One hour to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (47-43) vs. Houston Astros (30-62)
Time: 8:05 p.m.
Site: Minute Maid Park, Houston
TV, radio: Root Sports, News Talk 104.7 FM
Weather: 86 degrees, scattered storms … but there’s a roof
Here is the official live box score, and here are the lineups …
Pirates:
- Alex Presley, LF
- Chase d’Arnaud, SS
- Neil Walker, 2B
- Andrew McCutchen, CF
- Garrett Jones, RF
- Lyle Overbay, 1B
- Josh Harrison, 3B
- Mike McKenry, C
- Jeff Karstens, RHP
Astros:
- Michael Bourn, CF
- Matt Downs, 3B
- Jeff Keppinger, 2B
- Hunter Pence, RF
- Carlos Lee, LF
- Brett Wallace, 1B
- Clint Barmes, SS
- Humberto Quintero, C
- Brett Myers, RHP
Rob Biertempfel has news updates from Houston on the Bucco Blog.
Here we go Buccos, Here we go
Oops, wrong chant
PBC Nation – at the Trib
California – Bakersfield, San Francisco, UNION CITY, Los Angeles, Newport Beach
Colorado – Ft Collins
Connecticut – Cos Cob
District of Columbia
Florida – Palm Harbor, Orlando, Valrico, Gainesville, Daytona Beach (somewhat reluctantly), Oviedo, Tampa
Georgia – Marietta
Germany – Leverkusen/Cologne
Idaho – Mountain Home, Coer d’Aline
Indiana – Indianapolis
Iowa – Bettendorf
Illinois – La Salle, Peru, Payson, Chicago, Palatine (3 inmates there)
Kentucky – Louisville
Japan – Tokyo
Louisiana – Slidell
Maryland – Arnold, Odenton
Massachusetts – Boston
Michigan – Kalamazoo, Eaton Rapids, Lansing
Mississippi – Biloxi
New Hampshire – Barrington
New Jersey – Chesterfield, Princeton, Roxbury, Lebanon
New York – New York, Smithtown
North Carolina – Asheville, Hickory
Ohio – Cincinnati, Columbiana, Westerville, Green, Hilliard, Toledo, Mason
Pennsylvania – Downtown, Hopewell, Indiana, North Wales, Franklin Park, Forest Hills, Lansdale, Philadelphia, DuBois, Reading, Crafton, Arnold, Wexford, Mt Lebanon, Canonsburg, Lancaster, Huntington, York, Boiling Springs, Philly suburbs
South Carolina – Duncan, Longs, Columbia
Tennessee – Smithville
Texas – Tyler, San Antonio, Belton
Virginia – JAL, Hampton, Rescue, Richmond, Front Royal, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Washington – Seattle, Nine Mile Falls, Spokane
West Virginia – Martinsburg
Wisconsin – Madison
91 locations represented in the blog
7/15/2011 5:45 PM
@DK
DK, Have you heard if any of the realignment talk has Pittsburgh back in the NL East? I seem to remember that you were very much in favor of that, especially when you were on the beat.
@Beaver: Selig said Tuesday that nothing is imminent, and no major change is expected.
@Tim: I’ll fix that. Thanks!
Dejan – The link to Bucco Blog says “Page Not Found.”
The Bucco Blog is updated and I found it by clicking on “All Blogs” but the link from your blog is “broken.”
Go Bucs!!!!
I think generally the Pirates are better off in the Central. St. Louis, Cincinnati and Chicago are all original NL teams with whom the Bucs have pasts (such as they are). The same can be said about the Phillies, but after that you have to make a case that the Mets are a rival, and I don’t think that’s been the case very often. Plus, the markets in the midwest match up better with Pittsburgh.
Anyone think Keppinger is being showcased by batting third? Or are the ‘stros just that bad?
Keith
Keppinger hitting .301 and Astros don’t have much
Lets Go Bucs!!!
Add Morningside in Pittsburgh to the list
Thanks, Morningside, added
I like Hurdle’s comment tonight, uncharterd for the PBC club
That includes Neil, Slick Frankie, Nuttin who decides to call the FAN from his car and all of us
Gawd is this fun
I’m not complaining but it feels like we’ve played the Astros 65 times already.
