CLEVELAND | ANDERSON(R) | | | 7/5/2015 | COLE(R) | CLEVELAND | SALAZAR(R) | | | 7/6/2015 | BURNETT(R) | SAN DIEGO | SHIELDS(R) | | | 7/7/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | SAN DIEGO | ROSS(R) | | | 7/8/2015 | | SAN DIEGO | | | | 7/9/2015 | | ST LOUIS | | |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 6/19/2015 | VERLANDER(R) | @ NY YANKEES | WARREN(R) | 2-7 | L | -110 | 8 ov | O | 8 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 1 | | 6/20/2015 | SIMON(R) | @ NY YANKEES | EOVALDI(R) | 3-14 | L | 130 | 8.5 un | O | 7 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 0 | | 6/21/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | @ NY YANKEES | TANAKA(R) | 12-4 | W | 140 | 8 ev | O | 15 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 1 | | 6/22/2015 | RYAN(L) | @ CLEVELAND | BAUER(R) | 8-5 | W | 130 | 9 un | O | 13 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 0 | | 6/23/2015 | PRICE(L) | @ CLEVELAND | SALAZAR(R) | 7-3 | W | 105 | 7 un | O | 9 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 1 | | 6/24/2015 | FARMER(R) | @ CLEVELAND | CARRASCO(R) | 2-8 | L | 185 | 8 un | O | 5 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 11 | 0 | | 6/25/2015 | SIMON(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | RODON(L) | 7-8 | L | -160 | 8.5 ev | O | 16 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 1 | | 6/26/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | 5-4 | W | -155 | 8 un | O | 14 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 6/28/2015 | PRICE(L) | CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | 5-4 | W | -160 | 7.5 ov | O | 6 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 0 | | 6/30/2015 | VERLANDER(R) | PITTSBURGH | COLE(R) | 4-5 | L | +105 | 7.5 ov | O | 17 | 12 | 1 | 15 | 19 | 0 | | 7/1/2015 | SIMON(R) | PITTSBURGH | BURNETT(R) | 3-9 | L | -110 | 8.5 ev | O | 11 | 10 | 2 | 21 | 11 | 1 | | 7/2/2015 | RYAN(L) | PITTSBURGH | LIRIANO(L) | | | 7/3/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | TORONTO | HUTCHISON(R) | | | 7/4/2015 | PRICE(L) | TORONTO | DICKEY(R) | | | 7/5/2015 | VERLANDER(R) | TORONTO | ESTRADA(R) | | | 7/6/2015 | SIMON(R) | @ SEATTLE | WALKER(R) | | | 7/7/2015 | RYAN(L) | @ SEATTLE | ELIAS(L) | | | 7/8/2015 | | @ SEATTLE | | | | 7/9/2015 | | @ MINNESOTA | | |
|
| |  | PITTSBURGH: PITTSBURGH (AP) - The scenario was familiar. The destination not so much.
A veteran player with not much time left leaving millions of dollars on the table for one last run to glory. Only A.J. Burnett didn't walk away from his $12.75 million player option with the Philadelphia Phillies for Los Angeles, Washington or St. Louis.
Nope, the 38-year-old well-traveled (and well tattooed) pitcher practically sprinted to Pittsburgh. His arrival in 2012 marked a sea change in the once-floundering organization's direction. His return three years later signals - he hopes - the end of the team's slow but steady slog from downtrodden afterthought to world champion. And he's not kidding.
''I want to win a ring and I want to win a ring in Pittsburgh,'' Burnett said.
The Pirates are as close to being in the conversation as they've been in nearly a quarter century. And they've opened up their wallets, at least a little, to get there. Pittsburgh made Francisco Liriano the highest-paid free agent in team history when they signed lefthander to a three-year, $39-million deal in the offseason to continue the career resurgence that began when they took a two-year flier on him in 2013. And while Burnett took a cut, he isn't exactly going broke. He'll make $8 million to work as the third man in the rotation behind Liriano and Gerrit Cole.
Pittsburgh even spent $5 million for the rights to sign Korean infielder Jung-Ho Kang, who hit 40 home runs on the other side of the world last year and gives the Pirates an intriguing if unproven option should shortstop Jordy Mercer falter or second baseman Neil Walker's back flare up.
General manager Neal Huntington remains adamant his team's budget will never compare to those of clubs in larger markets but allows there is ''more margin for error'' than in years' past.
