John Van Benschoten pitched well and kept the Buccos in the game for 6 innings,but Masumi Kuwata was bombed for 7 runs in two-thirds of an inning to allow the visiting Brewers to pull away like Secretariat in the 73 Belmont to a 10-3 win.
I am very encouraged by each outing by JVB thus far.
Not outstanding,but well enough to keep the team in the contest and at this point,one cannot ask for more than that.
He was having some trouble staying in the strike zone and the free-swinging Brewers helped him some with that,but otherwise continues to make progress.
Kuwata,on the other hand,looks to be the type of pitcher that might be Ok on his first time through the league,but then his lack of stuff will catch up to him.
We will see if last night was an off night or the beginning of teams catching on to him.
Bucco RBI went to Freddy Sanchez with 2 and the other to Nate McLouth.
The Tribe pounded Tampa 10-2 behind a grand s
lam by Grady Sizemore in the 8th inning to break open a close game.HR number 14 for Grady and Ben Francisco hit his 2nd homer and finished the night with 3 RBI.
Fausto Carmona struck out 8 in moving his record to 9-4 on the year.
Pitching Matchups
Milwaukee:Chris Capuano (5-5) at Pittsburgh: Shane Youman (0-0) 4:05
Cleveland:Paul Byrd (7-3) at Detroit: Nate Robertson (4-6) 7:05
The Hagerstown Suns defeated the Lakewood Blue Claws with an 8th inning rally 4-3.
3 hits and a steal for Phillies prospect Adrian Cardenas.
The two teams finish up their series tonight,as the Delmarva Shorebirds come in on the 4th.
Bullpen Notes
The Hagerstown Suns seem to have a drag fetish.
First,it was the commercials using a male enhancement parody and last night one of these "winners" not only dressed as a female,but behaved in a manner more along the lines of a Thirsty Thursday patron instead of a team employee.
This act did not get over at all with the fans and hopefully hits the scrap pile.
But someone likely chuckled at Ballpark Digest,so this stale schtick will stick around for a while.
Gas Can Torres thinks the Pirates have been unfair to him.
I think Gas Can should shut his mouth considering his crappy hurling this season.
When you have pitched as poorly as he has,the last thing I would want to do draw attention to myself.
Plus I cannot figure too many teams are interested in a guy with bad health,a poor record and now whining about management.
However,Littlefield lies about just about everything else,so it is very hard to take his word seriously.
Funny that Torres and his Dominican baseball academy came up in the news.
I thought the Pirates,who have next to no foothold in the Latin player market,should have been all over that opportunity.
Instead,Captain Dave and Nickels Nutting drug their feet and finally Torres made a deal with Texas.
I was talking about just that during last night's Suns-Blue Claws game with a scout about the anemic Pirate efforts in those areas.
Great conversation with said scout last night.
Always helps to listen and learn from others that love the game.
He is a scout from a Western team,I don't feel comfortable giving more than that without permission.
Zach Duke apparently thinks as little of the Pirate medical staff's opinion as he must of Jim Colborn's.
Yesterday's MRI with the Pirate medical crew showed no ligament damage to his elbow,but Duke (Wisely) will be traveling to Birmingham to deal with Dr.James Andrews for a 2nd opinion.
Smart move for Duke,considering the Pirates wonderful track record with young pitching injuries,I would not have much faith in them either.
Remember their reports on Brad Lincoln,claiming he was fine before his season ending injury???
And more Pirates.......
Having a really hard time believing that this 7 game stretch before the break is as important as the Pirates and the media do.
Unless they run the table,I cannot see anything less than 6-1 doing enough to make a difference in the race.
Welcome to new reader and Pirate fan-Chet Trybus.
Glad to have you Chet,Hope we can continue to keep you interested in what we do here!
Nice signing by the BlackHawks of veteran center Robert Lang.
Lang certainly is not the player he once was,but if used properly,still can be very productive,.
Roman Hamrlik signed with Montreal.
If you recall,I posted about the Devils signing him on my Devils GM Post before the NHL Draft.
And finally...
Keith Olbermann will comment on the Bush-Libby deal tonight on Countdown.
No matter your position on the political spectrum,it should be interesting.
I may post more on this later,but for the record.
I have just one word for yesterday's commuted sentence for Scooter Libby.
Disgraceful.
Photo Credits
JVB-AP Photo-Gene Puskar
Sizemore-AP Photo-Mark Duncan
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