THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Stop the presses, stop the presses! Mrs. Black-N-Gold has been burning the midnight oil to bring you the all the up-to-the-minute info on your favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. Yes, Black-N-Gold fans it's time for the latest edition of The Black-N-Gold News.


                                           THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

PIRATES

Our Pirates began the week in the win column as they sank the Miami Marlins 5-2. Congrats to CF Andrew McCutchen who celebrated another milestone in this one, playing his 1000th career game. Congrats, Cutch. May you play your next 1000 games in the Black-N-Gold!

On Tuesday, the Buccos dropped game 2 to the Fish by the same score of 5-2. Also, INF Pedro Florimon cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple A Indy.

Wednesday, the Bucs came back to raise the Jolly Roger in a 7-2 victory. They took the series on Thursday by edging Miami 2-1. There was also an announcement that former 1st round pick, SS Cole Tucker, had shoulder surgery. He is expected to be out for up to a year. Get well soon, Cole!

Friday the Pirates returned home to PNC where they opened a 3-game set with the Colorado Rockheads, taking the opener 5-3. The Pirates also picked up the win on Saturday night by a score of 4-3.

The Pirates announced that the August 3rd rainout with the Chicago Cubbies would be made up as part of a day/night doubleheader on September 15. A chance to beat our division rivals twice in one day.

Unfortunately, the Bucs weren't able to clean house yesterday, as they were blanked by the Rockheads 5-0.

They're off today as they take their show on the road to Milwaukee where they open a 3-game series with the Brewers on Tuesday. You can't win the division if you don't beat the teams in the division. Go out and kick Brewer butt. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

Our Steelers continued to shuffle their roster as injuries have piled up during the preseason. WR David Nelson was placed on the Reserve/Injured List. The Steelers brought back OL Doug Legursky to help the O-Line. Also, QB Bruce Gradkowski had surgery on a finger to his non-throwing hand. Ultimately, Gradkowski was placed on IR due to a shoulder that kept him on the PUP list at the start of training camp. This could be the end of Gradkowski's career in Black-N-Gold, especially on the heals of QB Michael Vick signing a contract.

Mrs. Black-N-Gold has heard many different sides regarding the controversial signing of Vick. Of course the heinous crimes that he committed are wrong and he certainly deserved to be punished. That being said, the man did do the time and seems apologetic for his actions. He has even continued to work with animal-rescue organizations long after his court-mandated requirements. However, Mrs. Black-N-Gold just didn't agree with this signing from a football standpoint. He's 35 years old and his best days are clearly behind him. Of course then Vick makes Mrs. Black-N-Gold look wrong by throwing a 65-yard TD pass to WR Martavis Bryant (more on him later) in the Buffalo game on Saturday. All I know is if it gets to the point that Vick is in the starting lineup, then the Steelers are in trouble because that will mean that QB Ben Roethlisberger is hurt. Vick may be able to step in for Ben in a pinch but I sincerely doubt that Black-N-Gold Nation wants to see Vick under center for the better part of the season.

The Steelers received more news from the Commissioner's office this week as Bryant was handed a 4-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. It was ultimately revealed that Bryant had failed at least 4 previous tests for marijuana usage. Bryant is expected to appeal his suspension once he finishes his bag of Doritos.

Word came this week that C Maurkice Pouncey may miss at least 10 games this season due to the injury he suffered in the Green Bay game. The Steelers may place him on the IR/Return List.

Finally, the Steelers did play another exhibition game this week, although you couldn't tell it by the scoreboard, dropping this one to Buffalo by an embarrassing score of 43-19. They also lost K Garrett Hartley to a hammy in the process. No word yet on the extent of the injury.

The Steelers play their final preseason game on Thursday in Carolina. Typically, the starters make only cameos in this one as they get ready for the regular season. We'll see if they can stay healthy and improve their performance. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

Our Penguins have signed F Tom Sestito to a tryout contract. Sestito is known as a goon in NHL circles and may be they man that can stand up to the likes of the Philly Cryers this season if he makes the team.

