[Operation Shutdown]

I've decided to place Randall Simon and Aramis Ramirez on the trading block as well.

Week 4:
The Pirates are now 5-13 and will be wrapping up a 12-game homestand this week. They'll begin the week with a three game series against the Giants who are currently 10-9. The Pirates will then close out the week with a 3-game series against the Dodgers who are currently 13-7.

Game 19: Pirates 3 Giants 7
The Pirates really got blown out of the water in this game. They didn't even score a run until the seventh inning, when the game was already well out of reach 7-0. Starter Jeff Suppan had another poor outing giving up 7 runs, 6 of which were earned, in 5 1/3 innings. On a bright note, the bullpen still seems to be doing fairly well, as Boehringer pitched 1 2/3 scoreless and Sauerbeck and Corey each pitched one scoreless inning. Giants starter Damian Moss pitched 8 2/3 innings giving up all 3 runs, two of which were earned. Barry Bonds was named player of the game, hittting his 8th homer of the year with two on against Suppan in the 6th inning.

Game 20: Pirates 1 Giants 7 Glove Day at PNC Park
Jeff D'Amico had his first bad outing of the year giving up 12 hits, 5 of which were doubles, and 7 runs, 6 of which were earned, in 7 1/3 innings. Giants starter Jason Schmidt scattered just five hits, and gave up no runs in seven innings for the win. The lone Pirate run was scored off of reliever Kirk Reuter.

Game 21: Pirates 1 Giants 8
Benson with his fourth straight poor outing, gave up 3 hits, walked two, and 6 earned runs in only 3 innings of work. Starter Kurt Ainsworth scattered eight hits in eight innings of work, giving up just one run. Barry Bonds hit homeruns numbers 9 and 10. He hit a two run shot off of Benson in the first inning, and another two run shot off of Beimel in the ninth inning.

Series Recap: The Giants handled the Pirates easily scoring 22 runs, while only giving up 5 runs. Pirates starters faired poorly, giving up 20 runs in 15 2/3 innings, while the bullpen gave up just two runs in 11 1/3 innings.

Game 22: Pirates 4 Dodgers 2
Kip Wells entered the top of the eighth inning with a 2-1 lead. After giving up a lead-off double to Brian Jordan, Wells intentionally walked Shawn Green. After striking out pinch hitter Alex Cora, Wells pulled in favor of Mark Corey, who gave up a single to Adrian Beltre, loading the bases. McClendon then brought in Joe Biemel to face Joe Thurston, who was then replaced by Paul LoDuca. Biemel got LoDuca to fly out to right-center, but it was deep enough to score Brian Jordan. Biemel then got pinch hitter Chin-Fen Cheng to fly out to center to end the inning. After loading the bases with two outs, from a double by Jason Kendall and walks to Brian Giles and Craig Wilson, relief pitcher Paul Shuey was brought in to face PH Randall Simon who singled to right center, scoring Kendall and Giles. Torres then picked up the save pitching a scoreless ninth inning. Starter Kip Wells went 7 1/3 innings, giving up two runs, only one of which was earned. Beimel picked up the win in his 2/3 of an inning of relief. Dodgers starter Odalis Perez went 7 1/3 innings, giving up all four of the Pirates runs.

Game 23: Pirates 1 Dodgers 5 Nodding Head Doll Day at PNC Park
This game saw the first major league start for Dodgers rookie Andrew Brown. Brown pitched a gem of a game giving up just one run in 7 1/3 innings off of 9 hits while walking two and striking out 3 Pirates. Pirater starter Josh Fogg was pitching well until the top of the sixth inning, where he gave up two two-run homeruns, one by 1B Mark Kinkade and the other by 2B Joe Thurston. Fogg pitched six innings, giving up five runs off of 8 hits, walking none, and striking out 3.

Game 24: Pirates 1 Dodgers 0
Jeff Suppan finally had a good game as a Pirate, pitching a one hitter through eight innings and giving up 3 walks and striking out 4 to get the win. Solomon Torres pitched a scoreless ninth inning, giving up just one hit to get his second save of the year. Dodgers starter pitched a great game giving up just one run in seven innings of work, but the Dodgers offense wasn't there to help him out, as he picks up the loss. The lone run of the game was scored in the bottom of the third, when after two outs, Jason Kendall was hit by a pitch, and then off of a 3-2 pitch, with Jason running on the pitch, Giles doubled down the right field line to score Kendall.

Series recap: The Pirates pulled off the shocker, winning two out of three games against the Dodgers, thanks in large part to some great work by the Pirates starters.

In other league news this week, on Monday April 21, Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon broke his foot and will miss the next 11 weeks. On Tuesday Toronto's Chris Woodard compiled five hits against the Devil Rays. He hit two solo homruns, and three singles. On Friday, Expos second baseman Jose Vidro tore his calf muscle and will likely miss the next five weeks.