Let's Go Bucs! A Pittsburgh Pirates Rebuild

[TribeTown]

OFF SEASON PART 2

January 3 – The Padres traded 3 prospects to Miami in exchange for 2B Kevin McGonigle and cash.

January 4 – RP Hugh Fisher signed a 3 year, $12,600,000 deal with Philadelphia.

January 7 – The Pirates traded Alexander Martinez to Cleveland in exchange for P Jessie Shoemaker. Shoemaker has 4 solid pitches but his control needs to improve. He has been a starter throughout his minor league career.

The Pirates traded Luis Arraez and prospect OF Ben Cunningham to the Dodgers in exchange for C Drew Romo and P Erik Wilkinson.

Romo returns to Pittsburgh after having played for the Pirates between 2025 & 2028. Never a great hitter, he is considered one of the best defensive catchers in all of baseball and is lauded for his leadership.

Wilkinson is one of the best young pitchers in the league. A 2027 1st round draft pick, he has a career 34-31 record and 18 saves in 4 seasons with the Dodgers. He is still only 26 years old and has good stuff and excellent command. The Pirates will look for him to have a breakout season this year.

The Pirates traded Tyree Reed, Alejandro Garza, Tanner McDougal, Karson Milbrandt, and Pete Crow-Armstrong to Cleveland in exchange for P Luis Flores.

Flores, 28, is also considered one of the best starting pitchers in baseball, with front of the rotation abilities. He is 85-51 in 7 seasons with the Guardians.

HALL OF FAME – Max Scherzer was the only player voted into this class.

January 9 – Arizona traded OF Aaron Zabala and a minor league outfielder to the Cubs for 2 prospects.

January 11 – Colorado acquired O Brusdar Graterol from Portland in exchange for a prospect.

January 12 – Arizona traded minor league 2B Roark Petzinger to the Dodgers in exchange for P Luis Gil, P Bobby Lawler, and cash.

January 15 – The Angels signed RL Nick Mears for 2 years, $34,000,000.

January 17 – The Yankees acquired Portland C Cade Arrambide and a prospect in exchange for 2 minor leaguers.

January 20 – The Pirates signed Tatsuya Suga to a minor league contract. The 25 year old Japanese 1B is a solid hitter with a good eye at the plate and some power.

The Pirates signed International FA Jesus Aldana. The 16 year old Dominican 2B has an outstanding bat with plus power. He has the potential to be a future cornerstone player for the Pirates.

January 20 – Toronto signed FA 3B Jose Ramirez Rona $27,533,333 deal. Ramirez, now clearly nearing the end of his career, has hit 536 career home runs in 19 seasons with Cleveland.

January 20 – Stunning news as the Miami Marlins announced that they will relocate to Indianapolis. The team will be known as the Railsplitters.

January 24 – The Pirates signed International FA P Edgar Rosario. The 17 year old Dominican has outstanding stuff and projects to be a future dominant reliever.

January 29 – C Adley Rutchman signed a 5 year, $141,000,000 contract with Philadelphia. The Pirates had been in contact with Rutchman’s agent for most of the off season, but refused to meet his contract demands and pivoted to Drew Romo instead.

February 2 – Miguel Vargas signed a 5 year deal with the Giants.

DEVELOPMENTAL LAB UPDATE:

David Magdaleno was successful in working to improve his secondary pitch. With a small adjustment to his hand position on release, he will get a lot more in his sinker.
J. T. Quinn was also successful in his work to improve his secondary pitch. A group change allows him to put more on his curveball.
3. Sam Price showed no improvement in his attempt to improve his control
Jake Morrow was successful in improving plate discipline.
Alvaro Amezola showed no improvement this winter in working on gap power.
Alejandro Olano was rated as “outstanding” in his office season work to increase bat speed. This should give him some more pop in his bat.

February 18 – The Pirates traded P Ernesto Bolanos to . Minnesota in exchange for OF Jimmy Stone.

Stone is an excellent CF and is a borderline elite contact hitter. Although he has very little power, he does have elite speed.

[TribeTown]

SPRING TRAINING

The Pirates made it through spring training but suffered a significant injury that will impact their bullpen. Camilo Doval suffered a torn UCL on March 23. He underwent Tommy John surgery and will miss the season.

Others who suffered major injuries are Seattle P Sixto Sanchez, who will miss the season with a torn rotator cuff; Mets reliever Will Klein, who will miss 4 months with shoulder inflammation; Cleveland RP Eli Villalobos (the Pirates were in serious discussions for him in January), who will miss the season with a torn flexor tendon; Philadelphia SP Julio Urias will miss at least 6 months with radial nerve compression.

BNN predicts the Pirates will win 89 games and qualify for a Wild Card spot. They predict that Milwaukee will repeat as NL Central champions.

OPENING DAY ROSTER

SP: David Magdaleno, Luis Flores, Frank Gonzalez, Eric Wilkinson, Shane Bieber

RP: Alvaro Villa, Julio Silva, Jesus Garza, Josh Pudilo, Sam Price, Eric Emery, Boston Kellner, Kyrin Long, J. T. Quinn

C: Drew Romo, Dan Syquia

IF: Roman Beaulieu, Jackson Merrill, Jake Morrow, Owen Paino, Julio Ramirez, Ezequiel Tovar

OF: Alvaro Amezola, Alejandro Olano, Ernesto Parra, Jimmy Stone

[TribeTown]

Game #1 – March 25 – Pittsburgh 10, Washington 0
The Pirates celebrated Opening Day at PNC Park in fine style, wrecking the Nationals 10-0. David Magdaleno pitched well (5 shutout innings). The Buccos jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st inning on singles by Ernesto Parra and Drew Romo. Romo, Ezequiel Tovar, and Jake Morrow each hit home runs.
WP: D. Magdaleno (1-0)
LP: E. Rivera (0-1)
Record: 1-0

Game #2 – March 26 – Pittsburgh 3, Washington 1
Luis Flores was outstanding. He allowed 1 run and 3 hits over 6 innings. He struck out 12 and walked 0. Alvaro Amezola's 1st inning single gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead. After the Nationals tied it in the 4th, Ernesto Parra hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 5th gave Pittsburgh the lead.
WP: L. Flores (1-0)
LP: H. Baro (0-2)
SV: A. Villa (1)
Record: 2-0

Game #3 – March 27 – Pittsburgh 6, Washington 3
The Pirates scored 4 times in the bottom of the 7th to take the lead. Jake Morrow, who went 4-4, hit a 3 run home run to put the Buccos on top. Alvaro Amezola also had a good day, going 3-5 and delivering a crucial RBI double.
WP: S. Price (1-0)
LP: O. Ortega (0-1)
SV: A. Villa (2)
Record: 3-0

Game #4 – March 28 – Pittsburgh 4, San Francisco 1
The Pirates spoiled the Giants home opener, scoring 4 times in the top of the 1st inning and never looking back. Alejandro Olano's double gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead, followed by run scoring singles by Julio Ramirez and Drew Romo.
WP: E. Wilkinson (1-0)
LP: Gabe Gaeckle (0-1)
SV: K. Long (1)
Record: 4-0