Pens Coach Mike Johnston made some remarks this week regarding the lines that he'll try in training camp. Coach wants to put Phil Kessel on Sidney Crosby's line and Patric Hornqvist on Evegeni Malkin's. Of course that doesn't mean that anything is etched in stone or even in ice, for that matter. We'll see how things shake out as the season draws nearer. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their homestand with this afternoon's finale against the Colorado Rockheads. These are your keys for today's game. 1)
With last night's 4-3 win the Pirates are now 79-49, a season-best 30 games over .500. Win, raise, repeat! 2)The Bucs will face another lefty as Colorado starts Jorge De La Rosa, 7-6, 4.61 ERA. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD with some Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Buccos will have RH Charlie Morton, 8-5, 4.20 ERA on the mound. Grind 'em up, Ground Chuck! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Bases are loaded and Casey's at bat! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Colorado Rockheads tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Thanks to last night's 5-3 win over the Rockheads, the Pirates are 20-4 vs. the NL West. Show them who's best! 2)It's a battle of lefties tonight as the Rockheads start Chris Rusin, 4-6, 4.97 ERA. In Rusin's last start, a 14-9 loss to the Mets, he didn't make it to the 3rd inning and surrendered 11 runs on 12 hits. Break out the Hit, Run, & Score, Buccos! 3)The Pirates go with JA Happ, 6-7, 4.21 ERA. Happ has looked anything but Happless of late, giving up just 1 run in his last 17 1/3 innings. Happy Happ Day! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates return to the friendly confines of PNC Park tonight as they open a 3-game series with the Colorado Rockheads. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Rockheads rookie RH Jon Gray, 0-0, 5.94 ERA faces Pirates LH Francisco Liriano, 9-6, 3.23 ERA. The Bucs have won Frankie's last 10 starts. #11 would be heaven! 2)The Rockheads are an awful 24-38 on the road. The Buccos are a stellar 44-20 at PNC. There's no place like home! 3)With last night's 2-1 topping of Miami, the Pirates have won 2 straight. We need more. Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Yes, I am a pirate two hundred years too late! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series in Miami tonight as they look to sink the Fish. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 7-2 sinking of the Marlins, the Pirates can capture the series tonight. Find the win column and raise the Jolly Roger! 2)RH Gerrit Cole, 14-7, 2.49 ERA gets the start tonight for the Bucs. Cole is still 0-for-August as he continues to pursue his 15th win. All aboard the Cole Train for a W! 3)Miami goes with another lefty in Justin Nicolino, 2-1, 3.77 ERA. Yesterday's formula for a win seemed to work. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD with more Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Here I am in the place where I come to let go! Ok, Mrs. Black-N-Gold may not be in Miami but your Pittsburgh Pirates are as they continue their series with the Marlins. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates start LH Jeff Locke, 6-8, 4.56 ERA. In his past 6 starts Locke has gone 1-2 with a 6.39 ERA, failing to finish the 6th in any of those starts. If you want to Locke down a spot in the rotation, you'd better Locke up a win! 2)The Bucs will face another lefty tonight in Chris Naverson, 1-0, 3.86 ERA. Another average pitcher that has the potential to look like Cy Young against the Bucs. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD with lots o' Hit, Run, & Score! 3) Last night's right handed-heavy lineup didn't generate much offense against a southpaw in the Buccos 5-2 loss. Right the ship, find the win column and raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Have you heard the news? It's all over town! Mrs. Black-N-Gold has checked and double-checked all her notes. It's been a busy week of Black-N-Gold going on. Without further adieu, she brings you the latest edition of the internet sensation that's sweeping Black-N-Gold Nation, The Black-N-Gold News, giving you a week's worth of info on our Pirates, Steelers and Pens.


                                      THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

PIRATES

Our Pirates began the week on a sour note, losing their series opener to the Arizona D-Bags 4-1. 1B Pedro Alvarez was the lone bright spot in this loss, blasting the 1000th home run by a Pirate at PNC Park. Congrats to Petey!

Tuesday's game turned out better for the Bucs as they outlasted the D-Bags in a wild, 15-inning game, winning 9-8. The Buccos continued their winning ways on Wednesday, defeating the D-Bags 4-1 to take the series.

There were also roster moves. The Pirates announced that they signed OF Travis Snider to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple A Indy. They called up RH Josh Wall from Indy to help the beleaguered bullpen. Unfortunately, that meant DFA'ing Tuesday night's hero, INF Pedro Florimon.

An announcement was made that CF Andrew McCutchen would be inducted into the Arizona Fall League Hall of Fame. Congrats on yet another honor, Cutch!

Thursday night saw the start of a 4-game series against the defending World Series Champion San Fran Giants. The Pirates promptly went out and shutout the champs, 4-0. 2B Neil Walker collected his 800th career hit in that contest, a home run. Congrats, Homeboy!

Friday night's tilt saw the return of an old nemesis in Madison Bumgarner. The Pirates fell to the MadBum again, 6-4. The Pirates also activated INF Josh Harrison from the DL and DFA'd Wall to make room.

Saturday the Bucs got back in the win column with a walk-off win, 3-2. Sunday night they concluded their series with San Fran under the lights of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. They sacked San Fran 5-2 to take the series. Prior to Sunday's game they made more roster moves. SS Jordy Mercer was activated from the DL while OF/1B Travis Ishikawa landed on the DL with a back.

Last night saw the Buccos open a 4-game set in Miami as they sank the Fish 5-2. They continue that series tonight in FLA. They now find themselves 3.5 back in the NL Central behind St Louie. They're still in the top stop for the Wild Card with the Cubbies 3 back. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

As our Steelers wrapped up their final week of training camp in Latrobe, they continued to tweak their roster. On Tuesday they released QB Tajh Boyd to make room for WR Jarrod West.

The Steelers also announced that they will not stray from team policy by re-negotiating the contract of WR Antonio Brown. Mrs. Black-N-Gold wonders how that sits with the All-Pro and his agent.

