| | | |
PITTSBURGH ( HAPP )
ST LOUIS ( MARTINEZ ) |
|
|
7.5un
| 9
Final
3 |
|
|
| | |
|
|
|  | |
|
| 959 | PITTSBURGH | +140 | Ov 7.5,+105 | +135 | Ov 7.5,+105 | | 960 | ST LOUIS | -150 | Un 7.5,-125 | -145 | Un 7.5,-125 |
|
|
|  |
|
| | | | | |
|
|
| All Games | 79-53 | +14.8 | 59-61 | 4.2 | 0.260 | 0.314 | 0.398 | 0.711 | 3.7 | 0.251 | 0.307 | 0.363 | 0.670 | | Road Games | 33-32 | -2 | 28-29 | 4.2 | 0.256 | 0.309 | 0.393 | 0.702 | 4.0 | 0.264 | 0.321 | 0.381 | 0.702 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 62-41 | +13.4 | 46-46 | 4.2 | 0.255 | 0.309 | 0.397 | 0.706 | 3.6 | 0.252 | 0.309 | 0.364 | 0.673 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -3.2 | 4-3 | 3.1 | 0.227 | 0.293 | 0.373 | 0.666 | 4.7 | 0.270 | 0.320 | 0.413 | 0.733 | | Grass Games | 79-53 | +14.8 | 59-61 | 4.2 | 0.260 | 0.314 | 0.398 | 0.711 | 3.7 | 0.251 | 0.307 | 0.363 | 0.670 | | Night Games | 55-40 | +4.9 | 45-42 | 4.2 | 0.260 | 0.315 | 0.396 | 0.711 | 3.9 | 0.257 | 0.313 | 0.376 | 0.689 | | Division | 21-32 | -17.6 | 26-21 | 3.8 | 0.241 | 0.301 | 0.381 | 0.682 | 4.4 | 0.271 | 0.333 | 0.397 | 0.730 |
|
| |
|
|
| All Games | 4.2 | 0.260 | 0.314 | 132 | 4576 | 1189 | 238 | 25 | 114 | 0.398 | 528 | 360 | 1060 | 82 | 946 | 115 | 97 | 153 | 122 | | Road Games | 4.2 | 0.256 | 0.309 | 65 | 2323 | 595 | 132 | 12 | 54 | 0.393 | 256 | 179 | 567 | 41 | 482 | 55 | 54 | 74 | 67 | | Righty Starters | 4.2 | 0.255 | 0.309 | 103 | 3570 | 911 | 192 | 19 | 92 | 0.397 | 406 | 277 | 828 | 64 | 721 | 88 | 72 | 126 | 88 |
|
| |
|
| All Games | 2.61 | 1.175 | 417 | 137 | 121 | 364 | 34 | 126 | 364 | 26-13 | 46 | 12 | 79.3% | | Road Games | 2.89 | 1.304 | 199.4 | 75 | 64 | 191 | 16 | 69 | 179 | 6-9 | 20 | 5 | 80% |
|
|
| |
|
|
| All Games | 86-47 | +29.1 | 51-73 | 4.1 | 0.256 | 0.318 | 0.395 | 0.713 | 3.0 | 0.243 | 0.301 | 0.356 | 0.657 | | Home Games | 48-20 | +19.7 | 21-42 | 3.9 | 0.264 | 0.328 | 0.398 | 0.726 | 2.8 | 0.242 | 0.296 | 0.352 | 0.648 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 20-15 | +1.8 | 14-20 | 4.1 | 0.251 | 0.317 | 0.378 | 0.694 | 3.6 | 0.252 | 0.312 | 0.373 | 0.685 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +3 | 4-1 | 5.9 | 0.313 | 0.378 | 0.478 | 0.856 | 3.9 | 0.260 | 0.332 | 0.384 | 0.716 | | Grass Games | 86-47 | +29.1 | 51-73 | 4.1 | 0.256 | 0.318 | 0.395 | 0.713 | 3.0 | 0.243 | 0.301 | 0.356 | 0.657 | | Night Games | 61-34 | +21.3 | 40-47 | 4.2 | 0.256 | 0.319 | 0.393 | 0.712 | 3.1 | 0.245 | 0.300 | 0.357 | 0.656 | | Division | 32-18 | +10.8 | 21-28 | 4.0 | 0.245 | 0.306 | 0.365 | 0.670 | 3.0 | 0.234 | 0.294 | 0.343 | 0.638 |
|
| |
|
|
| All Games | 4.1 | 0.256 | 0.318 | 133 | 4534 | 1162 | 233 | 30 | 112 | 0.395 | 520 | 409 | 1025 | 61 | 950 | 123 | 78 | 126 | 39 | | Home Games | 3.9 | 0.264 | 0.328 | 68 | 2257 | 596 | 124 | 14 | 50 | 0.398 | 252 | 214 | 476 | 28 | 492 | 68 | 40 | 55 | 24 | | Lefty Starters | 4.1 | 0.251 | 0.317 | 35 | 1221 | 307 | 49 | 6 | 31 | 0.378 | 142 | 117 | 295 | 21 | 251 | 43 | 22 | 40 | 14 |
|
| |
|
| All Games | 2.37 | 1.254 | 391.7 | 115 | 103 | 347 | 24 | 144 | 358 | 24-16 | 55 | 12 | 82.1% | | Home Games | 2.06 | 1.231 | 209.7 | 54 | 48 | 192 | 12 | 66 | 166 | 16-6 | 32 | 5 | 86.5% |
|
| | |
|
|
