August 3, 2019 1:31 pm
The Mets’ seven-game winning streak is over after Melky Cabrera laced a two-run double while the Pirates scored five in the fourth to beat New York, 8-4. Starling Marte’s three-run shot in the seventh broke open the game as Pittsburgh dealt the Mets just their sixth loss since the All-Star break. Steven Matz was chased in the fourth and ended the Mets’ streak of 17 straight games in which their starters allowed three runs or fewer.
August 2, 2019 3:46 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Pittsburgh pitcher Keone Kela has been suspended for 10 games, Cincinnati reliever Amir Garrett for eight and Yasiel Puig for three after a furious brawl between the Pirates and Reds. Major League Baseball issued eight suspensions two days after the fight at Great American Ball Park. Three players on each team were suspended, and all of them have elected to appeal. Reds manager David Bell was suspended six games and Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle was penalized two games.
August 1, 2019 3:40 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Pirates opted to hold on to All-Star closer Felipe Vázquez at the trade deadline, a move general manager Neal Huntington said is proof the club believes it can turn things around in 2020. Pittsburgh has fallen off the pace in the NL Central since the All-Star break and sent outfielder Corey Dickerson to Philadelphia for a player to be named and international signing money. Vázquez stayed put and remains very much a part of the team’s future plans.
July 31, 2019 3:53 am
CINCINNATI (AP) – Clint Hurdle and David Bell had little interaction while exchanging lineup cards one day after their teams fought on the field, and the Pirates and Reds were on good behavior Wednesday during Cincinnati’s 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh behind a strong performance from Luis Castillo. Bell and three Reds, including now-traded Yasiel Puig, were ejected for a ninth-inning brawl during the Pirates’ 11-4 win on Tuesday night. Four Pirates also were ejected. Major League Baseball was reviewing video of the fight Wednesday and was expected to hand down suspensions over the second fracas between the NL Central rivals this season. Bell went after Hurdle during the fight and was restrained in a headlock by batting coach Rick Eckstein. Bell repeatedly cursed Hurdle as he left the field. A day later, the two managers didn’t say much while handing lineup cards to the umpires. They’re not done with each other. They meet again at PNC Park on Aug. 23, and wrap up the season together with three games in Pittsburgh Sept. 27-29. The series matched two teams that have faded from the NL Central race, but only one of them is already looking to next year. Puig went to Cleveland as part of a three-team deal for pitcher Trevor Bauer even though Cincinnati had slid to 7 1/2 games out. Puig can be a free agent at the end of the season, while Bauer is under contract control for another year. The Reds also dealt starter Tanner Roark to Oakland on Wednesday for an outfield prospect. The Pirates have gone 3-16 since the All-Star break, prompting them to deal starter Jordan Lyles to Milwaukee at the start of the series. They couldn’t muster much against Castillo (10-4), who recovered from his worst start of the season. The All-Star allowed a career-high six runs in a 12-2 loss to the Rockies on Friday. Castillo gave up six hits and a run while pitching into the eighth inning on Wednesday. Raisel Iglesias retired the side in the ninth for his 20th save in 23 chances. Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez homered off rookie Dario Agrazal (2-2), who lasted only 3 2/3 innings. Agrazal hit Tucker Barnhart on the foot with a breaking ball, and got Winker on the arm with a fastball, drawing boos from the crowd of 20,886. The umpires huddled after Winker was hit, but didn’t eject Agrazal.