''We've built a deeper club because of the money allocated to us,'' he said. ''But we need to continue to grow and mature. We want to put ourselves in a position to win the World Series.''
There are worse places to start than in Pittsburgh, which backed up its breakthrough year in 2013 with a second straight postseason berth in 2014. The playoff run ended abruptly against Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants in the NL wild card game. Yet the point had been made. The Pirates aren't going anywhere.
''It would've been easy to say 2013 was a fluke and we just got lucky,'' centerfielder Andrew McCutchen said. ''But we showed up in `14 and were able to do the same thing. We know we're for real. And other teams know they just can't come in (thinking), `All right, we're going to beat the Pirates.' We're not that team anymore.''
They're also not where they want to be, at least not yet. A National League Central title would avoid the fickleness of a one-game scenario. Pittsburgh believes it's built to withstand the rigors of October.
Here are the keys to getting there:
---
THE OTHER FRANCISCO
The Pirates' budget might be growing, but they still couldn't afford to keep catcher Russell Martin, who parlayed his tremendous 2014 into a $82 million deal with Toronto. Pittsburgh prepared for Martin's departure by trading for longtime Yankees' backup catcher Francisco Cervelli. When healthy Cervelli is an adequate defensive replacement with a decent if not powerful bat. If he can handle the pitching staff and control the basepaths, any offense he provides would be a plus.
---
SPEED TO BURN
Perennial MVP candidate McCutchen anchors one of baseball's most athletic outfields. Starling Marte surged toward the end of a bumpy 2014 and Gregory Polanco is a raw but talented work in progress. Pittsburgh felt confident enough in Polanco's progress to trade Travis Snider to Baltimore.
---
PEDRO'S PROGRESS
Pedro Alvarez moves across the infield to first base in hopes of salvaging his career after developing a serious case of the yips at third. If his can reclaim the groove that helped him mash 36 homers in 2013, the Pirates can live with whatever growing pains may come with the switch.
---
KANG SHOW
Kang (pronounced ''Gahng'') doesn't lack for confidence. He told reporters in Korea he believes he can supplant Mercer at shortstop. It may take longer than he thought after a sluggish spring training.
---
THE VANIMAL
Vance Worley, like Liriano, Burnett and the since departed Edinson Volquez, thrived under pitching coach Ray Searage's mentoring last spring. He was arguably Pittsburgh's best starter down the stretch and a strong spring gives him a leg up in the battle Jeff Locke for the fifth starter spot. | | DETROIT: DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Tigers had barely finished celebrating a fourth straight division title last year when they were dispatched from the playoffs by Baltimore in a Division Series sweep. Then Kansas City - the team the Tigers fought so hard to hold off in the AL Central - rolled to the AL pennant and came within a game of winning the World Series.
It was enough to turn the Tigers into October afterthoughts for the first time in a while, and now it's fair to wonder whether Detroit's best chance to claim baseball's ultimate prize with its current core of stars has already come and gone.
''I'm not worried about what people are saying about us. I'm more worried about how we perform,'' manager Brad Ausmus said. ''I feel like this team is a winning team. This is a team that has an opportunity to win a World Series.''
The Tigers edged Kansas City by one game in the division last year in Ausmus' first season as manager, and their 90-72 record was similar enough to their previous work during this run of postseason appearances, but a three-game sweep at the hands of the Orioles snapped Detroit's streak of three straight trips to the AL Championship Series.
Then the Tigers lost Max Scherzer in the offseason, and it remains to be seen how much longer Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Victor Martinez can keep this team's run of success going.
Cabrera and Martinez each missed a chunk of the exhibition schedule after offseason surgery. Verlander is coming off a down year and has been displaced as Detroit's opening-day starter by left-hander David Price.
Over the past three seasons, the Tigers have fought off challenges in the division from the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland and Kansas City - but those teams essentially made their bids for first place one at a time. Now all three appear poised to threaten Detroit's reign.
''I think quietly, I've said for the last two or three years, I've said we have the best division in baseball. Nobody really talked about it because there weren't sexy names besides the Tigers, who had won however many straight and been to a couple World Series and had a lot of star power,'' Verlander said. ''The Royals won the pennant last year so, obviously, what I was saying wasn't just hogwash. We see all the teams in the AL quite enough, and I know that these teams are good enough to make our division one of the best in baseball.''