Game #5 – March 29 – San Francisco 5, Pittsburgh 4 (13 innings)
The Pirates dropped their 1st game of the season when Ghordy Santos doubled to give the Giants a walk off win.
WP: C. Hock (1-0)
LP: J. T. Quinn (0-1)
Record: 4-1

Game #6 – March 30 – Pittsburgh 3, San Francisco 0
David Magdaleno was outstanding, allowing just 3 hits over 7 shutout innings. He struck out 6 and walked 1. The Pirates scored a run in the 1st and Julio Ramirez hit a 2 run home in the 3rd.
WP: D. Magdaleno (2-0)
LP: N. Swiney (0-1)
SV: S. Price (1)
Record: 5-1

[TribeTown]

Game #7 – March 31 – Philadelphia 4, Pittsburgh 0
Phillies P Jesus Ramirez was outstanding as the Pirates managed just 7 beast inners, only 2 of which reached 2B.
WP: J. Ramirez (1-1)
LP: L. Flores (1-1)
Record: 5-2

TRANSACTION: Claimed RP Juan Rivera off of waivers from Arizona. Optioned P Eric Emery to AAA Evansville.

Rivera is a typical reliever with 2 solid pitches. The 25 year old made 10 appearances for the Diamondbacks last year, going 1-1 with an 8.38 ERA.

Game #8 – April 1 – Philadelphia 4, Pittsburgh 3
Antonio Anderson belted 2 home runs, and Nick Pratto’s solo home run in the top of the 9th gave Philadelphia the lead. Ernesto Parra tripled and homered for the Pirates.
WP: M. Baez (1-0)
LP: B. Kellner (0-1)
SV: J. Taylor (2)
Record: 5-3

Game #9 – April 2 – Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 3
The Pirates scored 3 times in the bottom of the 6th to tie the game (including a Jake Morrow home run), but Rodolfo Megia hit a 3 run home run in the top of the 10th to give the Phillies a sweep. Eric Wilkinson made the start but had to leave after 3.2 innings with an arm injury.
WP: H. Fisher (1-0)
LP: J. Silva (0-1)
SV: J. Taylor (3)
Record: 5-4

TRANSACTION: Placed Juan Rivera on the 15 Day Injured List with forearm tendinitis. Recalled Eric Emery from AAA Evansville.

Game #10 – April 3 – Portland 4, Pittsburgh 3
The Pirates dropped their 4th game in a row. Ezequiel Tovar singled home 2 runs in the 4th and Jake Morrow hit his 4th home run in the 9th, but it was not enough.
WP: L. Severino (1-0)
LP: S. Bieber (0-1)
SV: A. Knowles (3)
Record: 5-5

Game #11 – April 4 – Pittsburgh 6, Portland 2
David Magdaleno pitched well, carrying a shutout into the 9th inning before tiring. Alvaro Amezola blasted a 2 run HR in the 4th to give the Pirates a 3-0 lead. He had 3 RBIs in the game.
WP: D. Magdaleno (3-0)
LP: L. Robinson (0-2)
Record: 6-5

TRANSACTION: Placed Eric Wilkinson on the 60 Day Injured List with a torn flexor tendon. Wilkinson will miss the rest of the season. Recalled D.J. Herz from AAA Evansville.

Game #12 – April 5 – Pittsburgh 6, Portland 4
Jake Morrow went 3-5 with a home run and Julio Ramirez’s 2nd home run of the season, a 3 run shot in the 6th, tied the game at 4. Alejandro Olano singled home the go ahead run in the 7th.
WP: L. Flores (2-1)
LP: D. Graham (0-1)
SV: A. Villa (3)
Record: 7-5

[TribeTown]

Game #13 – April 7 – Pittsburgh 8, Chicago 2
Ernesto Parra drove in 3 runs and Jake Morrow drove in 2 as the Pirates jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back. Reliever Madrey suffered an injury in the 9th inning.
WP: F. Gonzalez (1-0)
LP: F. Aguilar (2-1)
Record: 8-5

Game #14 – April 8 – Pittsburgh 7, Chicago 6
Alvaro Amezola singled home 2 runs in the top of the 5th to give the Pirates a 3-1 lead. Pittsburgh added 4 runs in the 6th, Jimmy Stone’s 3 run home run being the biggest hit, then held off a Cubs comeback. J. T. Quinn struggled in his first start, allowing 4 runs in 5 innings, but still earned the win. Another day, another pitching injury. D. J. Herz left the game with an injury.
WP: J. Quinn (1-0)
LP: J. Schmid (1-2)
SV: A. Villa (4)
Record: 9-5

TRANSACTION: Placed Omari Madrey on the 60 Day Injured List with a torn labrum. Madrey will miss the rest of the season. Recalled Marco Fuentes from AAA Evansville.

Game #15 – April 9 – Pittsburgh 6, Chicago 1
The Pirates completed the sweep behind a commanding performance by Shane Bieber. Bieber allowed 1 run on 5 hits in a complete game effort. Jake Morrow’s 6th home run of the season in the 1st out Pittsburgh up, 3-0.
WP: S. Bieber (1-1)
LP: D. Lesko (0-1)
Record: 10-5

TRANSACTION: Placed DJ Herz on the 60 Day Injured List with a partially torn UCL. Recalled Zach Swanson from AAA Evansville.

Game #16 – April 10 – Pittsburgh 13, Atlanta 6
The Pirates won their 6th game in a row. After Atlanta jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st inning, Pittsburgh scored 7 times in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Owen Paino's bases clearing triple.
WP: D. Magdaleno (4-0)
LP: Y. Matsumoto (1-3)
Record: 11-5

Game #17 – April 11 – Pittsburgh 5, Atlanta 1
The Pirates won again as Luis Flores had a standout performance (6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 11 K). Alvaro Amezola and Jimmy Stone each knocked in 2 runs.
WP: L. Flores (3-1)
LP: R. Scaller (0-1)
Record: 12-5

Game #18 – April 12 – Atlanta 7, Pittsburgh 4
Atlanta snapped Pittsburgh's 7 game winning streak, scoring a run in the 7th to break a 4-4 tie and adding 2 more in the 8th. Roman Beaulieu hit his 1st home run of the season.
WP: D. Castaneda (1-2)
LP: E. Emery (0-1)
SV: K. Castro (2)
Record: 12-6

[TribeTown]

Game #19 – April 13 – Memphis 6, Pittsburgh 2
Pittsburgh scored twice in the 1st inning but then Yoendris Gonzalez held Pirates hitters in check for the rest of the game.
WP: Y. Gonzalez (1-2)
LP: K. Long (0-1)
Record: 12-7

Game #20 – April 14 – Pittsburgh 3, Memphis 2
Shane Bieber has another good start. He allowed 1 ER over 5.1 innings while striking out 8. Jake Morrow led the way offensively with a home run in the 2nd inning and a sacrifice fly in the 3rd.
WP: S. Bieber (2-1)
LP: N. Esperon (0-1)
SV: A. Villa (5)
Record: 13-7

Game #21 – April 15 – Memphis 7, Pittsburgh 4
The River Cats scored 4 times in the bottom of the 7th inning to take the rubber match of the series.
WP: J. Camargo (1-0)
LP: D. Magdaleno (4-1)
SV: S. Castillo (8)
Record: 13-8

Game #22 – April 16 – Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 4
The Pirates scored 3 times in the bottom of the 9th inning with Jake Morrow's sacrifice fly giving them a walk off win.
WP: M. Fuentes (1-0)
LP: H. Juenger (1-1)
Record: 14-8

Game #23 – April 17 – Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 3
Drew Romo went 2-4 with a home run and Frank Gonzalez struck out 7 in 5.2 innings to lead the Pirates. Roman Beaulieu had the biggest hit of the game, hitting a 2 run home run in the bottom of the 5th to give the Pirates the lead.
WP: F. Gonzalez (2-0)
LP: M. Englert (1-4)
SV: A. Villa (6)
Record: 15-8

TRANSACTION: Sent P Juan Rivera to AAA Evansville on injury rehab.