In injury news, rookie CB Senquez Golson underwent shoulder surgery. No announcement has been made regarding Golson's status for the season.

The Steelers played their 3rd preseason game on Sunday afternoon, collecting their first exhibition win, 24-19 over the Green Bay Packers. The Steelers may have won the game but they were not without their losses Sunday. Most importantly, C Maurkice Pouncey left the game with an ankle injury that will require surgery and may cost him at least 8 weeks on the IR/Return list. Suffering less serious injuries were DL Stephon Tuitt (ankle) and QB Bruce Gradkowski (wrist). Get well soon.

The Steelers shuffle off to Buffalo for another tune-up on Saturday afternoon. The starters are expected to get a significant amount of playing time in this one. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

All quiet for our Penguins of late. No major news. There is some good news for the Puckheads in the house, though. Many Penguins have been spotted conducting informal workouts at the brand-spanking-new UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, getting ready for training camp. Can't wait for the puck to drop. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Mainline Florida, ok! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in South Beach as they battle the Miami Marlins tonight. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 5-2 win over Miami, the Pirates notched win #75, 27 games over .500. They've won 3 straight. Get win #4 with some Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Pirates RH Charlie Morton, 8-4, 4.06 ERA, is on the mound. He'll face Marlins LH Brad Hand, 3-3, 4.46 ERA. Get inside Hand's head. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)At 50-75, the Marlins have one of the worst records in the Majors. They've dropped 4 in a row. #5 would not be jive! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

      Going back to Miami! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to Miami as they open a 4-game set with the Marlins tonight. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Following last night's 5-2 win over San Fran, the Pirates are 26 games over .500 and have won 2 straight. If it's 3, it's for me! 2)The Pirates will start LH JA Happ, 1-1, 2.87 ERA. Happy Happ Day! 3)The Marlins send RH Tom Koehler, 8-11, 4.02 ERA to the mound. Koehler has the kind of stats that befuddle the Bucs. Catch the Fish with a boat load of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Boom, boom, out go the lights! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series with the San Fran Giants tonight under the lights of PNC Park on Sunday Night Baseball. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates powered their way to a 3-2, walk-off win with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th of yesterday's game. The offense was supplied by 2 Jung Ho Kang solo homers and a solo shot off the bat of Starling Marte to win it. Chicks dig the long ball! 2)San Fran starts former Pirates RH Ryan Vogelsong, 9-8, 3.93 ERA. The Pirates go with lefty Francisco Liriano, 8-6, 3.35 ERA. The Pirates haven't lost in Frankie's last 9 starts. Be filthy, Frankie! 3)San Fran hasn't scored more than 4 runs in 5 of their last 6 games. Kick them while they're down. Score early, score often, score BIG with a big dose of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Riding that train! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are back at it again this afternoon as they battle the World Champion San Fran Giants at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)San Fran starts RH Mike Leake, 9-6, 3.52 ERA. He's no stranger to the Bucs as he's given them fits for years when he was with Cincy. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD with a case of Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Pirates will counter with RH Gerrit Cole, 14-7, 2.61 ERA. Cole is 0-for-August and needs to get back on the winning track. For his career, he's 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA versus San Fran. Ride the Cole Train to a win! 3)Mrs. Black-N-Gold has some good news and some bad news. The bad news is our Buccos weren't able to find the win column last night as they fell to the Giants 6-4. The good news is they lost no ground to St Louie who lost in San Diego. But The Cubbies won yesterday, gaining on the Black-N-Gold for the top Wild Card spot. Get back in the win column today. Mrs. Black-N-Gold and Brother Black-N-Gold will be there to cheer you to victory. Raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Steal your base! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series at PNC Park tonight against the San Fran Giants. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 4-0 shutout of San Fran, the Buccos are 17-3 versus the NL West. Show them who's best! 2)San Fran has lost 2 in a row. The Bucs have won 3 straight. Get win #4. Hit, Run, & Score! 3)Tonight's matchup is a battle of lefties as San Fran starts World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner, 14-6, 2.98 ERA. The Pirates counter with Jeff Locke, 6-7, 4.31 ERA. It was Bumgarner that blanked the Bucs 8-0 back in the Wild Card game in October. It's time for payback. Locke up a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Raise that flag, wave it wide and high! Your Pittsburgh Pirates open a 4-game set tonight at PNC Park against the defending Champion San Fran Giants. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Battlin' Buccos have won 6 of their last 7 and 10 of 13. Win, Raise, Repeat! 2)The World Champs return to the scene of the crime. Last time through the 'Burgh, the Giants ended the Pirates playoff hopes, blanking the Bucs 8-0 in last year's Wild Card. It's payback time!  3)San Fran starts Jake Peavy, 3-5, 4.18 ERA. The Pirates will put RH Charlie Morton, 7-4, 4.36 ERA on the mound. Give Ground Chuck something to work with. Score early, score often, score BIG with some Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series with the Arizona D-Bags tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Bucs look to feast on some AZ meatloaf tonight as they go for 2 outta 3. It ain't bad! 2)Following last night's dramatic 9-8 win in 15 innings, the Buccos are 7-3 in their last 10 and have won 5 of their last 6. Win it, raise it! 3)Last night's win was powered by 17 hits, 2 of them homers. The Pirates have homered in 12 straight games. Swing for the fences. Hit, Run, & Score, Oh My! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series tonight against the Arizona D-Bags at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Mrs. Black-N-Gold didn't realize she needed to remind our Buccos that it is not a  good idea to take the DBags too lightly. However, following last night's 4-1 defeat, I guess it needs to be said. Don't sleep on the DBags! 2)Tonight they'll face another mediocre pitcher in RH Chase Anderson, 5-5, 4.31 ERA. These guys aren't the second-coming of Cy Young for crying out loud. The Buccos bats went to sleep last night, leaving 9 men on base and going 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. We need more Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Bucs start LH Francisco Liriano, 8-6, 3.19 ERA. The Pirates have won 8 straight when Frankie starts. #9 would be fine! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Start spreading the news! Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you the latest from your favorite Black-N-Gold teams, our Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. It's the internet sensation that is sweeping Black-N-Gold Nation. Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Black-N-Gold gives you the newest edition of The Black-N-Gold News.