1-0
we go
nice start!
PRNW is one cool bean
perfect start for the second half of the season as Presley gets a leadoff single, stolen base, advances to third on d’Arnaud’s sacrifice fly to RF, and scores the first run of the game on Walker’s single to RF on 3-1 count.
A healthy Pirates team doesn’t have too bad of a lineup against right-handed pitching and I can live with Diaz in right-field against lefties but I just can’t see Jones or Alvarez getting important at-bats versus lefties, so finding a right-handed hitter to platoon with those guys would be important.
Pearce should be able to handle first base leaving Huntington to find a third baseman like Casey Blake, who can also play first base and right field. Another infielder to consider could be Mark Reynolds. I’m hoping the Pirates can use Ross Ohlendorf and maybe an outfielder like Gorkys Hernandez or Robbie Grossman to get Blake or Reynolds by the trade deadline.
vs RHP
1. Presley, RF
2. Tabata, LF
3. Walker, 2B
4. McCutchen, CF
5. Jones, 1B
6. Doumit, C
7. Alvarez, 3B
8. Cedeno, SS
Bench(5) Diaz, Pearce, Wood, McKendry, *RH hitter*
Starters(5) Karstens, Maholm, Correia, McDonald, Morton
Bullpen(7) Hanrahan, Veras, Resop, McCutchen, Beimel, Watson, Meek
vs LHP
1. Tabata, LF
2. Diaz, RF
3. Walker, 2B
4. McCutchen, CF
5. Doumit, C
6. *RH Hitter*, 3B
7. Pearce, 1B
8. Cedeno, SS
Bench(5) Presley, Jones, Alvarez, McKendry, Wood
Starters(5) Karstens, Maholm, Correia, McDonald, Morton
Bullpen(7) Hanrahan, Veras, Resop, McCutchen, Beimel, Watson, Meek
Jeeze…is Pence hitting over .500 against us this year? Sure seems like it.
Pence entered tonight’s game hitting .421 against the Pirates this season.
Great thing about the Pence numbers for the Pirates, only 3 doubles, 5 RBI, and 4 Runs even though he has 16 hits and 1 hit-by-pitch. The guys behind Pence have not done their job.
Presley gets hit by pitch, d’Arnaud with a solid single to LF, Walker strikes out, and McCutchen drills a ball up the hill for a 2-run triple!
Trip, trip, triple
Jeff Karstens has his era down to 2.48…. TWO POINT FOUR EIGHT!!! Amazing
Good Evening Everyone! Glad to be back for the post-All-Star portion of the season. Anybody know what Pence is hitting versus the rest of the NL (and AL in interleague)? If it is not good, then the wishing for trying to get Pence via trade may not be valid. He tears the cover off the ball versus us, but if not against the rest of the league, then Houston can keep him. As for the comment about Reynolds, I’ve never really taken to the guy. He does have some power, but he strikes out way too much for my liking. This team already strikes out too much. Adding another person who strikes out more would be horrible. Once Pedro is back, he will likely be our Mark Reynolds in the K department, though I hope not.
Unrealistic, but wouldnt it be nice to bring Pence back to Pittsburgh after this series. Just seems to be an all around great guy.
35 pitches through 4 innings… Drabek-esque.
Just got home from taking the daughter somewhere. How does a team score three runs off a guy who has eight Ks through 4 1/3 innings?
DK: Any chance we can do anything about the woman with the belly tip squeezing her belly on the top of the page of every blog posting.
Surely there must be some ad that is more compatible with Pirates blog than that.
Glad they got the 3 runs, because they are just not having great at-bats right now – 8 strikeouts through 4 and a third. Let’s Go Bucs! Rockies up 1-0 on the Brewers.
@DK – through speed!
They’re raking him… a bit of a generous strike zone…
Presley got on, stole second, sac fly to right from d’Arnaud and came home on Walker’s single…
3rd inning: Presley walk, d’Arnaud single and Cutch triple…
NASTY curve by Myers tonight… just nasty. 10 K’s through 5
but hey, Karstens ERA is now at 2.45
94 pitches through 5 innings…
And wherever that Robert guy is… the one who loves Jones… well, Jones ain’t looking like much tonight…
Reds up 4-3 in the 7th… no outs with guys on 2nd and 3rd.