Game #24 – April 18 – St. Louis 3, Pittsburgh 0
The Cardinals salvaged the final game of the series as the Pirates were shutout on 5 hits. Santiago Colmenares was outstanding for the Redbirds.
WP: S. Colmenares (2-3)
LP: J. Quinn (1-2)
SV: A. Granillo (3)
Record: 15-9

[TribeTown]

April 19 – Off Day

Game #25 – April 20 – Pittsburgh 10, Cincinnati 5
Owen Paino went 2-3 with a double a d a home run. He drove in 3 runs. Alejandro Olano's 3 run home run in the top of the 7th put the Pirates up 6-4.
WP: M. Fuentes (2-0)
LP: S. Samdov (0-2)
Record: 16-9

TRANSACTION: Activated P Jessie Shoemaker from the IL and optioned to AAA Evansville.

Game #26 – April 21 – Pittsburgh 13, Cincinnati 3
Alvaro Amezola, Jackson Merrill, and Owen Paino each drove in 3 runs as the Pirates pounded out 17 hits in a blowout win.
WP: D. Magdaleno (5-1)
LP: R. Cespedes (1-4)
Record: 17-9

Game #27 – April 22 – Pittsburgh 3, Cincinnati 2
Luis Flores was domimant before giving up 2 runs in the 6th. He allowed just 3 hits and struck out 9. With the game tied in the top of the 7th, Boston Kellner drove.i. the go ahead run with an RBI groundout.
WP: S. Price (2-0)
LP: B. Wilson (0-4)
SV: A. Villa (7)
Record: 18-9

Game #28 – April 23 – Pittsburgh 4, Indianapolis 2
Frank Gonzalez was terrific. After allowing 2 runs in the 1st, he retired 15 batters in a row, 10 by strikeout. Jake Morrow hit a 2 run home run in the bottom of the 7th (his 9th) to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead.
WP: M. Fuentes (3-0)
LP: H. Tokar (0-1)
SV: A. Villa (8)
Record: 19-9

Game #29 – April 24 – Pittsburgh 8, Indianapolis 0
J. T. Quinn, Jesus Garza, and Boston Kellner combined to pitch a 4 hit shutout. Drew Romo hit a home run and drove in 3.
WP: J. Quinn (2-2)
LP: C. Helton (2-3)
Record: 20-9

Game #30 – April 25 – Indianapolis 4, Pittsburgh 3
The Railsplitters snapped Pittsburgh’s 5 game winning streak when Shohei Ohtani hit a solo home run in the top of the 8th to break a 3-3 tie.
WP: J. Walsh (1-0)
LP: S. Price (2-1)
SV: L. Vega (4)
Record: 20-10

[TribeTown]

Game #31 – April 26 – San Diego 5, Pittsburgh 3
Carmen Mlodzinski pitched well and the Padres jumped out to an early 5-0 lead. The Pirates never could really get anything going offensively, although they managed to push 3 runs across a d had chances in the late innings.
WP: C. Mlodzinski (2-1)
LP: D. Magdaleno (5-3)
SV: J. Jimenez (10)
Record: 20-11

Game #32 – April 27 – Pittsburgh 3, San Diego 1
Luis Flores pitched well, but Chris Rodriguez was even better. Rodriguez shut the Pirates out through 6 innings, but Jackson Merrill’s HR in the 7th tied the game at 1. Ernesto Parra hit a 2 run home run in the 8th to give the Pirates the win.
WP: B. Kellner (1-1)
LP: J. Etienne (1-1)
SV: A. Villa (9)
Record: 21-11

TRANSACTION: Traded Tatsuya Suga and minor league 1B David Castro to Arizona in exchange for minor leaguers Arturo Campillo and OF Sean Purcell.

Thr Pirates were going to lose Suga if they did not promote him at the end of the month. Campillo and Purcell are both middle of the road projects who project to be utility players at best.

Game #33 – April 28 – Pittsburgh 5, San Diego 4 (10 innings)
Jake Morrow hit a 3 run home run and the Pirates jumped out to a 4-0 in the 1st inning, but the Padres fought back. Trailing 4-3, San Diego tied it in the bottom of the 9th as Alvaro Villa blew his 2nd game of the season. Jackson Merrill singled home the go ahead run in the 10th
WP: A. Villa (1-0)
LP: J. Jimenez (0-2)
SV: S. Price (2)
Record: 22-11

Game #34 – April 29 – Colorado 6, Pittsburgh 4
The Rockies scored 3 times in the 7th to take the lead and added a run in the 9th. Ernesto Parra's 2 run home run in the 9th drew the Pirates to within 2 and they brought the tying run to the plate, but could not get another big hit.
WP: R. Pottle (4-0)
LP: J. Quinn (2-3)
SV: P. Balcom (10)
Record: 22-12

TRANSACTION: Placed C Joe Mack on the 10 Day Injured List (fractured finger). Purchased Abrahan Gutierrez’s contract from AAA Evansville. Optioned Marco Fuentes to AAA. Recalled Juan Rivera.

Game #35 – April 30 – Pittsburgh 9, Colorado 3
Julio Ramirez went 3-4 with a home run and drove.in 4 to lead the charge. Alejandro Olano also had a big day for the Pirates.
WP: S. Bieber (3-1)
LP: C. Dabbs (1-1)
Record: 23-12

TRANSACTION: Claimed OF/P Dave Brunnell of waivers from the Dodgers. He has decent contact ability but almost no power. He can play all three OF positions and is also a serviceable reliever.

[TribeTown]

Note: This is where I stopped writing several months ago. I have continued to play however and am now far behind. I will catch up over the next few days with abbreviated recaps.

5/1/32 Colorado 1, Pittsburgh 0
The Pirates wasted an impressive performance by David Magaeleno

TRANSACTION: Designated Luca Reyes for assignment. Placed OF Dave Brunnell on the active roster.

Optioned C Abrahan Gutierrez to AAA Evansville and activates Dan Syquia from the IL.

5/3/32 NY Mets 7, Pittsburgh 3
Arturo Longoria had the big hit, a 2 run single in the 5th to give the Mets the lead.

