August 22 @ Atlanta Braves
Stop the presses! Damaso Marte earned his first win of the 2006 season and the Bucs managed to peddle Jose Hernandez for cash on the same day. Next thing you know, pigs will be flying and it’ll be a brisk 32 degrees in ****. Truly a monumental day in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.
All joking aside, Tuesday night’s win against a young-but-tough Atlanta squad was one of those "team efforts" I occasionally have the pleasure of writing about. Every Pirate in the starting lineup reached base at least once, five different Bucs drove in a run in the 5-3 come from behind victory, and six pitchers were used in the nine innings of play. Four runs were plated in an eighth inning offensive outburst off of Braves reliever Danys Baez, another stopper acquired by GM John Schuerholz who doesn’t do much stopping.
Mike Gonzalez boomed his way to his 22nd save of the campaign, striking out two Braves without allowing his customary three baserunners. I’m anxious to see how Capps, Grabow, and Gonzalez mesh in the 2007 bullpen, assuming all make it through the offseason roster purge. I’d like to think that our relief corps will be a definite strength next season with possible additions from within–Jonah Bayliss, Josh Shapless, Brian Rogers–and via trades and free agency.
Chris Duffy doubled and walked in five plate appearances (4 AB) and stole his 12th base of the year as part of the eighth inning explosion. The jury’s still out though, I’m afraid; the roller coaster ride is far from over with a month of ball left to be played, and Chris is going to have to claw his way to next year’s starting CF job.
Tonight, the Bucs have a chance to steal a series in Hotlanta with Ian Snell toeing the rubber in opposition of Tim Hudson. Very few of us could’ve predicted in April that Snell would be the pitcher with more wins, but his numbers (11-8, 4.51 ERA) are better than Hudson’s (10-10, 4.77 ERA). Let’s see what goes down at 7:35.
It’s A New Pirates Generation, everybody shout "Let’s Go Bucs!"
A New Pirates Generation 