                           THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


PIRATES

Our Pirates received good news on their off-day last Monday. SS Jordy Mercer would be joining 3B Josh Harrison in Indy for a rehab assignment beginning Tuesday. Some more news regarding the Pirates Triple A club, RH Vance Worley accepted his assignment to join the Indians.

Awards were handed out to several Pirates this week, including CF Andrew McCutchen. Cutch was named NL Player of the Week. Down on the farm, WV Power RH Yeudy Garcia, Black Bears OF Logan Hill and Bristol 1B Carlos Munoz, were all named Players of the Month in their respective leagues. Congrats to everyone!

On the field, the Pirates opened a crucial 3 game set in St Louie with a 4-3 loss to the division leaders. The next day brought the same results, a loss to St Louie, this time 4-2. The good news is our Buccos were able to salvage a win in St Louie in the finale, 10-5. The Bucs also announced on Thursday that 3B Aramis Ramirez had begun workouts at 1B, in anticipation of Harrison's and Mercer's returns.

The Pirates squared off against another division-leading opponent on Friday night, topping the NL East-leading New York Mets, in 10 innings 3-2. Congrats to Manager Clint Hurdle as he earned his 400th career Pirates win. Clint is the 9th manager in team history to reach the 400 mark. Here's to 400 more!

Saturday night saw more bonus baseball for the Bucs as they defeated the Mets 5-3 in 14 innings. Sunday afternoon's contest was marred by a rain delay but the result was the same, another Pirates victory, 8-1. The Pirates picked up their MLB-best 13th series sweep.

During this 9-game stretch against division leaders, the Buccos finished an impressive 7-2. They now come back home to begin a 7-game homestand, starting with a 3-game set tonight versus the Arizona D-Bags. The Bucs are 5 games back in the NL Central and hold the top spot in the Wild Card by 2.5 games. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

Our Steelers received some bad news to begin their week as it was announced that K Shaun Suisham suffered a torn ACL in the Hall of Fame game. Sweezy underwent surgery later in the week and is expected out for the season. On Tuesday, the Steelers signed former Saints K Garrett Hartley. To make room they also waived/injured WR/QB Devin Gardner. In other roster-related news, QB Bruce Gradkowski was activated from the PUP list yesterday. We'll see if this is the end of the Landry Jones Era.

There was a rumor going around this week that the Steelers would meet with WR Antonio Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, to possibly re-negotiate the All-Pro's contract. Typically, the Steelers don't re-do contracts and it's believed that they don't have the salary cap space, either. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will keep you updated if/when this story develops

In the meantime, our Steelers still had a preseason game to play on Friday against the Jacksonville Jagsoffs. The Steelers have still not found the win column this preseason as they fell to the Jags, 23-21. The first team offense looked good in their only drive, marching down field for a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. Mrs. Black-N-Gold can't wait to see how they look for an entire game. Things didn't look as good for the defense, as they continue to struggle to find their way. They'll have another chance this Sunday afternoon when the Green Bay Packers come to town. Remember, that's now a 1pm start. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