5/4/32 NY Mets 7, Pittsburgh 2
The Pirates dropped their 3rd game in a row.

5/5/32 Pittsburgh 7, NY Mets 5 (10 innings)
Alvaro Amezola singled home the winning run in the top of the 10th.

TRANSACTION: Claimed P Vince Corbett off waivers from Cincinnati. Assigned Corbett to AAA Evansville.

5/6/32 Pittsburgh 5, Arizona 3
Shane Bieber improved to 4-1 as the Pirates improved to 25-15.

5/7/32 Pittsburgh 8, Arizona 7
Ernesto Para went 5-5, including a 2 run home run in the 1st inning.

5/8/32 Pittsburgh 4, Arizona 1
Luis Flores was dominant, allowing 1 run on 4 hits over 7 innings.

5/9/32 Charlotte 5, Pittsburgh 2
Frank Gonzalez pitched effectively but took the loss.

5/10/32 Charlotte 13, Pittsburgh 9
Tommy White hit 2 home runs as the Brown Bears out slugged the Pirates c

5/11/32 Pittsburgh 3, Charlotte 2 (11 innings)
The Pirates salvaged the final game of the series when Alvaro Amezola delivered a walk off single in the 11th.

TRANSACTION: Placed Ernesto Para on the 10 Day IL (fractured hand). Placed P Jorge Silva on the 15 Day IL (herniated disk). Designated Dave Brunnell for assignment. Purchased the contracts of P Marco Fuentes, OF Alejandro Silva, and P/INF Masyn Winn from AAA Evansville.

5/12/32 Pittsburgh 2, LA Dodgers 0
David Magaeleno improved to 7-3, pitching 7.1 scoreless innings.

5/13/32 LA Dodgers 1, Pittsburgh 0
The Dodgers broke a scoreless tie when Luis Arraez hit a sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers a walk off win.

5/14/32 Pittsburgh 3, LA Dodgers 2
The Pirates took the rubber match of this tightly played series. Owen Piano singled home the go ahead run in the top of the 15th inning.

5/16/32 Pittsburgh 7, Milwaukee 0
J. T. Quinn was sensational as the Pirates shut out the Brewers.

5/17/32 Pittsburgh 7, Milwaukee 5
The Pirates improved to 32-18 when Jake Morrow broke a 5-5 tie with a 2 run single in the bottom of the 7th.

TRANSACTION: Assigned Dave Brunnell to AAA Evansville.

5/18/32 Pittsburgh 6, Milwaukee 5
The Pirates completed the sweep when Drew Tomo hit a walk off single in the bottom of the 9th.

5/19/32 Pittsburgh 4, Washington 3
Luis Flores struck out 11 over 6.1 innings as the Pirates won their 5th game in a row.

5/20/32 Pittsburgh 7, Washington 0
Ezequiel Tovar hit 2 home runs as the Pirates improved to 35-18.

5/21/32 Washington 14, Pittsburgh 6
Washington’s offensive barrage put an end to Pittsburgh’s 6 game winning streak.

5/22/32 Pittsburgh 7, San Francisco 2
Alejandro Silva went 2-3 with a home run and 3 RBIs to lead the Pirates.

5/23/32 San Francisco 6, Pittsburgh 3
Nick Swiney pitched the Giants to a victory.

5/24/32 San Francisco 5, Pittsburgh 4
The Pirates dropped the rubber match when Jaquan Shaheed drove home the go ahead run in the top of the 9th.

5/25/32 Pittsburgh 8, Philadelphia 5
Dan Syquia went 5-6, including a solo HR in the top of the 13th inning to give the Pirates the lead.

TRANSACTION: Claimed P Pete O’Brien off waivers from Indianapolis. Assigned O’Brien to AAA Evansville (calf strain).

5/26/32 Philadelphia 14, Pittsburgh 1
The less said about this one the better.

5/27/32 Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1
The Pirates dropped their second series in a row Jesus Ramirez out dueled Shane Bieber.

TRANSACTION: Place Masyn Winn on the IL

5/29/32 Pittsburgh 4, Portland 0
David Magdaleno was outstanding

TRANSACTION: Optioned SS Roman Beaulieu to AAA. Purchased the contracts of P Bubba Chandler and SS Arturo Ayala.

5/30/32 Portland 7, Pittsburgh 6
The Majestic outlasted the Pirates in an ugly game.

5/31/32 Portland 3, Pittsburgh g2
The Pirates dropped another series when Jordan Groshens singled home the go ahead run in the top of the 9th.

TRANSACTION: Optioned C Joe Mack to AAA Evansville.

[TribeTown]

6/1/32 Pittsburgh 7, Chicago 1
J. T. Quinn had a solid start as the Pirates improved to 39-25.

TRANSACTION: Received Rule 5 draft pick Reed Pottle back from Colorado. Assigned Pottle to AAA Evansville.

6/2/32 Chicago 4, Pittsburgh 2
Dylan Leski was impressive as the Cubs evened the series.

6/3/32 Chicago 4, Pittsburgh 3
David Magdaleno pitched 6 shutout innings but the Cubs scored 4 times in the 7th to take the series.

6/4/32 Pittsburgh 7, Atlanta 2
James Morrow had 3 hits including a home run and drove in 3 to lead the Pirates offense.

TRANSACTION: Sent Jorge Silva to AAA Evansville on injury rehab.

6/5/32 Pittsburgh 3, Atlanta 0
Frank Gonzalez was superb, pitching 7 shutout innings.

TRANSACTION: The Pirates traded RP Sam Price to Detroit in exchange for RB Alexander Cornielle. Detroit will retain 50% of Cornielle’s contract. Cornielle is one of the top relievers in the gama and is 3-3 with 18 saves and a 1.50 ERA for the Tigers.

6/6/32 Atlanta 2, Pittsburgh 0
Spencer Strider pitched a no-hitter. He struck out 9 and walked 1.

6/7/32 Memphis 6, Pittsburgh 2
The River Cats won their 4th game in a row.

6/8/32 Pittsburgh 18, Memphis 5
Pittsburgh’s offensive explosion was highlighted by Jimmy Stone’s 2 home runs. Dan Syquia went 3+4 with a home run. David Magdaleno improved to 9-3.

6/9/32 Pittsburgh 7, Memphis 6
Alejandro Olano hit a walk off single in the bottom of the 9th.

6/11/32 Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 3
Julio Ramirez went 3-3 with a HR and 3 RBIs to lead the Pirates.

TRANSACTION: The Pirates traded Roman Beaulieu and minor league OF Edgar Aparcio to Indianapolis in exchange for 2B Jeremy Gumm and OF Shohei Ohtani. This will be Ohtani’s 2nd go around with Pittsburgh. Gumm is a power hitting second baseman. Ezequiel Tovar will move back to SS.

Optioned Alejandro Silva and Arturo Ayala to AAA Evansville.

6/12/32 Pittsburgh 4, St. Louis 2
J. T. Quinn turned in another fine performance.

6/13/32 Pittsburgh 7, St. Louis 4
Shohei Ohtani hit a big home run and drove in 4 to help his new team sweep the Cardinals.