Reds are back on top. 4-3 in the 7th… bases loaded for them
8.6 pitches per inning for Karstens… smell like a complete game?
Karstens looks as strong as acid out there.
Karstens’ era now at 2.43 – unreal
@DK – I don’t understand this Kevin Slowey twittering going on. Pirates have Lincoln in AAA to back up while Ohlendorf and Meek rehabbing to add to the mix for the bullpen. If they want to add to their mix, I’d look to get better lefty in the pen than Watson and Beimel.
forget Drabek-esque… this is Maddux-like.
Man, Karstens has made it look easy through five. Cards down one, bottom of seven.
Reds squander a great chance with bases loaded no outs. Cant squeeze anything home. 4-3 Cincy top 8th.
You just got to think that one of Cota’s throws to first is going to end up in right.
Quintero certainly isn’t bashful about snapping a throw to 1st.
That’s like 3 full counts in 3 at-bats for Karstens. Making Myers work.
Colorado up now 2-0.
Pujols homers; 5-4 Cards
Crap
When did Greg Maddux’s brain get transplanted into Jeff Karsten’s body?
Walker… ugh
Keith Law is a moron, nuff said – see twitter
“No. @Gasface25: @keithlaw Beyond sample size. Jeff Karstens has learned to pitch.”
Karstens’ era is now at 2.41…started the game at 2.55
This game tonight is exhibit A of my comment earlier about the K’s – now at 12 on the night. I’m just glad Jeff has the Astros in check with his stuff tonight. Keep it up Jeff.
On to ninth inning in Cincy; Cards 5, Reds 4
That’s the SS’s play to make. Hard to fault Harrison for the effort, but that’s an easy play if he doesn’t get to it.
NIce DP right there!!
no harm no foul…
Karstens at 71 pitches thru 7.
3-0 good 12 strikeouts bad
8-pitch walk for Jones… nice!
Keppinger looked lazy, if not downright lethargic on that ground ball.
Bottom 9th in Cincy. 5-4 Cards.
3-0 Colorado. bottom 5 2nd and 3rd.
Great catch by Elvis right there!
OMG REDS WIN
Cinci 6-5 over STL!
Brandon Phillips walk-off two-run shot for Cincy!
Phillips hit 2-run shot to win it.
I’m really starting to hope
Kartsens is amazing
Reds win, Rockies are winning over Brewers and Pirates leading late… could it… could it be?!?
Got to do something about all these K’s. 14 now through the whole game. Can’t do that every night. Your expecting too much from your pitching when half your outs you don’t even hit the ball.
what a night for Karstens!!
Great start there by Jeff and the rest of the boyz! Come on Colorado, hold that lead!
Complete game! I called it in the 6th inning!
Only 82 pitches for Karstens!
Booya
as of this minute we are TIED FOR 1ST!!!!!
83 pitches. Outstanding performance! Go Rockies!
83 pitches, 64 strikes 8-4 ERA 2.34
Folks its still early, lots of sweating, miles to go
First time since 97, sweet
How do you sign up for MLB Network???
Karstens @ 2.34 ERA
Pittsburgh 48-43-.527
Milwaukee 49-44-.527
St. Louis 49-44-.527
Col scores again
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4-0 Rockies! The Burgh wakes to the Pirates in first place!
Mike C. – South Korea
Thank you Buccos for giving my summer something exciting to look forward to everyday.
I was one of those fans who defended the Pirates to my friends but all i wanted was a .500+ season this year. I Knew we had a good future, but never expected THIS this year.
NLC 1st place. an Awesome way to start off my Saturday =)
DARYL, where you at? FIRST PLACE BABY!
Awesome.
I’m in Miami on vacation, had Dennis Rodman at the table next to me at dinner, and now the Pirates are in first place.
Talk about a unique day.
Go Buccos!
@JoeBucco
“I’m in Miami on vacation, had Dennis Rodman at the table next to me at dinner, and now the Pirates are in first place.”
Yeah, right. Like someone would believe an outlandish story like that. “The Pirates are in first place.” Get real.