Very little news on our Penguins this week. The most newsworthy item is word that D Sergie Gonchar has been signed to a tryout contract. The 41-year-old will have a chance to show if he's still got it next month at the Pens training camp. Some say Sarge is over the hill. Others feel he's still got something left in the tank and can help the Pens on their porous power play. Again, Mrs. Black-N-Gold will give you the latest on this story when more news arrives. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are back home at the friendly confines of PNC Park tonight as they battle the Arizona D-Bags. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Our Buccos are on a roll, winning 8 of their last 10. They went 7-2 this week against NL division leaders. They've also won 4 straight. Keep the drive alive with win #5! 2)The Pirates have been powered by the long ball, homering in 10 straight games. Chicks dig the long ball! 3)The D-Bags will start RH Jeremy Hellickson, 8-8, 4.73 ERA. The Pirates go with RH Gerrit Cole, 14-6, 2.48 ERA. Cole is still searching for win #15. Fire up the Cole Train with some Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Rounding third and heading for home! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their road show with this afternoon's finale in New York against the Mets. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates look to clean house at Citi Field following another extra-winning thriller, 5-3. Extra special! 2)The Pirates have won 3 straight. Get win #4. Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates look to LH Jeff Locke, 6-7, 4.43 ERA. The Mets will have RH Matt Harvey, 11-7, 2.61 ERA, on the hump. Locke 'em up and shut 'em down! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     I'm in a New York state of mind! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their road show in New York tonight as they battle the NL East-leading Mets. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's edging of the Mets, 3-2 in 10 innings, the Bucs have won 6 straight in extras. Extra, extra, read all about it! 2)Including last season against the Mets, the Pirates have won 5 straight. #6 would be great! 3)The Buccos send RH Charlie Morton, 7-4, 4.48 ERA to the mound. New York will go with LH Jonathon Niese, 7-9, 3.46 ERA. In his last 3 starts the lefty is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD with a big case of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road as they head to NYC to battle the NL East leading Mets. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates got back in the win column, salvaging a 10-5 win in St Louie last night. They exploded for 7 runs in the 1st and pounded out 13 hits. The Mets have won 4 straight. #5 would not be great! 2)The Bucs have LH JA Happ, 0-1, 8.31 ERA on the bump. Happ was not impressive in his Pirates debut, surrendering 4 runs on 8 hits in 4 1/3 innings of a loss. Go from Happless to Happy! 3)He'll face Mets RH Bartolo Colon, 10-11, 4.76 ERA. Take a bite out of the Big Apple. Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The hard is what makes it great! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series in St Louie tonight against the NL Central-leading Cardinals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 4-2 loss, the Pirates have dropped 2 straight to St Louie, scoring only 5 runs in the process. This after exploding for 31 runs during their recent 4-game winning streak. Now Mrs. Black-N-Gold understands that St Louie has been preventing runs at a record clip this year. But how do you expect to win the division if you can't beat the division leaders? To be the man, you have to beat the man! 2)Speaking of winning the division, the Bucs have fallen 7 games back of the top spot. Meanwhile, the 3rd place Cubbies are just 1.5 games behind us for the 1st Wild Card spot. Right the ship and raise the Jolly Roger! 3)You didn't think Mrs. Black-N-Gold would forget to mention the Pirates defense, or lack-thereof, did you? St Louie is a team that capitalizes on their opponents mistakes. The Buccos gave them many opportunities to do so last night. You can't let the ball touch the ground. It's that simple. You also must be able to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. Leaving 9 men on base and going 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position is not the way. Salvage a win in this series and get back in the win column. Flash the leather! Hit, Run, & Score! Take care of business! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Hit the ball and touch 'em all! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in St Louie tonight against the NL Central-leading Cardinals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Cardinals have won all of the last 7 matchups in St Louie. #8 would not be great. Raise the Jolly Roger! 2)The Pirate have managed just 7 runs in the last 5 games in St Louie, going 4 for 39 with runners in scoring position. Against this team you'll need more Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates put RH Gerrit Cole, 14-5, 2.39 ERA on the mound. St Louie will start RH Michael Wacha, 13-4, 2.92 ERA. Cole continues to look for an MLB-best 15th W. Get on board the Cole Train for a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Pennant fever, catch it! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road as they open a 3-game series in St Louie tonight against the NL Central-leading Cardinals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)After sweeping the Codgers on Sunday Night, 13-6, the Bucs have won 4 in a row, scoring 31 runs in the process. We can always use more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Pirates will start LH Jeff Locke, 6-6, 4.31 ERA. During the 2nd half of the season, the Pirates ERA is the 5th worst in MLB. The hitting has carried this team lately, it's time for the starting pitchers to get back in the game. Locke up  St Louie and Locke down a win! 3)St Louie goes with All-Star RH Carlos Martinez, 11-4, 2.57 ERA. The Pirates can't afford any mistakes and can't leave any Bucs on the pond. Hit him early, hit him, often hit him HARD! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     What's the news across Black-N-Gold Nation? Mrs. Black-N-Gold has the information! It's that time again, sports fans. Time for another edition of The Black-N-Gold News, bringing you the latest on our favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins.


                              THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

PIRATES
Our Pirates started off the week with some good news as it was announced that RH AJ Burnett was diagnosed with a flexor strain. AJ will undergo treatment and will be out approximately 4 weeks. This is much better than the dreaded Tommy John surgery, as Bucco fans across the land held their collective breath. Get well soon, AJ!

More good news for the Bucs as INF Jung Ho Kang was named NL Rookie of the Month for July. Congrats to Jung Ho. Love the Kang Show!

In a roster move, the Pirates optioned OF Jaff Decker back to Triple A Indy.