TRANSACTION: In their third big move of the month, the Pirates traded P Kyrin Long and minor Leaguers Edgar Rosario and Daniel Alvarado to Cincinnati in exchange for 3x All Star 3B Carter Trice. The Reds will pay 50% of his remaining contract. Trice has been one of the game’s top players with the Reds.

Purchased Vince Corbett’s contract from AAA Evansville.

NEWS: Jake Morrow was named NL Player of the Week after batting .526 with 4 HR and 9 RBIs.

6/14/32 Pittsburgh 2, Cincinnati 1
David Magdaleno was outstanding as the Pirates edged the Reds.

6/15/32 Pittsburgh 8, Cincinnati 1
Luis Flores was dominant and Drew Romo hit a clutch 2 run double to put Pittsburgh on top.

TRANSACTION: The Pirates made another move, trading J. T. Quinn, Marco Fuentes, and minor leaguer Luis Sotolongo tl Milwaukee in exchange for SP Thomas White, the 2031 Cy Young Award winner and 3X All Star. He is 7-2 with a 1.85 ERA for the Brewers this season and went 18-5 with a 2.40 ERA during his Cy Young season last year.

6/16/32 Cincinnati 3, Pittsburgh 1
The Reds salvaged the final game of the series behind a strong start by Bryse Wilson.

6/17/32 Indianapolis 4, Pittsburgh 3 (10 innings)
Hao-Yu Lee hit a walk off single in the bottom of the 10th.

6/18/32 Indianapolis 4, Pittsburgh 2
Shane Bieber pitched 6 shutout innings of 4 hit ball, but the Railsplitters scorched Alexander Cornielle to win the game.

6/19/32 Pittsburgh 6, Indianapolis 2
The Pirates improved to 49-32 behind a strong performance David Magdaleno and clutch hitting by Alejandro Olano.

6/20/32 Pittsburgh 12, San Diego 3
Ezequiel Tovar went 3-4 including his 13th home run.

TRANSACTION: Placed Jeremy Gumm on the 10 Day IL with a strained rib cage muscle. Designated Bubba Chandler for assignment. Recalled Jorge Silva and Arturo Ayala from AAA Evansville. Sent Masyn Winn to AAA Evansville on injury rehab.

6/21/32 Pittsburgh 6, San Diego 4
Frank Gonzalez pitched well enough to help the Pirates beat the Padres. Drew Romo’s 3 run home run in the bottom of the 6th was the biggest hit of the game.

TRANSACTIONS: Sent Ernesto Parra to AAA Evansville on injury rehab. Signed PC Doug Willey ,HC Robert Van Scouoc, and 3B Coach Kieran Mattison to contract extensions.

6/22/32 Pittsburgh 2, San Diego 0
Thomas White was fantastic, combining with 2 relievers for a combined no hitter. White pitched 6.2 innings and struck out 10.

6/24/32 Pittsburgh 13, Colorado 5
Owen Paino went 5-5 with 2 singles, 2 doubles, and a 2 run HR.

6/25/32 Colorado 2, Pittsburgh 0
Chris Dabbs was outstanding and the Pirates fell to Colorado in a pitcher's duel. David Magdaleno was the hard luck loser.

TRANSACTION: Assigned Bubba Chandler to AAA Evansville.

6/26/32 Colorado 3, Pittsburgh 2
The Rockies took the series behind a strong performance by Jared Jones.

6/27/32 Pittsburgh 7, NY Mets 6
Jake Morrow hit a 2 run walk off single I with 1 out in the bottom of the 8th for the win.

TRANSACTION: Designated Jackson Merrill for assignment. Activated Ernesto Parra from injury rehab.

6/28/32 Pittsburgh 6, NY Mets 4
Alejandro Olano hit a 3 run home run in the bottom of the 8th to give the Pirates the lead.

6/29/32 Pittsburgh 4, NY Mets 1
Shane Bieber turned in an excellent performance as the Pirates improved to 56-34.

6/30/32 Pittsburgh 14, Arizona 8
Owen Paino slugged 3 home runs. He went 4-5 and drove in 6.

[TribeTown]

7/1/32 Pittsburgh 7, Arizona 2
Ernesto Parra had 3 hits and Owen Paino hit a big 2 run HR in the 4th to put the Pirates ahead.

TRANSACTION: Assigned Jackson Merrill to AAA Evansville.

7/2/32 Pittsburgh 10, Arizona 9
Jake Morrow hit 2 home runs and drove in 5. Alejandro Olano’s 7th home run gave Pittsburgh the lead in the bottom of the 6th.

7/3/32 Charlotte 4, Pittsburgh 2
Jordan Sprinkle’s Grand slam off Thomas White in the 4th was the difference in the game.

7/4/32 Charlotte 8, Pittsburgh 6
The Brown Bears prevailed for the 2nd day in a row. Rin Wilson threw 7 innings of 4 hit ball for Charlotte.

NEWS: Jake Morrow was named NL Player of the Week after going 12-27 with 3 HRs and 9 RBIs

TRANSACTION: Sent Jeremy Gumm to AAA Evansville on injury rehab.

7/5/32 Pittsburgh 3, Charlotte 2
The Pirates salvaged the final game of the series behind an outstanding performance by David Magaeleno, who earned his 11th win. Alvaro Villa picked up his 23rd save.

TRADE: July 10 – Pittsburgh traded Jackson Merrill, OF Luca Reyes,and minor league OF Julio Colan to Atlanta in exchange for RP Josue Panacual and RP Kervin Castro. The Braves will retain 50% of Castro's salary.

Designated Jesus Garza and Masyn Winn for assignment. Panacual and Castro added to the active roster.

7/10/32 LA Dodgers 7, Pittsburgh 4
D. L. Hall held the Pirates in check.

7/11/32 Pittsburgh 3, LA Dodgers 0
David Magdaleno was outstanding and Owen Paino’s 2 run HR in the bottom of the 7th as the Pirates improved to 61-37.

TRADE: The Pirates traded Jerming Rosario to the NY Yankees in exchange for 1B prospect Josh Essary.

DRAFT: The top 5 draft picks were:

P Dan Gillen – Has the potential to anchor a rotation.

P Ben Dunn – Could develop into a mid rotation starter.

SS Jeremy Blanton – Potential contact hitter with some power potential.

P Luis Meza – Expected to be able to be a solid starter at the major league level.

OF Tim Morales – Should be an above average power hitter once he fully develops.

7/12/32 LA Dodgers 4, Pittsburgh 3
Ezequiel Tovar’s 10th inning error allowed the go ahead run to score.

7/13/32 Pittsburgh 5, Milwaukee 3
Luis Flores pitched well and Alejandro Olano delivered a clutch hit to lift the Pirates.

7/14/32 Pittsburgh 5, Milwaukee 2
Ezequiel Tovar hit 2 home runs to lead the Pirates to a win.

7/15/32 Milwaukee 7, Pittsburgh 2
Brewers starter Raimel Howell held the Pirates in check.

7/16/32 Pittsburgh 3, Washington 0
David Magdaleno scattered 3 hits over 7 innings and struck out 8 to improve to 13-4 on the season.

