IGT 08/15 - Pirates at Metropolitans

[Guest d'Kong76]

Pittsburgh at NY Mets
When: 7:10 PM ET, Saturday, August 15, 2015
Where: Citi Field, New York City, New York
SportsDirect Inc.

The Pittsburgh Pirates look to continue their recent domination of the host New York Mets when the teams play the second contest of their three-game series on Saturday. The Pirates claimed their fourth victory in as many meetings with the Mets this season and 13th in 17 encounters with a 3-2 triumph in 10 innings on Friday.

Gregory Polanco ripped the go-ahead RBI single among his two hits and improved to 15-for-34 with six runs scored during his eight-game hitting streak. Polanco traditionally has struggled versus New York, going 4-for-23 (.174) heading into the series and is 0-for-4 with two strikeouts versus Saturday starter Jonathon Niese. While Pittsburgh has won six of eight to remain six games behind National League Central-leading St. Louis, the Mets saw their seven-game home winning streak come to a halt with their third loss in 14 outings. Daniel Murphy is riding a 10-game hitting streak, but is just 3-for-16 in his career versus Saturday starter Charlie Morton.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), WPIX-11 (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Charlie Morton (7-4, 4.48 ERA) vs. Mets LH Jonathon Niese (7-9, 3.46)

Morton has yet to defeat the Mets in seven career appearances, posting an 0-3 mark while allowing the club to bat .305 against him. The 31-year-old will need a better performance than his last trip to the mound, as he permitted five runs on 10 hits in five innings before walking away with a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Morton has pitched much better at home than on the road, where he is just 3-3 with a 5.92 ERA.

Niese recorded his second straight win and third consecutive strong outing on Monday after allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings of a 4-2 triumph over Colorado. The 28-year-old struggled in his last outing versus Pittsburgh, permitting four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 frames to take the loss on May 24. Niese would be wise to pitch carefully to Andrew McCutchen, who is 7-for-15 with a homer, three doubles and four RBIs against him in his career.

WALK-OFFS:
1. New York OF Yoenis Cespedes, who homered among his three hits on Friday, has collected six multi-hit performances in 13 games with his new team.
2. Pittsburgh 1B Pedro Alvarez is 9-for-18 with two homers, three RBIs and as many runs scored during his five-game hitting streak.
3. Mets OF Curtis Granderson went 1-for-4 on Friday to improve to 5-for-62 with 23 strikeouts in his career versus Pirates pitching.

[Guest sharpie]

1. Curtis Granderson (L) RF
2. Yoenis Cespedes ® CF
3. Daniel Murphy (L) 1B
4. Juan Uribe ® 3B
5. Kelly Johnson (L) 2B
6. Travis d'Arnaud ® C
7. Michael Conforto (L) LF
8. Ruben Tejada ® SS
9. Jon Niese (L) P

Still doin' it Dudaless

[ashie62]

Cespedes 2nd and Uribe 4th. Conforto over Cuddyer.

Mets hoping Duda can play Tuesday per ABC.

LETS GO METS!!

[Gwreck]

That was NOT a ball to McCutchen. But still a crappy job by Niese to allow the homer.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Bee-yoot of a catch by Curtis in right to end the top of the second frame.

For a game that's barely twenty minutes old, there's been a lot of muttering in blue's direction after ball-strike calls.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

They appear to have a plan at the plate, don't they?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Nice bit of info regarding the Pirates' changing fortunes regarding extra-innings from this David Williams in-game guy, who has an appealing Guys-iness to him.

Edited August 15, 2015 by Guest

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

One hit through 3 1/3? Against HIM?

C'mon, guys-- dent this bargain-basement fucker.

[Frayed Knot]

We're suddenly back to making very mediocre pitchers look very good.
I count two hard-hit balls so far: Cespedes's single and Uribe's line-out. Other than that it's a bunch of K's plus the occasional weak grounder.

Meanwhile, our pitchers have picked up a nasty habit of serving up 1st inning HRs.

[ashie62]

Still down 3-0 bottom sixth.

The Pirates are good.

[Edgy MD]

Neil Walker's father:

[Edgy MD]

Kelly Johnson makes the team's first error in nine games.

I don't want to say it may not be their night, because I believe, but it may not be their night.

I'd sure like to see some fight, though.

[Edgy MD]

There's some fight.

[Edgy MD]

Mental note: Johnson can't do much with a good curve ball.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

CONFORTED

[Fman99]

CONFORTO WITH THE KABOOM!

[Edgy MD]

Fuck you, fate!

That was a Granderson job: sending it out with some topspin.

[Frayed Knot]

When HRs reign on Morton, they pour.




and ya gotta be old to get that reference

Edited August 15, 2015 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

Michael you can drive my car!
Soon you're gonna be a star!

[Zvon]

WOOHOO!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Keep it awaaaaaaay, Clipper
A change inside can slay
And it won't taaake long
To get out... you'll get found out

[Fman99]

Clippard slows down a game like nobody's business.

[Edgy MD]

Time to do some winning.

[Edgy MD]

Mets going one-inning-per-reliever again.

[Fman99]

WOW CESPEDES WITH THE GUN

[Edgy MD]

�Hay un brazo!

[Edgy MD]

Seriously, I didn't think he had a chance.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Try to make some trouble
You're tempting fate, you're messing with defensive clout
Try to stretch a double
Our smoking Cuban will uncork his gun, no doubt
HE WILL THROW YOU OUT
HE WILL THROW YOU OUT

Edited August 15, 2015 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

Keith: "If Lagares is in center with his bad elbow, that ball's a triple."

Well, let's be fair here, Keef. Maybe Laggy doesn't overrun it in the first place. Maybe, in fact, he cuts it off before it even reaches the wall. And just maybe, he winds up tracking that ball down and putting it in his back pocket.

[Fman99]

Arquimedes Caminero on the mound. He stole his name from a Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel, methinks.