| 8/21/2015 | LOCKE(L) | SAN FRANCISCO | BUMGARNER(L) | 4-6 | L | +110 | 7 un | O | 10 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 0 | | 8/22/2015 | COLE(R) | SAN FRANCISCO | LEAKE(R) | 3-2 | W | -170 | 7 un | U | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | | 8/23/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | SAN FRANCISCO | VOGELSONG(R) | 5-2 | W | -180 | 7 ov | P | 11 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 0 | | 8/24/2015 | HAPP(L) | @ MIAMI | KOEHLER(R) | 5-2 | W | -140 | 8 ev | U | 8 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 1 | | 8/25/2015 | MORTON(R) | @ MIAMI | HAND(L) | 2-5 | L | -140 | 7.5 un | U | 10 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 0 | | 8/26/2015 | LOCKE(L) | @ MIAMI | NARVESON(L) | 7-2 | W | -145 | 8 un | O | 9 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | | 8/27/2015 | COLE(R) | @ MIAMI | NICOLINO(L) | 2-1 | W | -215 | 7 ov | U | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | | 8/28/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | COLORADO | GRAY(R) | 5-3 | W | -255 | 7 ev | O | 10 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | | 8/29/2015 | HAPP(L) | COLORADO | RUSIN(L) | 4-3 | W | -220 | 8 ov | U | 8 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 1 | | 8/30/2015 | MORTON(R) | COLORADO | DE LA ROSA(L) | 0-5 | L | -185 | 8 un | U | 4 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 1 | | 9/1/2015 | COLE(R) | @ MILWAUKEE | NELSON(R) | 4-7 | L | -160 | 7.5 ov | O | 8 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 0 | | 9/2/2015 | LOCKE(L) | @ MILWAUKEE | DAVIES(R) | 4-9 | L | -140 | 9 ov | O | 6 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 0 | | 9/3/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | @ MILWAUKEE | JUNGMANN(R) | 3-5 | L | -130 | 7.5 un | O | 8 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | | 9/4/2015 | HAPP(L) | @ ST LOUIS | MARTINEZ(R) | | | 9/5/2015 | MORTON(R) | @ ST LOUIS | GARCIA(L) | | | 9/6/2015 | COLE(R) | @ ST LOUIS | LACKEY(R) | | | 9/7/2015 | LOCKE(L) | @ CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | | | 9/8/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | @ CINCINNATI | IGLESIAS(R) | | | 9/9/2015 | HAPP(L) | @ CINCINNATI | SAMPSON(R) | | | 9/10/2015 | | MILWAUKEE | | | | 9/11/2015 | | MILWAUKEE | | |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 8/21/2015 | LACKEY(R) | @ SAN DIEGO | CASHNER(R) | 3-9 | L | -115 | 6.5 ov | O | 8 | 9 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 1 | | 8/22/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | @ SAN DIEGO | KENNEDY(R) | 0-8 | L | -130 | 6.5 ov | O | 8 | 10 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 0 | | 8/23/2015 | WACHA(R) | @ SAN DIEGO | REA(R) | 10-3 | W | -145 | 7 un | O | 11 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 2 | | 8/24/2015 | LYNN(R) | @ ARIZONA | CHACIN(R) | 5-3 | W | -120 | 8 un | P | 9 | 9 | 2 | 14 | 11 | 2 | | 8/25/2015 | GARCIA(L) | @ ARIZONA | RAY(L) | 9-1 | W | -120 | 7.5 ev | O | 12 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 1 | | 8/26/2015 | LACKEY(R) | @ ARIZONA | CORBIN(L) | 3-1 | W | 110 | 8 un | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 1 | | 8/27/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | @ ARIZONA | DE LA ROSA(R) | 5-3 | W | -115 | 8 un | P | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 | | 8/28/2015 | WACHA(R) | @ SAN FRANCISCO | LEAKE(R) | 4-5 | L | 100 | 6.5 un | O | 7 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 0 | | 8/29/2015 | LYNN(R) | @ SAN FRANCISCO | VOGELSONG(R) | 6-0 | W | -135 | 7 un | U | 13 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | | 8/30/2015 | GARCIA(L) | @ SAN FRANCISCO | HESTON(R) | 7-5 | W | -115 | 7 un | O | 13 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 0 | | 8/31/2015 | LACKEY(R) | WASHINGTON | GONZALEZ(L) | 8-5 | W | -125 | 7 un | O | 13 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0 | | 9/1/2015 | GONZALES(L) | WASHINGTON | ROSS(R) | 8-5 | W | +105 | 7.5 ev | O | 8 | 10 | 1 | 12 | 10 | 1 | | 9/2/2015 | LYONS(L) | WASHINGTON | SCHERZER(R) | 3-4 | L | +125 | 7 un | P | 16 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 9/4/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | PITTSBURGH | HAPP(L) | | | 9/5/2015 | GARCIA(L) | PITTSBURGH | MORTON(R) | | | 9/6/2015 | LACKEY(R) | PITTSBURGH | COLE(R) | | | 9/7/2015 | LYONS(L) | CHICAGO CUBS | HAREN(R) | | | 9/8/2015 | WACHA(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | HAMMEL(R) | | | 9/9/2015 | LYNN(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | LESTER(L) | | | 9/10/2015 | | @ CINCINNATI | | | | 9/11/2015 | | @ CINCINNATI | | |
|
| |  | 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. | | ST LOUIS: ST. LOUIS (AP) - The Cardinals hope Michael Wacha is ready to stand alongside ace Adam Wainwright at the top of their rotation.
Wacha was the NL Championship Series MVP as a rookie but just 5-6 with a 3.20 ERA in 19 starts last year. He was sidelined for most of the season's second half by a stress reaction in his shoulder, and was rusty in October before giving up Travis Ishikawa's series-winning homer in Game 5 of the NLCS.
Now he feels healthy.
''It's very encouraging, the long term of what this kid could be and the short term of how he feels, somebody every fifth day that can bring the kind of stuff he does,'' St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. ''He feels good about himself and we feel good about what we're seeing.''
The 23-year-old Wacha has long insisted the injury is behind him.
''Ever since I came back last year, I haven't thought about it when I was on the mound,'' Wacha said. ''As far as I know, it was a rare injury. I'm not sure where it came from.''
If it stays away, the Cardinals figure to again have one of the deeper starting staffs despite trading 15-game winner Shelby Miller for outfielder Jason Heyward. Wainwright was a 20-game winner for the second time, and Lance Lynn has averaged 16 wins during three years in the rotation.
John Lackey is a proven late-season talent. Jaime Garcia's resurgent spring following surgery to relieve nerve compression may cause promising Carlos Martinez to be related to the bullpen again.
Lackey expects to be more comfortable in his first full NL season, saying ''It's different for a lot of reasons.''
Things to watch for with the Cardinals, who open April 5 at Chicago:
LEFT-HANDED HEAVY
There are five lefty bats in the lineup, a potential downside. But there also figures to be more power on the bench. Mark Reynolds, who has hit 20 or more homers each of the last seven seasons, was signed as a free agent. He could factor in as a semi-regular, especially at first base, where Matt Adams has struggled against lefties.
HEYWARD TIME
Only 25, Heyward is a potential future core member of the franchise. His is eligible for free agency after the World Series, and the wooing began not long after the trade with Atlanta - which also brought set-up man Jordan Walden.
''He fits in very well with how our guys work, how seriously they take the game,'' Matheny said. ''He's mixed in very well to this point.''
