The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Pittsburgh Pirates – INSIDE PITCH
ST. LOUIS — In sold out Busch Stadium Tuesday night, St. Louis fans got their first real look at Pittsburgh rookie right fielder Gregory Polanco and soon saw why he’s helped make the Pirates a playoff contender for the third straight year.
Polanco singled in his first three at-bats, stole second base against Yadier Molina in the first and unleashed a strong, accurate throw to second base that kept Cardinals right fielder Oscar Taveras from stretching a second inning single into a double.
In short, it was an exhibition of all his five tools but power, one that impressed the manager whose team will face him 19 games a year for many years to come.
“Polanco put on a show,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “I don’t think anyone could be disappointed with him.”
In his first month as a big leaguer, Polanco has hit .299 with three homers and 13 RBIs, scoring 21 runs in 27 games and walking in nearly 13 percent of his plate appearances, displaying impressive discipline for a young player.
In Polanco, left fielder Starling Marte and MVP center fielder Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh has three outfielders with center fielders’ range. If the Pirates can keep them together after free agency beckons, this franchise might not have to wait 21 years for their next taste of October baseball.
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MLB Team Report – Pittsburgh Pirates – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 47-43
STREAK: Lost two
NEXT: Pirates (RHP Brandon Cumpton, 3-2, 4.61 ERA) at Cardinals (RHP Lance Lynn, 9-6, 3.17 ERA)
PLAYER NOTES:
–RHP Vance Worley was peppered for nine hits and four runs in five innings Tuesday night, settling for a no-decision in a game won by the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-4. Worley had a chance to pick up the win after the Pirates took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth, but allowed three straight hits, the last a two-run double by Matt Holliday that tied the game. It was the shortest of his five starts for Pittsburgh.
–RHP Brandon Cumpton probably will take the turn of disabled RHP Gerrit Cole in the rotation Wednesday night, even though Pittsburgh still hasn’t officially announced Cumpton as the starter. The sinkerballing Cumpton picked up his first major league win last year against St. Louis, throwing seven shutout innings in the nightcap of a doubleheader that Pittsburgh swept.
–RF Gregory Polanco notched three hits, his eighth multihit game of the year, and also stole a base against rifle-armed catcher Yadier Molina in the first. It was his most hits in a game since collecting five in a June 13 win at Miami.
–2B Neil Walker’s fifth inning triple extended his hitting streak to 10 games. But Walker made an awful running mistake shortly after the hit, getting picked off third for the inning’s second out. That loomed larger and larger as the Cardinals tied the game in their half of the fifth and eventually won the bullpen battle.
–3B Pedro Alvarez picked on his favorite cousins again, launching his 14th career homer against St. Louis in the fourth inning with Ike Davis aboard to tie Tuesday’s game, which the Cardinals eventually won, 5-4. It was also the 100th career homer for Alvarez and his seventh at Busch Stadium.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “He got the pitch he was looking for. I tried to sink the ball and elevated it. He put a good swing on it and that’s how it is.” — Reliever Ernesto Frieri, on giving up a walk-off home run to St. Louis’ second baseman Kolten Wong on Tuesday in a 5-4 loss.
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MLB Team Report – Pittsburgh Pirates – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–LHP Francisco Liriano (left oblique strain) went on the 15-day disabled list June 11. He played catch June 19, and he threw off a mound for the first time June 26. He threw a 50-pitch side session June 29. He pitched a four-inning simulated game July 2. He made his first rehab start for Triple-A Indianapolis July 7. He probably will start July 12 or July 13 in Cincinnati, according to manager Clint Hurdle.
–RHP Gerrit Cole (tight lat) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 5.
–INF Clint Barmes (strained left groin) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 30. He is expected to miss at least a month.
ROTATION:
RHP Charlie Morton
RHP Edinson Volquez
LHP Jeff Locke
RHP Vance Worley
BULLPEN:
RHP Mark Melancon (closer)
LHP Tony Watson
RHP Ernesto Frieri
LHP Justin Wilson
RHP Jeanmar Gomez
RHP Jared Hughes
RHP Stolmy Pimentel
CATCHERS:
Russell Martin
Chris Stewart
INFIELDERS:
1B Ike Davis
2B Neil Walker
SS Jordy Mercer
3B Pedro Alvarez
INF Gaby Sanchez
INF Michael Martinez
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Starling Marte
CF Andrew McCutchen
RF Gregory Polanco
OF Travis Snider
OF/INF Josh Harrison
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