Here are a few things to watch as the Tigers try to make it five division championships in a row:
ON THE MEND: Cabrera had offseason surgery on his right foot and Martinez had an operation to repair his left knee. Their health is crucial, but the Tigers also are hoping for big contributions from shortstop Jose Iglesias and reliever Bruce Rondon, both of whom missed all of 2014 with injuries.
NEW-LOOK ROTATION: Scherzer isn't the only player gone from last year's starting staff. Rick Porcello was traded in a deal that brought Yoenis Cespedes to Detroit, so the Tigers had two openings in their rotation. They filled them by acquiring Shane Greene from the New York Yankees and Alfredo Simon from Cincinnati.
BULLPEN BLUES: Closer Joe Nathan is back after a rocky first season in Detroit. If the Tigers run out of patience with Nathan, Joakim Soria also returns. He was acquired shortly before the trade deadline last year, but his impact was limited, in part because of injury.
EXTRA POWER: J.D. Martinez provided a surprisingly productive bat last year after joining the Tigers, and the trade for Cespedes also gave Detroit some additional pop to supplement Cabrera and Victor Martinez.
NEW ACE?: Price is slated to start on opening day, a sign of just how much the Tigers are leaning on him after Scherzer's departure. He was acquired at the trade deadline last year, and Detroit is hoping the trio of Price, Verlander and Anibal Sanchez will make for a pretty impressive anchor to the pitching staff. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW (PITTSBURGH-DETROIT) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Pirates-Tigers Preview* ========================
By TAYLOR BECHTOLD STATS Writer
Pittsburgh (43-33) at Detroit (39-37), 1:08 p.m. EDT
The Detroit Tigers are starting to feel fortunate they don't have to face Neil Walker very often. They'll be feeling even better once his current visit is done.
Walker will try to continue inflicting damage on Detroit pitching Thursday when he tries to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to their fifth win in six games and first three-game sweep of the Tigers.
After going 4 for 32 over his previous 10 games while dealing with a right hip and core injury, Walker seemed to get his stroke back while going 4 for 9 in three games prior to facing the Tigers.
The second baseman delivered the go-ahead RBI double in the 14th inning of Tuesday's 5-4 victory before finishing with a season-high four hits - including two home runs - in Wednesday's 9-3 win.
He's gone 17 for 40 with four homers over his last nine games against the Tigers.
"We've got a day game (Thursday), so there's not much I can do tonight," Walker said. "But you certainly celebrate a day like this in your mind."
Starling Marte also homered Wednesday, part of his four-hit effort that matched a career high. Gregory Polanco had three hits and Pedro Alvarez added his 11th homer.
Pittsburgh (44-33), which put up 21 hits for the first time since May 2004, will try to win for the ninth time in its last 13 road games behind Francisco Liriano (4-6, 3.21 ERA).
The left-hander's .189 batting average against is second only to Washington's Max Scherzer (.180) among qualifying pitchers.
Liriano had a 1.52 ERA in six road starts before giving up five runs and a season high-tying seven hits over 5 2-3 innings in a 6-0 loss to the Nationals on June 20. He wasn't sharp again Friday, but wiggled out of trouble in allowing two runs over seven in a 3-2, 10-inning home win over Atlanta.
Liriano is 1-9 with a 6.84 ERA in his last 11 starts versus Detroit, losing his last four. However, he yielded two runs and three hits over six innings in a 5-2 loss at Comerica Park last August before giving up one run and four hits over seven in a 1-0 home loss April 15.
Rajai Davis homered off Liriano to account for the only run in the last matchup. Victor Martinez should be glad to see Liriano again since he's 13 for 28 with a home run and six doubles against him.
Miguel Cabrera, though, is 2 for 15 versus Liriano since the start of 2011. Ian Kinsler is 3 for 20 lifetime in the matchup and Yoenis Cespedes has gone 1 for 12.
J.D. Martinez stayed hot Wednesday with three more hits. The outfielder has gone 6 for 10 with a home run in this series and is batting .365 with 10 homers and 21 RBIs over his last 15 games.
The Tigers (39-38), who rank among the major league leaders with a .276 average against left-handers, hope to avoid their fifth loss in seven games. Kyle Ryan (1-1, 4.56) was supposed to pitch Saturday until a rainout and Justin Verlander's return pushed back his outing.
The left-hander, who has never faced Pittsburgh, allowed three runs over 3 2-3 innings in an 8-5 win at Cleveland in his last start June 22. He also gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning of relief two days later.
|
| | Last Updated: 4/20/2024 8:56:27 AM EST. |
|
|
| |
|