July 30, 2019 3:58 am
CINCINNATI (AP) – Jose Iglesias’ grand slam completed Cincinnati’s 10-run second inning and the Reds beat the Pirates 11-6 Monday night after Pittsburgh traded scheduled starter Jordan Lyles to the Brewers. The last-place Pirates lost their ninth straight, their longest skid since they dropped 10 in a row in 2011. Lyles was dealt to Milwaukee – which has an injury-depleted rotation – in the afternoon for pitching prospect Cody Ponce. Alex McRae (0-3) took Lyles’ spot, his first major league start after seven relief appearances. He retired only four batters and was replaced during Cincinnati’s biggest inning in four years. Ten days earlier, the Reds gave up a 10-run inning by the Cardinals during a 12-11 loss at Great American Ball Park. This time, they were on the other end of one . They piled up six hits and three walks while sending 13 batters to the plate. Joey Votto singled home a pair of runs, first baseman Josh Bell had a throwing error, and Iglesias’ second career grand slam off Montana DuRapau made it 10-1. Every Reds player scored in the inning. Cincinnati hadn’t scored so many runs in an inning since it also had 10 in the sixth against Detroit on Aug. 24, 2015. Sonny Gray (6-6) gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings, including Starling Marte’s 18th homer and Bryan Reynolds’ ninth. Colin Moran hit his third career grand slam off Wandy Peralta. The game matched the NL Central’s bottom teams. The Pirates have anchored themselves in last place by going 2-15 after the All-Star break, prompting them to trade Lyles two days before the deadline.
July 29, 2019 3:51 pm
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Jordan Lyles is heading back to the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee acquired the 28-year-old right-hander from Pittsburgh on Monday for pitching prospect Cody Ponce. Lyles was 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA in 11 appearances for the Brewers late last season, helping Milwaukee win the NL Central. He agreed to a $2.05 million, one-year contract with the Pirates and earned a rotation spot, going 5-7 with a 5.36 ERA. He won five of his first six decisions with Pittsburgh but has a 9.58 ERA in eight starts since May 28. Lyles was scheduled to start for Pittsburgh on Monday night against Cincinnati and was replaced by Alex McRae (0-2, 7.71). The Pirates are 2-14 since the All-Star break, falling out of contention. Ponce, a second-round pick in the 2015 amateur draft, is 1-3 with one save, 44 strikeouts and a 3.29 ERA in 27 appearances at Double-A Biloxi this season.
July 29, 2019 3:49 am
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Brooks Koepka had three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the front nine and cruised to a three-stroke victory at the FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Playing with Rory McIlroy in their first final-group pairing, the top-ranked Koepka closed with a bogey-free 5-under 65 at TPC Southwind for his seventh PGA Tour title. He finished at 16-under 264. McIlroy followed his third-round 62 with a 71 to drop into a tie for fourth at 11 under. Webb Simpson had a 64 to finish second.
July 28, 2019 7:44 am
The Pirates have claimed RHP Parker Markel off waivers from the Seattle Mariners and have optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis. The 28-year-old Markel posted a 2.04 ERA (35.1ip/8er) and 62 strikeouts in 27 minor league games this season between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma. He also made five appearances with Seattle this season, making his Major League debut on May 12 at Boston. He was designated for assignment on July 23. To make room on the 40-man roster, Rookie Davis has been transferred from the 10 day injured list to the 60 day injured list.
July 26, 2019 3:42 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Paul Goldschmidt homered in his career-high fourth straight game, powering the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 on Thursday for a four-game sweep. Goldschmidt drove a changeup from Joe Musgrove (7-9) for his 22nd home run, a solo shot that put St. Louis ahead 3-1 in the fourth. He has one homer in each of his past five games against Pittsburgh. Kolten Wong homered later in the fourth and Dexter Fowler hit a two-run drive for a 6-1 margin in the fifth as the Cardinals won for the 11th time in 14 games since the All-Star break, including their last five. The Pirates have lost 11 of 13. Miles Mikolas (7-10) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. Musgrove matched his season high by giving up six runs – five earned – and seven hits in five innings. Jose Martinez hit an RBI single in the first and scored on Paul DeJong’s sacrifice fly. Bryan Reynolds’s sacrifice fly cut the Cardinals’ lead to 2-1 in the third. The Pirates open a three game series in New York against the Mets Friday night.
July 24, 2019 3:46 am
Receiver Tyler Boyd signed a four-year contract extension today, coming off his breakthrough season with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals also are trying to work out a contract extension with A.J. Green, who is entering the final season of a four-year, $60 million deal. Green has fully recovered from a toe injury that required surgery.
