THE BULLPEN

     Nothing's gonna turn us back now; straight ahead and on the track now! Our Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up the series in Milwaukee this afternoon against the Brewers. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Don't look now but this ship is sinking like a stone, again. The Pirates have dropped 2 straight following last night's 5-3 loss. You can talk about jinxes and House of Horrors all you want. The bottom line is the Buccos ran themselves right out of last night's game and straight into the loss column. Contending teams don't continuously make mistake after mistake on the basepaths the way this team does. Run into a win! 2)The Pirates have only managed to score 4 runs in the first 2 games of this series. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will break it down nice and easy for your, once again. Hit. Run. Score! 3)Yes, we're all a little bummed that GM Neal Huntington traded away closer Mark Melancon yesterday to the Nats. And while Mrs. Black-N-Gold wishes NH got a better/bigger return on the deal, it's not the end of the world as we know it. And the youngsters, Brault and Taillon, turned in some decent starts in the first 2 games. So try to salvage a win today and we'll see how our revamped bullpen plays. You got to know when to hold 'em! Good thing Mrs. Black-N-Gold is going with a Pirates beer mug theme this weekend, 'cause boy this team makes me drink. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Give us any chance, we'll take it; read us any rule, we'll break it! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series tonight in Milwaukee when they battle the Brewers. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Well, the Pirates woes continue in Miller Park, the House of Horrors. They dropped last night's opener 3-1. 1 run on 4 hits is not the way to get it done. They were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. What happened to the team that plated 10 runs on Wednesday? We gotta have more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Bucs will send another rookie to the bump in RH Jameson Taillon, 2-1, 3.60 ERA. He'll square off against Milwaukee RH Chase Anderson, 5-10, 5.40 ERA. It worked last time so Mrs. Black-N-Gold will try it again. Chase Chase and Taillon a win! 3)Mrs. Black-N-Gold feels the need to remind the Pirates that at 45-56, the Brewers are NOT an elite MLB team. What does Mrs. Black-N-Gold always like to say? You have to beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams. Batter the Brewers! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Schlemeel, schlemazel! Our Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to Milwaukee to open a 3-game series tonight when they battle the Brewers. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates exploded for 10 runs on 14 hits, 7 for extra bases, in Wednesday night's 10-1 shellacking of Seattle. Love that hit parade. We always want more, Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Bucs return to Miller Park, the House of Horrors for our favorite Black-N-Gold Baseball Team. They've dropped 61 of the last 78 games here. It's time to turn things around Take care of business! 3)A pair of rookies will square off this evening. Pirates LH Steven Brault, 0-0, 2.25 ERA will face Brewers RH Junior Guerra, 6-2, 2.85 ERA. Remember all the rookies who have reached their first MLB milestones this season for the Buccos? It's time for another. Get the rook a win. Gimme a W! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE 50-YARD LINE

     Today our Pittsburgh Steelers report to training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. The countdown to the Stairway to 7 begins. To kick things off, Mrs. Black-N-Gold takes a look at 3 storylines that have all of Black-N-Gold Nation buzzing about our favorite Black-N-Gold football team.

1)Of course the 4-game suspension of RB Le'Veon Bell is on every fan's mind. After word broke that L-Bell will miss the 1st 4 games of the season due to a missed mandatory drug test, Bell went to work on damage control. First, an appeal was filed. Nothing out of the ordinary about that. In fact, it's typically customary for a player to appeal a suspension. Sometimes it can lead to the league knocking a game or two off the suspension. Then, things got ridiculous. Bell took to Instagram to not only declare his innocence but to proclaim that he will miss 0 games due to suspension. Apparently Bell got a new cellphone and failed to alert the NFL, the Steelers or anyone else that matters of his new digits.

Sorry Bell, the day you signed that contract is the day you joined the real world. Whether you like it or not, you and you alone are responsible for your actions. You're a big boy now. Own up to it. If you'd rather enjoy hanging with Snoop Dogg and burning a fatty, that's you're business. Just don't expect us to accept the flimsy excuse that you changed your number and you're not obligated to tell Roger Goodell your new phone number. We're not smoking what you're smoking, bro.

By the way, Mrs. Black-N-Gold has a new endeavor for Bell and the also-suspended-Martavis Bryant to supplement their income. Have you heard of the clothing retailer Billabong? How about they come up with a company called Fillabong?

2)Of course with Bell out for a quarter of the season, the pressure will be on the offense to try to make things work without skipping a beat. That means they may lean even more on, arguably, the best receiver in the league, WR Antonio Brown. #84 is 2 years away from free agency but has made no attempt to mask that fact that he's grossly underpaid and, thus, feels he's underappreciated. AB makes it a point to remind us how great he is and how little he's paid every chance he gets. Now would be a good time for him to make his point and force the Steelers to give him that big-money deal his been harping about since around the time that he signed his last contract.

Is a holdout on the horizon? The Steelers have always made it a practice not to negotiate a new contract with a player, other than a quarterback, when they have more than a year left on their deal. Who is to say that what worked during Art Rooney Sr and Dan Rooney's era is still applicable in today's NFL? AB doesn't think so. We'll see if he decides to stay home.

3)And finally, we get to discuss a storyline that should actually develop between the hashmarks. Have the Steelers made enough moves to improve the defense? Goodness knows some of the parts are in place. But our favorite Black-N-Gold Football Team will need to rely on quite a few youngsters if they want to take a step forward, defensively. It's put up or shut up time, boys. We've heard all offseason how these draft picks are going to produce on the field. Time for the team to put up and show us what these young guys have.  Let's see some results. De-Fense!