After lengthy rain delays on Monday, the Pirates opener with the Chicago Scrubs was postponed. There is a rumor the game will be re-scheduled as part of a day/night doubleheader on September 15. However, Mrs. Black-N-Gold just checked the Pirates schedule on their website and there is no mention of it. They only have the 14th off in September so that is not an option due to the CBA.

The Pirates probably wish Tuesday's tilt against the Scrubs was washed out as well since they were shutout 5-0. They managed to earn a split in the abbreviated series by defeating the Scrubs on Wednesday, 7-5.

There were some more moves announced as 3B Josh Harrison and SS Jordy Mercer are expected to begin their rehab assignments this week. JHay on Tuesday and Jordy on 8/14. Both are to rehab with Triple A Indy. Get better, guys! There was also news that Indy RH Deolis Guerra was picked up in a waiver claim by Cleveland only to have him returned to the Pirates later in the week due to a pre existing injury. The Pirates than placed Guerra on the DL due to knee inflammation.

On Friday night, the Bucs returned to action in the first of a 3-game series with the LA Codgers. It was hyped as a pitcher's duel between All-Stars Clayton Kershaw for LA and the Pirates Gerrit Cole. It turned out to be anything but. OF Gregory Polanco needed just 1 pitch and 1 swing to put the Pirates up 1-0 and break Cy Young winner Kershaw's streak of 37 scoreless innings. Believe Mrs. Black-N-Gold when she tells you, this game made her drink. A lot. It was a seesaw battle all night long as our Buccos prevailed 5-4. The Pirates took Saturday's game, too, 6-5 to go up a season-best 20 games over .500. Congrats to CF Andrew McCutchen as he collected his 1100th career hit. Congrats, Cutch!

The Pirates also have decided to skip LH JA Happ's turn in the rotation when they faceoff against NL Central leading St Louie beginning Tuesday night. Another pitching note: RH Vance Worley cleared waivers but as this went to print, had not still accepted his assignment to Triple A Indy.

Our Buccos continue to roll with a come-from-behind 13-6 win to sweep LA on Sunday Night Baseball. The Pirates erupted for 9 runs in the bottom of the 7th to pummel the NL West leaders. The Bucs now take their show on the road as they open a 3-game series on Tuesday against NL Central-leading St Louie. Don't look now but we're 5 games back and a season-high 21 games over .500. Keep on BUCN! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!


STEELERS
Our Steelers were happy to announce that C Maurkice Pouncey was activated from the PUP list as the week began. Unfortunately, rookie CB Senquez Golson is not so lucky as there is a rumor that he may be required to have season-ending surgery on his injured shoulder. Keep it here with Mrs. Black-N-Gold for updates. Another roster/injury move was made as the Steelers put DT Clifton Geathers on the reserve/injured list.

Of course the big Steelers news of the week was the induction of RB Jerome Bettis into the Pro Football of Fame. Many Terrible Towel-waving fans were in attendance as well as fellow Steelers Hall of Famers and former teammates of the Bus. As usual, they had to save the best for last, otherwise most of the Black-N-Gold crowd would have emptied the place. Congrats to Bus!

Unfortunately, the good times ended with the Bus Stop in Canton as our Steelers lost their preseason opener to the Vikes in an unimpressive 14-3 game. The good news is that most of the starters didn't play so the best is yet to come. There is bad news as K Shaun Suisham suffered what may be a significant injury. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will keep you updated as news progresses. In the meantime, dust yourselves off and put this hiccup behind you. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS
Our Penguins made some questionable moves both on the ice and off this week. First of all they relieved longtime pre and post game host Bob Grove of his duties. This will be the first time since 1998 that Bob is not handling radio work for the Pens. Word is he was told of his dismissal via telephone. Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't know if this is true but if it is it's a classless move by a normally classy organization.

Speaking of head-scratching moves, the Pens also made a roster move this week, signing 38-year-old C Matt Cullen to a 1 year deal. How can a team that is screaming for a younger makeover justify signing an aging center? We'll have to see how this move pans out.