TRANSACTION: Added Jeremy Gumm to the active roster. Released Brayan Rocchio.

7/17/32 Pittsburgh 7, Washington 5
The Pirates improved to 65-39 and opened a 14 ½ game lead in the Central behind a big day by Jeremy Gumm.

7/18/32 Washington 5, Pittsburgh 3
Luis Garcia hit 2 home runs as the Nationals avoided a sweep.

7/19/32 San Francisco 4, Pittsburgh 0
The NL West leading Giants won as Mat Ayala tamed the Pirates offense.

7/20/32 San Francisco 2, Pittsburgh
The Giants prevailed in a tight contest as Alek Manoah out dueled Frank Gonzalez.

7/21/32 Pittsburgh 4, San Francisco 1
David Magdaleno stopped the losing stream and improved to 14-4.

TRANSACTION: Placed Jeremy Gumm on the 10 Day IL with a strained rib cage muscle. Purchased the contracts of Youichirou Sugiyama from AAA Evansville.

7/23/32 Pittsburgh 7, Philadelphia 4
Ezequiel Tovar went 2-5 with a home run to lead the Buccos to a win over the NL East leading Phillies.

7/24/32 Pittsburgh 2, Philadelphia 1
Luis Flores was masterful, allowing 1 run on 4 hits and striking out 11 over 7.1 innings.

7/25/32 Philadelphia 5, Pittsburgh 3
The Phillies salvaged the final game of the series despite a fine day by Jake Morrow (2-3, 1 HR, 3 RBIs).

7/26/32 Portland 5, Pittsburgh 3
Luke Rodriguez pitched well for the Majestic as the Pirates dropped their second game in a row.

7/27/32 Pittsburgh 7, Portland 5
Ernesto Parra belted a 3 run home run in the 6th to tie the game. Ezequiel Tovar hit a 2 run home run to give Pittsburgh the lead.

7/28/32 Portland 4, Pittsburgh 1
Erik Miller pitched well as Portland took the series.

TRADE: Pittsburgh traded minor league P Inocente Alva to the Cubs in exchange for INF Xavier Edwards. Edwards is speedy and can play multiple positions. He was batting .286 with 5 HR and 29 RBIs with Chicago.

Placed Edwards on the active roster and optioned Youichirou Sugiyama to AAA Evansville.

7/29/32 Pittsburgh 8, Chicago 4
Pittsburgh won its 70th game. Dan Syquia had 2 hits, walked twice, and drove in 4 as the Pirates won the series opener.

7/30/32 Chicago 6, Pittsburgh 5 (10 innings)
Colin Houck delivered the game winning walk off single in the bottom of the 10th.

7/31/32 Chicago 7, Pittsburgh 4
Alejandro Orosco hit a 2 run home run in the bottom of the 7th to put the Cubs ahead.

TRADE: The Pirates traded minor league OF Frederico Orsi to San Diego in exchange for 3B Drayk Bowen. Bowen returns to the Steel City after the Pirates traded him to Arizona in 12/22/31. The Diamondbacks placed him on waivers in April and the Padres claimed him. With San Diego, he was batting .272 with 17 HR and 44 RBIs.

[TribeTown]

8/1/32 Pittsburgh 7, Atlanta 4
Drayk Bowen made his presence felt immediately. His 2 run double in the bottom of the 1st gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead.

TRANSACTION: Placed Drayk Bowen on the active roster. Optioned Eric Emery to AAA Evansville.

8/2/32 Atlanta 3, Pittsburgh 1
Shane Bieber ended up on the short end of a pitcher's duel. David Castaneda handcuffed Pirates hitters all night.

8/3/32 Atlanta 5, Pittsburgh 4 (11 innings)
Ronald Acuna singled home the go ahead run in the top of the 11th inning.

8/5/32 Pittsburgh 8, Memphis 0
Thomas White overpowered the River Cats, pitching a complete game and holding Memphis to just 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 9.

8/6/32Pittsburgh 10, Memphis 6
Shohei Ohtani hit a home run and Carter Trice drove home the go ahead run as the Pirates out slugged the River Cats.

8/7/32 Memphis 5, Pittsburgh 4
Luisangel Acuna hit a dramatic walk off single to give the River Cats the win.

8/8/32 St. Louis 14, Pittsburgh 10
Drayk Bowen drove in 4 runs but it was not enough as the Cardinals out slugged the Pirates.

8/9/33 Pittsburgh 6, St. Louis 3
Shohei Ohtani slugged a grand slam in the bottom of the 1st and Luis Flores improved to 11-4.

8/10/32 Pittsburgh 7, St. Louis 2
The Pirates improved to 75-51. Alejandro Olano doubled home the go ahead run in the 7th.

8/11/32 Cincinnati 6, Pittsburgh 5
David Ibarra doubled home the go ahead run in the bottom of the 8th.

8/12/32 Pittsburgh 9, Cincinnati 3
Ezequiel Tovar went 3-5 with a home run and drove in 4 to lead the Pirates past the Reds.

8/13/32 Cincinnati 8, Pittsburgh 5
Juan Flores drilled 2 home runs as the Reds took the rubber match.

8/14/32 Pittsburgh 11, Indianapolis 0
Jimmy Stone went 3-4 with 2 doubles, while scoring 3 times and driving in 3 to lead the Pirates.

TRANSACTION: Placed Alejandro Olano on the 19 day IL (back tightness). Purchased Youichirou Sugiyama’s contract from AAA Evansville.

8/15/32 Pittsburgh 2, Indianapolis 1 (11innings)
Shane Drohan pitched 7 shutout innings for the Railsplitters, but the Pirates tied it in the 9th and Dan Syquia hit a walk off double in the bottom of the 11th.

8/16/32 Indianapolis 5, Pittsburgh 1
The Railsplitters salvaged the final game of the series behind a strong performance by starting pitcher Chris Helton.

8/18/32 Pittsburgh 6, San Diego 5
Ezequiel Tovar hit 2 home runs, including a 2 run shot off of Joe Jimenez in the top of the 9th to give the Pirates the lead.

8/19/32 San Diego 3, Pittsburgh 2 (11 innings)
Jarred Kelenic hit a walk off home runs off of Kervin Castro in the bottom of the 11th.

8/20/32 Pittsburgh 8, San Diego 2
Luis Flores was outstanding, allowing just 1 hit over 6 innings of work.

8/21/32 Pittsburgh 17, Colorado 4
Drew Romo had a 5 hit day as the Pirates demolished the Rockies.

8/22/32 Pittsburgh 4, Colorado 3
Alvaro Amezola went 2-3 and his run scoring sacrifice fly in the 7th put the Pirates in front, 4-3.

NEWS: Drew Romo was named NL Player of the Week after going 10-17 with 3 HRs and 8 RBIs.

8/23/32 Pittsburgh 3, Colorado 2
David Magdaleno pitched well and Owen Paino was the walk off her. His solo HR off of Hunter Elliott in the bottom of the 9th sent the home fans home happy.

8/24/32 Pittsburgh 5, NY Mets 3
Shane Bieber was superb, scattering 3 hits over 7 innings.

