The Earmuffersons went to PNC Park yesterday. One magical moment later, twitter superstars!

It was just an insane game today. The outstanding news is the Pittsburgh Pirates shut down the Los Angeles Dodgers thanks to Garrett Freaking Jones going deep twice with three-run bombs off  Joe Blanton who was making his third start as a Dodger.

#AlwaysSmooth Clint Barmes got into the act as well driving in three runs as A.J. Burnett got beat up by the suddenly potent Dodger Blue offense, but wouldn’t get knocked out and stuck around to strike out seven.

Matt Kemp missed the action and his team could have really used him today, thank God he got himself ejected. Home plate umpire Angel Campos had more spit fired his way than a third graders trumpet.

Don Mattingly came out to argue with Campos and was tossed by first base umpire Tim Tschida. It was hard to tell, but Kemp exploded out of the dugout and touched up against an ump as he was unleashing his venom. (Kemp’s actions prompted the classic earmuffs screenshot that exploded on Twitter)

If that wasn’t enough, Joe Blanton had a stare down with Campos as he walked toward the L.A. dugout, and was promptly ejected after being pulled in the fifth inning. Blanton charged at Campos, but, as so often is the case was caught just in time before reaching the home plate ump.

The Bucs had fell behind 4-3 when Hanley Ramirez crushed a homer and flashed the dugout the “I see you” googles as he rounded second—the only thing was if you watch the video, Burnett might have thought HRam was doing it toward him.

Down a run, Blanton surrendered a triple to #AlwaysSmooth Clint Barmes, providing the 25,000+ at PNC Park more than there 100 percent requirement of smooth. GFJ hit his second three-run bomb in the fifth inning.

Pedro Alvarez followed with a solo bomb to the ‘P’ in the Pirates shrubbery in dead center field that chased Blanton, who has now given up 26 homers, most in the continent we believe. #DayDro is back. Watch out St. Louis, El Toro is coming and you know what happened last time!

Burnett goes his revenge when he struck out Ramirez in the sixth inning, a pitch or two before the Dodgers shortstop glared at Campos when he disagreed with a strike called on him. After he struckout, he bounced his bat on the plate and Campos pointed toward it and fined him.

The eyes of the Pirates ace never left Ramirez, and in the blink of an eye, a memorable moment occured, but more important to everyone in Pittsburgh, a catchphrase emerged from A.J’s mouth, ‘sit the fu*k down!’

Where are those earmuffs again?

It sounds like the making of a can’t-put-it-down bestseller. The blast put the Pirates into a tie for first place.

For all the failings of Neal Huntington – which everyone has been so quick to point out – don’t forget the players that are making contributions on this 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates team. Right now, none is bigger than Drew Sutton.

July 3, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Drew Sutton (17) is doused with water after hitting the game winning solo home run against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning at PNC Park. The Pittsburgh Pirates won 8-7. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

Sutton murdered a 1-1 pitch to deep center for his third hit of the game. The Pirates have won six of their past seven. Sutton is on his third team of the 2012 season, and we aren’t even to the All-Star break.

AJ Burnett wasn’t sharp and allowed six Houston Astros runs, but that didn’t stop him from shoving a pie in the face of Sutton as he was mobbed after crossing home plate. The Bucs have plenty to celebrate, as they have six wins in the past seven games.

“I didn’t know if I hit it well because it was deep to center. I was yelling at it,” Sutton said

July 3, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Drew Sutton (left) is doused with water by first baseman Casey McGehee (right) after hitting the game winning solo home run against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning at PNC Park. The Pittsburgh Pirates won 8-7. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

Another gem of a find for Huntington was Garrett Jones, who crushed a two-run homer after Andrew McCutchen legged out an infield single that put him into the NL lead in hitting. Manchild’s bomb left PNC Park, and put the Bucs ahead 7-6.

We were driving past Blair County Ballpark when GFJ crushed it and –right on cue– the fireworks from the home of the Altoona Curve went skyward.

Yeah, we took the long way home.

July 3, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Garrett Jones (46) rounds the bases after hitting a two run homerun against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning at PNC Park. The Pittsburgh Pirates won 8-7. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

A.J. Burnett goes for eight straight this afternoon in Philadelphia

This afternoon A.J. Burnett will ride into Philadelphia looking to win his eighth straight start.  The Bucs will look to win ten straight with Burnett on the mound.  Doing so would salvage a split in a series that had the looks of Pittsburgh already being in position for the win had they not blown scoring opportunities in game two of the series.

The last time Burnett pitched in Philly it wasn’t pretty.   The right hander got rocked for six runs in the 2009 World Series as a member of the NY Yankees.

But 2012 has been all about the comeback as he is putting together a candidacy for the All-Star Game.   Burnett has got the decision in seven straight starts by putting up an ERA under two.  He is looking at a career year at the age of 35.   Maybe it’s the water…maybe it’s the cold Irahn City’s.

The Phillies are hitting very well and the Pirates have been able to come close to matching the production after McKenry, McGehee, and McCutchen slugged bombs for the Bucs.   McCutchen crushed his blast in the eighth inning to give his Pirates some needed breathing room.  It came off Chad Qualls and sent many of the Philthadelphians home with dreams of a comeback crushed. 

McKenry has seven hits including two bombs, and would have had three if not for the stiff wind in Citizens Bank Park.

The runs might keep coming this afternoon as the Phils send Kyle Kendrick to the mound with an ERA over five.  Kendrick has pitched rather well in five career starts against the Bucs, but Kendrick has struggled in his last three starts giving up 13 earned runs in 14.1 innings while getting ripped for 22 hits. 

If Burnett and the Zoltan powered Buccos can shut down Philly today, it would be jut their fourth win in the last 20 games in Philly. 

But it would be yet another step for A.J. Burnett in a comeback that is beginning to gain national attention and erase negative memories for the pitcher who looks like the Bucs ace.