Game 104:
Astros 5, Pirates 2. Houston took 2 of 3 from the Bucs in Pittsburgh, winning the rubber match on the shoulders of Aaron Cook. Cook pitched 7.2 strong innings (6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K) and the Astros beat up on Pirate starter Javier Vazquez (6.1 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 K) early in the game. The Bucs took a 1-0 lead in the first as Frank Catalanatto walked and scored on Karim Garcia's triple. Houston tied the game at 1 in the 2nd on Jason Smith's sac fly and broek the game open in the 4th as Ben Davis, Aaron Boone and Michael Bourne singled to load the bases. Jason Smith hit a 2-run single, Bourne stole 3rd and scored when JR House's throw sailed into left field, and Chase Utley hit an RBI single to make it 5-1. The Pirates got one back in the 5th as Dave Roberts singled, stole second and scored on Catalanatto's single, but that 5-2 score would be the final. John Smoltz finished the game for Houston, notching his 23rd save.
Game 105:
Brewers 5, Pirates 2 (11 innings). It seems like heartbreaking things always happen for one team or another when Kurt Ainsworth pitches for the Bucs. This time, Pittsburgh rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game, but the Bucs couldn't score any more runs and lost in 11 innings. Ainsworth started the game with 3.1 no-hit innings, but Raffy Palmiero's solo HR in the 4th ended the no-no and made it 1-0 Milwaukee. The Brewers added another run in the 6th as P Justin Miller singled, Luis Castillo sacrificed him to second, Shannon Stewart moved him to 3rd with a 4-3 groundout, Ainsworth walked Palmiero and Mark Texeira hit an RBI single. The Pirates tied the game in the 7th when Karim Garcia singled and Adam Dunn hit a 2-run HR (his 12th) but the game remained tied at 2 until the bottom of the 11th when RP Alan Embree allowed a single to Andruw Jones, hit Josh Hamilton with a pitch and allowed Alex Beattie to get his first major league hit in the form of a walk-off 3-run HR. Embree dropped to 6-3 with the loss. Kurt Ainsworth got a no-decision despite pitching very well (7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K).
Pirates acquire Gagne, prospects for 2 relievers
After the game, the Pirates confirmed the controversial trade rumor that had been swirling for weeks. Relievers Kyle Farnsworth and Ricardo Rincon were dealt to Baltimore for closer Eric Gagne and two prospects. Farnsworth, just 27, had been 1-1 with a 3.16 ERA and was rated at 3 stars. Rincon, 33, had been 2-4 with a 4.63 ERA and was rated at 4.5 stars.
Gagne, 27 and rated at 4.5 stars, was 5-4 with 22 saves for the O's. The Pirates also acquired a pair of prospects: SP Kelvin Jiminez (age 22, 3.5 stars) and RP Richard Fuentes (age 18, 3 stars).
The Bucs will call up 23-year old RP David Sanders to their major league squad. Sanders is a 3.5-star lefty with a rating of 5 in avoiding runs, 7 in hits, 6 in HR, 4 in walks and 6 in Ks. Gagne will work as a setup man to closer Arthur Rhodes for the remainder of the 2003 season and GM John Franco said he "expects no closer controversy." Whether that will happen remains to be seen. Gagne, set to be a free agent after this season, signed a 1-year extension with the Pirates for just over 4 million dollars.
League Trades:
With the trade deadline rapidly appraching, several MLB teams made moves to tweak their rosters, either for a run at the post-season or with an eye towards the future.
To SEA: 3-star CF Preston Wilson; To MIN: 2.5-star 1B Paul Konerko.
To ANA: 3-star SP Jason Schmidt; To COL: 3-star C Brian Schneider
To CIN: 2.5-star CF Juan Encarnacion; To NYM: SP prospect Brian Stokes (4-stars, 23 yo) and a pair of 2-star prospects
To ANA: 2.5-star SS Alex S. Gonzalez; To StL: 1B prospect Dustin Yount (4-stars, 20 yo)
To MIN: 3.5-star 3B Travis Chapman; To FLA: LF Denard Span (3-star 19 yo) and CF Bill McCarthy (3.5-star 23yo)
To MIN: LF Jason Hart (4-star, 25yo); To SEA: C prospect Guillermo Quinz (4-star 21yo) and SP prospect Richie Lentz (3.5-star 19yo)
To MIN: RP Cliff Politte (3.5-star, 29yo); To OAK: RP Jason Botts (3-star 23yo) and SP prospect JD Durbin (2star 21yo)
No, I have no idea why every other trade seems to involve Minnesota