Although the Pens were a disappointment this week, Mrs. Black-N-Gold will continue to support our favorite Black-N-Gold hockey team as they look to secure another Stanley Cup this season. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     You know the nighttime, is the right time! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are BUCN after dark at PNC Park tonight as they wrap up their series with the LA Codgers on Sunday Night Baseball. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)LA will start LH Alex Wood, 7-7, 3.65 ERA. Wood surrendered 4 runs in 6 1/3 innings in a 6-2 loss for his Codgers debut. Get good Wood! 2)He will go against Pirates RH Charlie Morton, 7-4, 4.19 ERA. Ground Chuck struck out 7 and issued no walks through 7 innings in his last start, a 3-0 win over Cincy. Grind 'em up! 3)The Bucs have won 3 straight, scoring 18 runs in the process. Get win #4, Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     We want a pitcher, not a belly-itcher! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series this afternoon against the Los Angeles Codgers on the banks of the Allegheny River at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Thanks to last night's nail-biting, 10th inning walk-off 5-4 win, the Pirates have won 2 straight. If it's 3, it's for me! 2)The Bucs have won 14 of their last 17 at the friendly confines of PNC Park. Love that home cookin'! 3)LA starts RH Mat Latos, 4-7, 4.29 ERA. The Buccos roll out LH Francisco Liriano, 7-6, 2.92 ERA. Latos is no stranger to the Black-N-Gold as they faced him for several years with Cincy. They didn't typically have much success against him. But now that he's a member of the Codgers that could change because the Bucs are 12-2 this season against the NL West. Show them who's best with a big dose of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates open a 3-game series tonight on the North Shore as they face the NL West-leading Los Angeles Codgers at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)This is a battle of pitching heavyweights as LA starts Cy Young-winning LH Clayton Hershaw, 9-6, 2.37 ERA. The Bucs will counter with RH Gerrit Cole, 14-5, 2.29 ERA. Cole's resume isn't so bad either as he currently leads the Majors in wins. Say sayonara to Cy Young, the Cole Train is rolling to a win! 2)Wow! Would you just look at those ERAs. They're lower than a snake's belly. Runs will be all-the-more crucial in this matchup. Better make sure you Hit, Run, & Score! 3)Defense will be vital to a win in this game, too. You don't want to make a critical fielding error and have it cost you the game. All you need is glove! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

50-YARD LINE

     Our Pittsburgh Pirates are off today but our Pittsburgh Steelers are hard at work on the gridiron of St Vincent College. The preseason kicks off this Sunday night as the Steelers face the Minny Vikes in the Hall of Fame game. The Steelers are also at Canton to help celebrate another member of the Black-N-Gold as RB Jerome Bettis is inducted into Canton's hallowed halls. To get you ready for the regular season, Mrs. Black-N-Gold takes a look at 7 Players to Watch as the Steelers pursue their 7th Lombardi Trophy.

1)RB Le'Veon Bell-Mrs Black-N-Gold is well aware that Bell was named AFC Co-Offensive Player of the Year last year as well as a Pro Bowler, the FedEx Ground Player of the Year and the team MVP. What else does Le'Veon have to prove? Why is he a Player to Watch? Mrs. Black-N-Gold is just concerned about the knee injury that #26 suffered at the end of last season, the injury that forced him to miss the Wild Card game against the Baltimorons. Mrs. Black-N-Gold wants to make sure Bell's knee is sound and our season is safe.

2)WR Markus Wheaton-Wheaton will be in the slot this year. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is anxious to see how Wheaton handles going over the middle. As the slot receiver, Wheaton will be counted on to help move the sticks on 3rd down. We know he has the speed to go down the seams. Does he have the mettle to go down the middle?

3)WR Martavis Bryant-Can Bryant avoid the sophomore slump and build off of his 8 TD receptions of last year? First, he's got to overcome an elbow injury that has him on the shelf. Mrs. Black-N-Gold would love to see some fades into the corner of the end zone to the 6' 4" Bryant this season.

4)LB Jarvis Jones-You really didn't expect Mrs. Black-N-Gold to ignore the defense, did you? Not likely, especially with the way the Steelers have drafted early and often on D the past few seasons. It will be this former #1 pick's 3rd season in Pittsburgh. Jones has been injured more often than not in his first 2 years. LB Coach Joey Porter has been working to get Jones ready. Either he's a bust or a beast. It's up to you, Jarvis.

5)LB Ryan Shazier-Shazier is another 1st round pick that needs to produce. He showed flashes in his rookie season last year, when he wasn't hurting. Shazier will be asked to man the inside 'backer position along with Lawrence Timmons. It's time for him to shine.

6)CB Cortez Allen-After the Steelers signed Allen to a long term deal before the start of last season, the corner proceeded to play his way out of the lineup. Allen was so ineffective he lost his starting job before finishing the year on IR. He's got to shake off last season's woes and have a short-term memory, no doubt about it. To borrow from the great Canadian philosopher Neil Young, Allen needs to become "Cortez the Killer".

7)S Shamarko Thomas-Thomas is another young defensive player who has spent the better part of his career in the trainer's room. Thomas needs to show why the Steelers traded up in the draft to get him back in 2013. True, it's hard to excel when a legend plays in front of you. No one is asking Shamarko to be the next Troy Polamalu. He just needs to be the best Shamarko Thomas he can be.