TRANSACTION: Sent Jeremy Gumm to AAA Evansville on injury rehab assignment. Placed Jimmy Stone on the 10 Day IL (knee inflammation). Purchased Dave Brunnell’s
contract from AAA Evansville.

8/25/32 Pittsburgh 5, NY Mets 2
The Pirates won their 6th game in a row and improved to 85-55 on the season. The game was tied 2-2 in the top of the 9th when Julio Rodriguez swatted a 2 run HR.

8/26/32 NY Mets 6, Pittsburgh 3
Pittsburgh held a 3-2 lead when Axiel Piaz blasted a grand slam off of Alexander Cornielle for the walk off win.

TRANSACTION: Placed Luis Flores on the 15 Day IL (finger blister). Recalled Eric Emery from AAA Evansville.

8/27/32 Arizona 10, Pittsburgh 7
It was a back and forth game with a lot of hitting and not much pitching. Edwin Arroyo, Jr., hit a 2 run HR in the bottom of the 8th to put the Diamondbacks up 8-7.

8/28/32 Pittsburgh 4, Arizona 2
The Pirates got back in the winning track behind a big day from Alvaro Amezola (3-5,), including a 2 run single in the 7th to put Pittsburgh up 4-2.

8/29/32 Arizona 6, Pittsburgh 2
The Diamondbacks took the rubber match behind a 3 run home run from Jonathan Snyder.

TRANSACTION: Activated Jeremy Gumm from rehab. Optioned Youichirou Sugiyama to AAA Evansville.

8/31/32 Pittsburgh 7, Charlotte 2
Jake Morrow hit 2 home runs and drove in 3, and Drew Romo hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 4th inning.

[TribeTown]

9/1/32 Pittsburgh 6, Charlotte 4 (10 innings)
Dan Syquia hit a 2 run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Pirates a walk off win

9/2/32 Pittsburgh 4, Charlotte 2
Drayk Bowen hit a 2 run home run in the bottom of the 8th to break a 2-2 tie.

9/3/32 Pittsburgh 5, LA Dodgers 3 (15 innings)
The Pirates outlasted the Dodgers in a marathon. Drayk Bowen’s 15th inning double put Pittsburgh ahead 4-3.

9/4/32 LA Dodgers 5, Pittsburgh 2
Jake Eder pitched the Dodgers to a big win as Los Angeles tries to stay in the NL West race. Despite the loss, the Pirates (90-58) clinched a playoff berth.

9/5/32 Pittsburgh 7, LA Dodgers 4
Alvaro Amezola had 2 hits and drove in 5 runs to lead the Pirates. Among his hits was his 68th double of the season, setting a new major league record. Earl Webb previously held the record with 67 in 1931. Amezola is the 7th player in MLB history to hit at least 60 doubles in a season. The other six all played between 1926 and 1936.

9/6/32 Milwaukee 4, Pittsburgh 1
Spencer Torkelson went 2-4 with a home run to lead the Brewers. Despite the loss, the Pirates clinched the NL Central title.

9/7/32 Pittsburgh 8, Milwaukee 6
The Pirates improved to 92-60 behind a big day from Ezequiel Tovar. Tovar went 3-5 with a home run, a double, and 2 RBIs. He also score 3 times.

9/8/32 Pittsburgh 3, Milwaukee 2 (15 innings)
Jake Morrow hit a walk off single in the bottom of the 15th.

9/9/32 Pittsburgh 18, Washington 4
The Pirates crushed the Nationals behind a 4-6 day from Jeremy Gumm and a strong start by Shane Bieber.

9/10/32 Washington 6, Pittsburgh 4
Shohei Ohtani went 2-3 with a home run, a double, and 2 RBIs, but it was not enough as the Nationals evened the series.

9/11/32 Pittsburgh 5, Washington 4
The Pirates took the rubber match. Alvaro Amezola went 3-4 with a home run and 2 RBIs, and Shohei Ohtani hit a 2 run home run in the 4th to give the Buccos a 4-2 lead.

9/12/32 OFF Day

9/13/32 San Francisco 13, Pittsburgh 6
David Mendoza hit 2 home runs and drove in 5 as the Giants out slugged the Pirates.

NEWS: Alejandro Olano was named NL Player of the Week after going 13-26 with 6 runs batted in.

9/14/32 Pittsburgh 7, San Francisco 4
Trailing 4-3, Owen Paino launched a grand slam with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th for the walk off win.

9/15/32 San Francisco 5, Pittsburgh 3
David Mendoza hit a 2 run double in the top of the 9th to break a 3-3 tie

9/16/32 Pittsburgh 9, Philadelphia 2
Ernesto Parra’s 3rd inning grand slam put the Pirates up 7-1 as the Pirates won this meeting of the top 2 teams in the NL.

9/17/32 Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 5 (11 innings)
Rodolfo Mejia blasted a solo HR in the bottom of the 11th to give the Phillies a walk off win. Philadelphia improved to 99-62 and secured the top seed. The Pirates fall to 97-64 .

9/18/32 Pittsburgh 10, Philadelphia 4
Shohei Ohtani hammered a 3 run home run in the top of the 1st inning and the Pirates cruised to a win on the final day of the regular season.

[TribeTown]

WILD CARD ROUND

Houston swept the Mariners (2-0)

Baltimore beat Minnesota 2 games to 1.

Charlotte won their first playoff series in franchise history, beating the NL West Champion Giants 2 games to 1.

The Dodgers beat the Brewers 2 games to 1 and will meet the Pirates in the NLDS.

[TribeTown]

Division Round Game #1 – September 25 – Pittsburgh 7, LA Dodgers 1

The Pirates welcomed the Dodgers to PNC Park, where David Magdaleno (18-4, 3.29) faced off against Lunder Avila (6-7, 4.35). After Magdaleno retired the side in the top of the 1st inning, Drayk Bowen took Avila deep in the bottom of the inning to give Pittsburgh an early 1-0 lead. Bowen launched his 2nd home run (to almost the exact same spot in LF) with one on in the 3rd to give the Buccos a 3-0 lead.

Magdaleno retired 11 batters in a row after giving up a 1st inning double before Coby Mayo tagged him for a home run to RF in the 4th. The Dodgers loaded the bases with nobody out in the 5th, but Mookie Betts flew out to CF, and Ernesto Parra nailed Cristian Vaquero at the plate to complete a double play. Darryl Collins grounded out to 2B to end the inning. Carter Trice hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 6th to make it 4-1, Parra followed with a single, and Owen Paino doubled to LF to score both runners and give the Buccos a 6-1 lead. Jake Morrow added an RBI single in the 7th.

WP: D. Magdaleno
LP: L. Avila
Pittsburgh leads the series, 1-0.

[TribeTown]

Division Round Game #2 – September 26 – LA Dodgers 7, Pittsburgh 6

Thomas White (10-6, 2.73) took the mound for the Pirates. The Dodgers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning, but it could have been worse as LA loaded the bases in the 1st and had multiple base runners in the 2nd. The Pirates loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning off of D. L. Hall (10-9, 4.36), and Julio Ramirez singled through the left side of the infield to score 2 and give the Pirates the lead. Dan Syquia followed with a 2-run double off the top of the wall in LCF to make it 4-1.

