[Operation Shutdown]

Week 12
The Pirates are now 33-35, still in fourth place in the central division, but now only 6.5 games back of the division leading Cubs. This week the Bucs have a tough schedule and come home and play three against the Phillies who are currently 41-28 this season. The Pirates then wrap up their interleague schedule with three games against the Indians who are 42-28. The Pirates are 7-2 in interleague play this season.
The Pirates announced that they have promoted LF Manuel Ravelo from AA to AAA. Ravelo was hitting 0.287 with 4 HRs and 30 RBIs for the Altoona Curve.

Game 69: Pirates 10 Phillies 8
Neither starter fared too well in this game, as Fogg went just 2 2/3 innings giving up five runs. Brett Myers didn't do any better, giving up seven runs, four of which were earned, in 2 1/3 innings for the loss. Beimel got the win by recording the last out in the third inning. The Phillies scored five runs in the third, just to be outdone by the Pirates in the bottom half of the inning, as they scored 8. The Phillies worked the game back to within one run in the seventh inning, but the Pirates added two more insurance runs in the bottom half of the seventh. The Phillies were able to add one more in the eighth, but Mann came in to pitch a scoreless ninth, for his 12th save of the season.

Game 70: Pirates 2 Phillies 7
Dave Williams got hurt by the long ball, giving up two run homers to Thome and Byrd. He pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up four runs, three of them earned. The Phillies scored three runs in the ninth for insurance, but it proved to be unnecessary, as Padilla pitched a complete game, giving up just two runs for his 7th win.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 500th career homerun. The homer came in the first inning, with one on and one out against Brewer's pitcher Neugebauer.

Game 71: Pirates 9 Phillies 5
Maddux did not give up a single run until the sixth inning, and finished the game pitching seven innings and giving up four runs for the win. Brian Anderson went just 3 1/3 innings for the Phillies, giving up six runs and picking up the loss. Humberto Cota hit two homeruns, and Nady and Palmer each had one homer. Nady extended his hitting streak to a career high 12 games.

Series Recap: The Pirates won two out of three against the first place Phillies and find themselves now just one game under .500.

Game 72: Pirates 14 Indians 2
The Pirates destroyed the Indians and starting pitcher Kurt Ainsworth, who gave up 7 runs in just two innings of work. The Pirates also managed to score six runs, five of them earned, off of former teammate Mike Williams, who lasted just 1/3 of an inning. 11 of these runs came in just the third inning of the game with the scored tied 2-2. Benson pitched a very good game, giving up just two runs in eight innings of work for his 6th win of the season.

Game 73: Pirates 0 Indians 2
This game was another one featuring a couple of good young pitchers in Rodriguez and Perez. Neither pitcher budged, as Rodriguez gave up just five hits and no runs in eight innings of work, and Perez gave up just six hits and no runs in seven innings of work. In fact, neither team managed to score a run until the 12th inning. With runners at the corners and one out in the top of the 12th, Indians Brandon Phillips doubled scoring both runs to give them the lead. Van Poppel pitched a scoreless bottom half of the inning for the save. Elder picked up the win for the Indians, while Mann got the loss for the Pirates.

Game 74: Pirates 5 Indians 3
Fogg won another close game, pitching fairly well and giving up just three runs, two of them earned, in 6 1/3 innings of work for his 5th win of the season. Dennys Baez got the loss for the Indians, giving up five runs in just four innings. Mann pitched a scoreless ninth for his 13th save. Nady's 14-game hitting streak was snapped as he went 0-3 today.

Series Recap: The Bucco train keeps on rolling, winning two of three from the first place Indians. The Bucs finished interleague play with a record of 9-3, and now are at .500 on the season.