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Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen today was named major league rookie of the year by Baseball America.
McCutchen hit .286 with 26 doubles, 12 homers, 54 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 108 games. He led National League rookies with 47 extra-base hits and ranked second in multi-hit games, runs, walks and total bases.
A first-round [...]

CINCINNATI — Lineups for this afternoon’s season finale:
PIRATES (62-98)

Andrew McCutchen cf

Andy LaRoche 3b

Garrett Jones 1b

Lastings Milledge lf

Brandon Moss rf

Delwyn Young 2b

Robinzon Diaz c

Luis Cruz ss

Jeff Karstens (4-5, 5.37) rhp

REDS (77-84)

Drew Stubbs cf

Paul Janish ss

Joey Votto 1b

Brandon Phillips 2b

Scott Rolen 3b

Jay Bruce rf

Lance Nix lf

Corky Miller c

Homer Bailey (7-5, 4.78) rhp

Zach Duke struggled in his final start of the season Saturday, as the Pirates lost, 8-4, against the Cincinnati Reds.
Duke (11-16) worked five innings and gave up five runs on six hits. He walked five, one shy of his career high, and struck out two.
“My fastball command wasn’t very good tonight,” Duke said. “I [...]

CINCINNATI — It appears that Brandon Moss will head into next year as the incumbent right fielder. But during Moss’ “exit meeting” with manager John Russell and GM Neal Huntington, it was made clear that he still has a lot of work to do to establish job security.
“He realizes the opportunity he got this year, [...]

Daniel McCutchen picked up his first major-league victory Friday, as the Pirates nipped the Cincinnati Reds, 3-1.
The rookie right-hander worked 6.1 innings and allowed one run on four hits. McCutchen walked two and struck out five.
McCutchen (1-2) was winless in his first five starts after being called up Aug. 31 from Triple-A Indianapolis.
“It shouldn’t [...]

CINCINNATI — Today, Dr. James Andrews performed arthroscopic surgery to repair the labrum in Jose Ascanio’s right shoulder. General manager Neal Huntington said there is no timetable for when Ascanio will get back on the mound or if he will be ready for the start of spring training.

CINCINNATI — Jeff Karstens will start Sunday’s season finale against the Reds. Karstens threw 61 pitches in five innings Wednesday in the nightcap against the Cubs, so don’t expect him to go too deep into Sunday’s game.
— Manager John Russell wanted righty Kevin Hart to start Sunday, but Hart is bothered by what appears to [...]

CHICAGO – The Pirates and Chicago Cubs were rained out Thursday night in the final of their four-game series. None of the stats will count and the game will not be rescheduled.
Play was halted after three innings with the Pirates leading, 3-0. In the first inning, Garrett Jones lined an RBI single and Lastings [...]

CHICAGO — The outlook for tonight’s game is not especially good. The tarp is on the field at Wrigley, and a giant mass of heavy rain is moving toward the city. If tonight’s game is rained out, it will not be rescheduled.
– The Pirates must win two of their remaining four games to avoid [...]

CHICAGO — Ryan Doumit went 4 for 4 with four RBI on Wednesday night, powering the Pirates past the Chicago Cubs, 8-2. The Pirates also won the day’s first game, 4-0, giving them their first doubleheader sweep at Wrigley Field since June 20, 1983.
“I can’t remember the last time we won at Wrigley Field, let alone [...]