White escaped another bases loaded jam in the 3rd. Darryl Collins’s solo home run in the 4th made it 4-2. Jim McMillian singled home a run with 2 outs in the 5th and Kevin Castro relieved White. Castro struck out Armando Cruz to end the inning. Jefferson Queeo’s RBI single off of Castro in the 6th tied the game.

Cristian Vaquero greeted reliever Boston Kellner with a blast to RF to lead off the 7th, giving LA a 5-4 lead. The Dodgers scored another run on a Luis Matos sacrifice fly.

Pittsburgh got a run back when Ernesto Parra doubled to lead off the bottom of the inning, advanced to 3B in a Julio Ramirez groundout, and scored on a Syquia double down the 3B line. McMillian’s RBi single of Eric Emery in the 8th made it 7-5.

Carter Trice homered to RF in the bottom of the 8th off Tyler Burch to bring the Buccos to within 1. Parra singled to lead off the bottom of the 9th, and pinch hitter Owen Paino walked. Pinch hitter Shohei Ohtani struck out and Ezequiel Tovar flew out to LF. Drayk Bowen flew out to CF to end the game.

WP: D. Hall
LP: B. Kellner
SV: T. Burch
The series is tied 1-1.

[TribeTown]

Division Round Game #3 – September 28 – LA Dodgers 6, Pittsburgh 5

The series shifted to Los Angeles where veteran Shane Bieber (9-7, 3.82) took the mound in the pivotal game 3. Former Pirate George Kirby (14-8, 3.80) started for the Dodgers. Darryl Collins smashed a 2-run home run to deep CF in the bottom of the 1st inning to give LA the early lead. Jim McMillian hit a solo shot in the 2nd to make it 3-0.

The Pirates got on the board in the top of the 3rd when Ernesto Parra singled with 1 out. Drew Romo followed with a 435 foot blast to RF to make it a 3-2 game. After Ezequiel Tovar struck out, Drayk Bowen hit his 3rd home run of the series (464 feet to LF) to tie the game. A Coby Mayo home run in the bottom of the inning out the Dodgers back on top.

Frank Gonzalez relieved Bieber to start the 4th and surrendered a home run to McMillan. Parra homered to right leading off the 5th to make it 5-4. Mayo’s 8th inning home run gave the Dodgers an insurance run.

Trailing by 2, Jake Morrow led off the 9th with his 1st home run of the postseason (419 feet to LF), but Tyler Burch retired Shohei Ohtani, Carter Trice, and Owen Paino to end the game.

WP: G. Kirby
LP: S. Bieber
SV: T. Burch
LA leads the series 2-1

[TribeTown]

Division Round Game #4 – September 29 – Pittsburgh 8, LA Dodgers 2

The Pirates faced former teammate Jose Urquidy in this elimination game. Urquidy faced just 2 batters before leaving the game with an apparent arm injury. Jose Hernandez relieved him.

Luis Flores got the start for the Pirates. Flores had only made 1 start since September 10 due to a blister issue.

Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd when they loaded the bases and Shohei Ohtani scored on a Jimmy Stone sacrifice fly. Flores escaped a jam in the bottom of the inning, but the Dodgers tied it on a Jake Morrow throwing error in the 4th. Darryl Collins blasted a solo home run to CF in the bottom of the 5th to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

Morrow doubled to lead off the 6th, and Ohtani and Carter Trice drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Owen Paino struck out, but Dan Syquia blooped a single into LF to score 2 and give the Pirates the lead. Jimmy Stone singled to RF to load the bases again, but Ezequiel Tovar and Drayk Bowen could not bring them home. Kevin Castro relieved Flores to start the bottom of the 6th with the Buccos clinging to a 3-2 lead. Trice doubled home and an insurance run with 2 outs in the 7th. Syquia’s 1st postseason HR in the 8th made it a 5-2 game. Owen Paino blasted a 2 run shot in the 9th (420 feet to LCF) and Alvaro Amezola added an RBI single to make it 8-2.

WP: L. Flores
LP: A. Perez
The series is tied 2-2

[TribeTown]

Division Round Game # 5 – October 1 – Pittsburgh 7, LA Dodgers 0

The teams returned to PNC Park where David Magdaleno and D. L. Hall squared off in Game 5. The Pirates struck first when Dan Syquia doubled with 1 out in the bottom of the 4th inning. Xavier Edwards singled and stole 2B. Ezequiel Tovar followed with an RBI bloop single to LF. Drayk Bowen popped out to CF, but after Tovar stole 2B, Alvaro Amezola singled to CF to score 2 and give the Buccos a 3-0 lead.

Magdaleno pitched 6 shutout innings before giving way to Alexander Cornielle to start the 7th. Amezola made it 4-0 with an RBI single in the bottom of the 7th. Carter Trice drove home another run with a dribbler through the middle later in the inning and Jimmy Stone drove home 2 more to break the game open.

WP: D. Magdaleno
LP: D. Hall
The Pirates win the series, 3-2

Dan Syquia was named series MVP. He batted .455, scored twice, and drove in 6.

The Pirates advance to the NLCS and will face Philadelphia, who beat Charlotte 3 games to 1.

The Pirates placed Ernesto Parra on the IL and activated Alejandro Olano prior to the opening of the Championship Series.

In the American League,Seattle beat Texas 3 games to 0 and will face Houston, 3 games to 1 winners over Baltimore.

[TribeTown]

NLCS Game #1 – October 3 – Pittsburgh 13, Philadelphia 6

The NCLS opened in Philadelphia where 2 of the top pitchers in the NL squared off against each other. The Phillies sent Andres Bernal (20-3, 3.41 during the regular season) to the mound. The Pirate countered with Thomas White, the NL ERA champ.

The Pirates struck first as Drayk Bowen delivered a 2-out RBI single in the top of the 1st inning. Jon Reed doubled home a run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 1, but White got Kuzari Vaughn to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to prevent any further damage. The Buccos retook the lead on Jake Morrow’s 3-run blast (451 feet to CF) in the 3rd. Ezequiel Tovar smashed a 441 bomb to CF in the 5th to make it 5-1.

The Phillies got a run back when Chris Harney blasted a solo shot in the bottom of the inning. Dan Syquia's 2-run home run to LF made it 7-2. Vaughn smashed a 3-run home run in the 6th to drive White from the game. Kervin Castro relieved him. Castro got out of the inning and the Pirates added an insurance run on Carter Trice 's bases loaded sacrifice fly in the 7th. Moments later (after Owen Paino drew a walk to re-load the bases), Dan Syquia unloaded his 2nd home run, a grand slam, which just cleared the fence down the LF line. The Pirates continued to add to their lead when Alejandro Olano singled home a run to make it 13-5 in the 8th,. The Phillies scored a run off of Juan Rivera in the bottom of the 9th but it was too little, too late.

WP: T. White
LP: A. Bernal
Pittsburgh leads the series 1-0