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't expect to see much of these players on Sunday. It's the first preseason game after all. What she does expect is to see them often on Sunday afternoons this fall. Making big plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Hey batter, batter, batter, batter! Your Pittsburgh Pirates will try to salvage a split as they wrap up this rain-shortened series against the Chicago Scrubs tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys fo tonight's game. 1)The Bucs scratched out just 4 hits in last night's 5-0 loss. That's 7 hits in their last 2 games with 3 runs scored. That's not going to cut it. Please always remember and don't ever forget: Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Scrubs start RH Dan Haren, 7-7, 3.42 ERA. There's good news. In Haren's last 4 starts against the Pirates, he is 0-3 with a 7.15 ERA. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)The Pirates go with LH Jeff Locke, 6-6, 4.21 ERA. There's bad news. Locke has started 3 game against the Scurbs this season, going 0-1 with a 10.22 ERA. Locke down a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series against the Chicago Scrubs tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Chicago will go with RH Jake Arrieta, 11-6, 2.62 ERA. The Pirates will start newly acquired LH JA Happ, 4-6, 4.64 ERA. Better watch out, Buccos. In 6 career starts vs the Pirates, Arrieta is 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 2)The Pirates are 11-2 in their last 13 at the friendly confines of PNC Park. Love that home cookin'! 3)In Sunday's 3-0 win over Cincy, the Pirates managed to win while scratching out only 3 hits. That's not going to cut it against a Chicago team that's nipping at the Bucs heals in the wild card race. We need more, Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Extra, extra, read all about it! Mrs. Black-N-Gold has been diligently gathering information throughout the week on all your favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. Today she brings you the latest edition of The Black-N-Gold News.


                                          THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


PIRATES



    

     Several of our Pirates minor league players received accolades this week. Bradenton OF Harold Ramirez was named FSL Player of the Week. WV Black Bears RH Jonathan Brubaker is the NYPL Pitcher of the Week. Bristol 1B Carlos Munoz won Appalachian League Player of the Week. Congrats to all!

     On Tuesday night, the Pirates won game 1 of their 2 game set with Minnesota in thrilling fashion, edging the Twins 8-7.Wednesday saw the Bucs complete the sweep with a 10-4 win.

     The Bucs announced that RH Tyler Glasnow was promoted to Triple A Indy. He'll be joined by 1B Josh Bell and INF Dan Gamache both of whom also got the call to Indy. Congrats!

     Roster moves were plentiful as the non-waiver trade deadline approached. The Buccos acquired RH Joe Blanton from KC for cash. To make room on the roster they DFA'd RH Vance Worley. The Pirates also traded Altoona SS JaCoby Jones to Detroit for RH Joakim Soria. On the day of the deadline they made 2 more moves, trading OF Jose Tabata to the Dodgers for OF/1B Michael Morse and sending Indy RH Adrian Sampson to Seattle for LH JA Happ. One more move was made as struggling RH AJ Burnett was placed on the 15-day DL with elbow inflammation. The Pirates called up LH Bobby LaFromboise and DFA'd RH Deolis Guerra only to option LaFromboise back to Indy the next day. Burnett is expected to see a doctor this week for his ailing elbow. He has stated that he does not intend to have surgery and would pitch through the pain, if need be. There is speculation that AJ's career may be over a few months earlier than expected. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will keep you updated as this story develops.

    AJ's injury came on the heals of an ugly loss to Cincy on Thursday night, 15-5. The Bucs did exact some revenge in a dramatic 5-4 win on Friday. They tried to do so again on Saturday but their rally fell short, losing to Cincy 4-3. The Buccos settled for a split, taking Sunday's game 3-0 following some beanbrawl, some clearing of the benches and a few ejections. Oh my! Tonight the Pirates open a 6-game homestand beginning with the 1st of 3 versus the Chicago Scrubs. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

      As our Steelers continue to ready themselves for the season at St Vincent, they received some good news to start their week. RB Le'Veon Bell's suspension was reduced by the NFL from 3 games to 2.

     The Turk came early for one player hoping to make the team as former CFL standout LB Shawn Lemons was waived.

     Our Steelers also made a pick up as they traded a conditional 5th round draft pick to Philly for CB Brandon Boykin.

     Don't forget, the exhibition season kicks off during Hall of Fame weekend for the Steelers as RB Jerome Bettis is inducted this weekend and the Steelers face the Vikes on Sunday night. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

     Our Pens announced this week that they'll appear on 12 nationally televised games on the NBC and NBCSN networks for the 2015-16 season. It's a chance for fans that live out of market to see our Pens play.

     GM Jim Rutherford continued to tweek the roster this week, too. He traded C Brandon Sutter and a 3rd round pick to Vancouver for C Nick Bonino, D Adam Clendening and a 2nd round pick . He also signed FA W Eric Fehr to a 3 year $6 million deal.

     These moves not only add depth to our team, hopefully they'll also help snag us another Stanley Cup. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates return home to the friendly confines of PNC Park tonight as they open a 3-game series with the Chicago Scrubs. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Buccos return from a 4-2 road trip following yesterday's 3-0 win in Cincy. The Scrubs are riding a 5-game winning streak. Give 'em L, Buccos! 2)Chicago starts LH Jon Lester, 6-8, 3.26 ERA. The Pirates counter with LH Francisco Liriano, 7-6, 2.92 ERA. It's no secret that Lester has problems holding runners on base. Run wild on Chicago! 3)After managing a split in their 4 game series against the woeful Reds, the Pirates face another NL Central opponent. This season the Bucs are 4-6 versus the Scrubs. You can't win the division if you don't beat the division. TCB! Sink the Scrubs! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!