Sean Burnett backed it up in back-to-back performances against the Pirates.

Last night against the Pirates, Burnett faced Brandon Moss with two Pirates on in the eighth inning.  Steeeee-rikkkkkke Threeeee!

My hat is off to you Burnie.

It just sucks it took the Pirates trading Burnett to get him fired up.  He certainly had plenty of opportunity since being the Pirates number one pick. 

But nonetheless, just like Porter had done on so many occassions, Burnett backed up his ‘voice of the fan.’   Porter and the Pit Bulls won 8-4

This game hurt me.  Most all of you know my utter disgust for the Nationals.  It was personal.    Please forgive my poor content tonight.  Ok?

Andrew McCutchen went to 8-for-13 in the series after the league homerun leader for the month of August went yard once again.  He gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead with his fourth homerun this month, seventh of the season. 

Killer instinct.  We talk about it all the time.  3-0 lead.  We didn’t put the Nats away.  Bases loaded.  Twice.  No runs.  None.  Zip. Ugh.

Morton had thrown 50 pitches through three innings pitched.  Somehow fighting through five scoreless innings.  Morton has the best stuff on the staff and he showed it.  Morton bounced back strongly especially in the five pitch fifth inning. 

Adam Dunn at first base is ugly.  Dunn anywhere in the field is ugly.

The sixth inning for Morton was not good.  A high 88mph fastball to Dunn was placed in the left field bleachers and gave the Nats a 4-3 lead.

Tyler Clippard was dominant.  Three scoreless innings.  Glad we could get you turned around kid.

Steve Pearce has been unrecognizable since the callup….  Ladies and gentlemen, the envelope please…39PA’s, .294/385/529/914OPS.  Good God!  Could it be?  

Delwyn Young might have had his worst night as a Pirate.  Seven Pirate baserunners left on base.

Jeff Salazar is 1-for-16.  Why Jeff?

Jeff Karstens was not dominant.  What was it?  Two strikeouts and then five hits, a walk and four runs.  Karstens has been awful since his 12 scoreless inning stretch snapped. 

Donnie Veal in the ninth.  Two walks and then a slap on the ass from Cedeno, a pep talk from Joe Kerrigan, and the curveball came out.  Impressive stuff fella.

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Brian Bixler had triple, homer, walk today.

Jose Tabata 2-for-5  tonight and hitting .385 at AAA Indy.

Jeff Clement .438  7 hits in 16AB.  Three homers.

Neil Walker is coming back.  He was 3-for-5 tonight.  On a tear.

It was disturbing to watch Gorzy today.  The others have little chance on making the team, but Gorzy is pitching for a rotation spot.  Some would say he is pitching his way off the rotation.

Gorzelany gave up four earned runs on two home runs today. A three run shot by DH Josh Bard (C with Padres last year who hit .202) with nobody out in the first inning and journeyman SS Neil Green launched his solo shot in the second, also with nobody out.

Chris Bootcheck who was having a solid spring came on in the third after Gorzelany faced two batters.  (Bootcheck had gone six innings without giving up a run and allowed only three hits.)  Bootcheck allowed a grand slam to Brad Wilkerson.  That Wilkerson, you know the one that OF picked up from the Jays this year after hitting .216?

Bright side for Bootcheck? He recorded all three outs in his one inning on the mound via strikeout. 

The Pirates trailed 8-0 when they came to the plate in the bottom half of the third inning.  It looked like the Bucs would have a big inning as Robinzon Diaz doubled,  Jeff Salazar walked, and Nyjer Morgan (who was 2-3 at the plate, but got picked off first base) had his second hit of the game. 

With the core of the lineup coming to the plate, Freddy Sanchez drove in Diaz with a sacrifice, but the bases were left loaded by Nate McClouth on a questionable strike three call.  DH Ryan Doumit drove in Salazer and then with two outs Adam LaRoche drove in the fourth run of the inning as Sox Pitcher Michael James allowed all three of the inherited runners to score. With two Buccos aboard, Jack Wilson (.122)struck out to end the inning.

Tyler Yates ran his scoreless innings streak to five this spring. He retired all three batters he faced in the fourth inning.

The Pirates brought former Indian righthander Brian Slocum to work the fifth inning and he was touched for three runs on four hits in his inning of work.  He also hit two batters including Neil Green (it seemed Green might have looked like one of those Kerrigan dummies as he was also plunked by Gorzy.)

Craig Hansen continued to look strong as he retired all three Sox batters he faced in the sixth inning.  Hansen has 7K, 6IP, 0ER this spring.

In bottom of sixth, Garrett Jones, who was 2 for 2 with three runs scored on the day, walked and then scored on Andrew McCutchen’s two out RBI triple to left center.  McCutchen had a solid day drawing two walks and scoring three runs.  Jose Tabata plated McCutchcen to close the gap to 11-7.

The Pirates youngsters kept  hammering the ball with Tabata having another hit, this one a double in the four run eighth inning when he, Brian Bixler, and then Neil Walker who was 2 for 3 all had key two out RBI with big Neil’s pulling the Pirates to within one at 12-11.  However, Pirate right hander Juan Mateo allowed two more runs in the top of the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth, Jose Tabata, who must have read the morning post regarding outfielders taking a job, blistered his third hit on the day, another double driving in two runs to allow the Buccos to come all the way back and tie it at 14.  Quite a comeback  in spite of leaving ten runners on base.

The Red Sox didn’t stop scoring as Mateo give up another run in the top of the tenth setting the final at 15-14.

On this day, the Pirates youth proved to be a solid match against the Red Sox.  Another good sign despite our poor pitching effort.

Nate McClouth got paid.  Nate McClouth looks great again.  Check, move on to the corner outfield positions.

I find it shocking to see Nyjer Morgan not making a good impression this spring.  He gets another start today at the top of the order against the Sox.  He was O for 5 against the Astros yesterday with his first fielding error.

He certainly is getting his chance to prove his is the starter.

His results are proving quite alarming thus far.  Morgan has 27 at bats and just four hits.  He has stolen two bases and been caught once.  Struck out twice and has a hideous .179 on base percentage.

He has no walks.

That is going to be our leadoff man?  We need more.

But nobody has stepped up to really grab a job from him. Outside of Nate, it could be argued that few of our outfielders have really impressed.  Actually, nobody has had great numbers. 

Due to injuries, we haven’t been able to watch Eric Hinske and Steve Pearce (maybe he can play OF at a high level?)

Craig Monroe seems to be a viable candidate.  I wasn’t impressed with some of his outfield plays recently, but he is right handed and hitting .273 with .636 slugging.

Brandon Moss has a significant bruised thumb and mild sprain now, but he was hitting a paltry .150 prior to the injury.  Reports say he will be ready by opening day.  I guess that means much of the remainder of spring training will be spent in rehab. 

Andrew McCutchen deserves to be on the big league club you say?  He is hiting a whopping .143.

Jose Tabata has walked three times and scored two runs although hitless in three at bats.  He is bound for the minors, but I liked what I saw of him against Atlanta. 

Jeff Salazar will get his chance to improve upon his .222 average with a start today in right field.

Andy Phillips has raked (.467), but isn’t a full-time outfielder.  Garrett Jones has hit well (.368) and is showing more comfort in the outfield.

With so many outfielders banged up, Morgan should see even more playing time.  I am watching him and all the outfielders closely this week. 

I am still thinking we are going to see great things from Hinske and Moss once they come back from their injuries, but in the meantime someone….anyone… step up and win a job with your performance this spring. 

And Morgan please have a hot week.  I know you can’t lose the job if nobody takes it from you.  But show us something.