IMPROVED POP
St. Louis hit just 105 homers last season, second-fewest in the majors. They Cardianls are anticipating more out of right field from Heyward, who had a career-low 11 last year while forced into the leadoff spot with Atlanta. Jhonny Peralta followed his drug suspension with a 21 homers, a franchise record among shortstops, and the smooth-swinging Adams is capable of hitting a lot more than 15.
HEALTHY CHOICES
A full return by Garcia would be an unexpected bonus after two injury-filled seasons. Wainwright and Lynn are recovering from health setbacks early in spring training. Center fielder Jon Jay made a delayed exhibition debut following wrist surgery. ''I said the whole goal was to be ready April 5,'' Jay said.
MORE SPEED
Along with increasing the power profile, there will be an emphasis on manufacturing runs. The Cardinals stole 57 bases last year, third-fewest in the major leagues, but are primed for at least a little more thievery with both Wong and Heyward capable of swiping 20-plus.
''I want to see bigger leads. I want to see more aggressive chances with balls in the dirt,'' Matheny said. ''I want to see us take a first-and-second double steal because we have the kind of players to do that.'' |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW (PITTSBURGH-ST LOUIS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Pirates-Cardinals Preview* ===========================
By KEVIN MASSOTH STATS Writer
Pittsburgh (79-52) at St. Louis (86-47), 8:15 p.m. EDT
History and time are not on the side of the Pittsburgh Pirates as they try to chase down the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pittsburgh's best chance to reel in the NL Central leaders starts with Friday night's series opener at Busch Stadium, a ballpark kind to the Cardinals and not so much to the Pirates this year.
Losers of four straight and 6 1/2 games back with a month to play, the Pirates (79-53) badly need a series win, something they haven't done in St. Louis since April 26-28, 2013.
Pittsburgh is 4-18 at Busch Stadium since then, including a 1-5 mark this season.
The Pirates still hold a four-game lead over the Chicago Cubs for the top wild-card spot despite losing three straight in Milwaukee, including Thursday's 5-3 loss.
"Our focus needs to be on playing better," manager Clint Hurdle said. "We got outpitched, outhit and out-defended three straight games."
The Pirates will have one of their hottest pitcher's on the mound Friday.
J.A. Happ (3-1, 1.98 ERA) has flipped around his season since coming to the Pirates via a trade with Seattle on July 31.
He struggled to a 4-6 record and 4.68 ERA in 20 starts with the Mariners, but he has won each of his last three starts with the Pirates with an ERA of 0.51 in victories over Arizona, Miami and Colorado.
The bad news is Happ's 1-8 record and 6.79 ERA in 10 starts against the Cardinals, though he hasn't faced them since 2012. He's especially bad in St. Louis, going 0-3 with a 12.34 ERA in three career starts there.
Brandon Moss (6 for 8) and Yadier Molina (6 for 15) have hit Happ hard, but Mark Reynolds is 0 for 16 with eight strikeouts against him. Jon Jay is 5 for 11 against Happ and is expected to be activated off the 15-day DL before the series opener.
Jay, out since July 1 with a stress reaction in his left wrist, is one of several key contributors the Cardinals expect back in September, joining outfielders Matt Holliday (right quad strain) and Randal Grichuk (right elbow strain), and first baseman Matt Adams (right quad strain).
"That's a pretty good boost when you start talking about the guys who we could potentially be bringing back here," manager Mike Matheny told MLB's official website. "We're talking about some of the key components of our club."
Pittsburgh is expected to reinstate Andrew McCutchen to the lineup after he sat out Thursday with what Hurdle called left knee soreness.
While the Pirates have fallen back, St. Louis (86-47) is making a push for its third straight division title with nine wins in 11 games.
The Cardinals, who are a major league-best 48-20 at home, will send Carlos Martinez to the mound to try and rebound from Wednesday's 4-3 loss to Washington that snapped a four-game win streak.
After pounding Martinez (13-6, 2.91) for seven runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 7-5 win on May 9, Pittsburgh didn't do much against him in losses of 4-1 on July 9 and 4-3 on Aug. 11.
Martinez - pitching on eight days' rest due to back tightness he experienced in a 5-3 win over Arizona on Aug. 27 - held the Pirates to three runs in 15 1-3 innings between the two wins.
Gregory Polanco has eight hits in 11 at-bats against Martinez, going 5 for 8 with two doubles and a triple this season.
St. Louis rookie Stephen Piscotty is hitting .419 with 11 RBIs during his career-best 10-game hitting streak.
|
| | Last Updated: 4/25/2024 10:08:18 PM EST. |
|
|
| |
|