Mrs. Black-N-Gold can't wait to see how these storylines and many others develop from St. Vincent. It's time to go camping, boys. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     You got a beat up glove, a homemade bat and a brand new pair of shoes! Our Pittsburgh Pirates close out their 2-game set with the Seattle Mariners tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates jumped out to a 4-1 lead last night only to fall apart and lose it 7-4. You got to know when to hold 'em! 2)Wasted opportunities led to this loss. The Pirates were a paltry 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position, leaving 9 men on base. You can't leave Bucs on the pond. Bring 'em on home! 3)The Mariners will have LH James Paxton on the mound. The southpaw is 3-4 with a 4.18 ERA. He'll face Pirates RH Gerrit Cole, 5-6, 2.99 ERA. The Cole Train needs to get the Buccos back on the winning track. He'll need some help, for sure. You'd better Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

    Let's go, let's go, hit can't hit! Our Pittsburgh Pirates begin a 2-game series against the Seattle Mariners tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)After getting shutout Friday night, the Bucs bounced back to score 11 runs in their last 2 games. We gotta have more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Seattle starts RH Felix Hernandez. Hernandez has a pedestrian record of 4-4 with a 3.23 ERA. Still, he's the King. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)He'll face Pirates LH Francisco Liriano, 6-9, 4.96 ERA. Frankie fanned 13 and didn't allow a walk in his last start. He also, finally, has his ERA under 5. We need Frankie to continue to be his dirty self. Be filthy, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Hey batter, batter, batter, batter! Our Pittsburgh Pirates play their phinale today against the Philly Phillies at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates look to make some Philly meatloaf today after taking yesterday's game, 7-4. 2 outta 3 ain't bad! 2)Philly will start RH Vince Velasquez. He's put a pretty good season together for himself on a pretty bad team. Velasquez is 8-2 with a 3.15 ERA. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD: Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates counter with RH Jameson Taillon, 2-1, 3.44 ERA. Jamo looked good in his last start, giving up 1 run on 5 hits with 3 strikeouts and 0 walks in 6 innings. Tie 'em up, Taillon! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Baseball fever, catch it! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue the battle of PA today when they face the Philly Phillies at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates try to get back in the win column following last night's 4-0 pharce. The Bucs bats were quieted by a rookie pitcher who tossed a 3-hit, complete-game shutout. Got Hit, Run, & Score? 2)At 49-47, the Buccos try to remain in the playoff picture. Philly, with a 45-53 record, is far from playoff bound. Mrs. Black-N-Gold has said it before and she'll say it again, you have to beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams. Take care of business! 3)Philly starts RH Aaron Nola, 5-8, 4.41 ERA. He'll phace RH Tyler Glasnow, 0-1, 6.75 ERA. Glasnow makes his long-awaited 2nd MLB start. He looks to improve upon his debut against St Louie a few weeks ago where he surrendered 4 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in 5 1/3 innings. Of course, he's still looking for his 1st big league win. Gimme a W! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Our Pittsburgh Pirates square off against their interstate rivals, the Philly Phillies tonight at PNC Park for the first game of a 3 game set. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 5-3 win over Milwaukee, the Pirates have won 3 of the 4. Win some more. Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Pirates pitching staff got the memo from Mrs. Black-N-Gold as they did not allow a walk in last night's win. The only walking we want to see is the Pirates walk all over Philly! 3)Philly will start RH Zach Eflin, 2-3, 4.14 ERA. He'll face Buccos RH Gerrit Cole, 5-5, 3.11 ERA. Cole was drafted to be an ace but hasn't shown he can set the pace. Cole Train needs to roll! 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. She has the latest updates for our favorite Black-N-Gold Teams, our Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. Without further adieu, Mrs. Black-N-Gold has The Black-N-Gold News for you.


                                            THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

PIRATES

Our Pirates got some good injury news last week. C Francisco Cervelli began a rehab assignment at Triple A Indy last Thursday.

The Pirates returned from the All-Star break with a trip to Washington DC for a 3-game set with the NL East-leading Nationals. The Bucs dropped the opener on Friday 5-1. They recalled RH Gerrit Cole from his Indy rehab assignment to start the 2nd game of the series. To make room, 1B/OF Josh Bell, was sent back to Indy. Cole promptly went out and lost in his return from the DL by a score of 6-0. Mrs. Black-N-Gold & Brother Black-N-Gold were in town visiting their Black-N-Gold Niece and to see if the Buccos could salvage the final game on Sunday. It took them 18 innings but the Pirates prevailed 2-1. 

Before Tuesday's opener in the 3-game series against the Brewers at PNC, the Pirates made more roster moves. RH Jameson Taillon came off the DL and Frankie C was reinstated from his rehab assignment. RH Chad Kuhl was optioned back to Indy. C Erik Kratz was designated for assignment. 

The Pirates won game one against Milwaukee in walk fashion 3-2. 

Another roster move was made as C Elias Diaz came off the 60-day DL. He was optioned to Indy. 

The Pirates then lost the next game to Milwaukee 9-5. They won the rubber game 5-3 to take the series.

It was announced that Kratz refused his assignment to Triple A. He is now a free agent. 

Our favorite Black-N-Gold baseball team opened a series with their cross state rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, on Friday night. They fell to Philly thanks to a 3-hit, complete-game effort by their rookie pitcher on his way to a 4-0 win. Following the game, the Bucs said that RH Tyler Glasnow would pitch Saturday's game, making his PNC Park debut. The rookie didn't fare well when he left the game with right shoulder discomfort. The Buccos were able to rally for a 7-4 win. 

When Glasnow was brought up, the Bucs sent RH AJ Schugel back to Indy to clear a roster spot. Another move was made as C Eric Fryer was placed on the paternity list. Diaz was brought up to take his place. Schugel didn't even make it out of town. The Pirates recalled him when they placed Glasnow on the 15 day DL. 

The Pirates came back to edge Philly in Sunday's finale 5-4. In that game Diaz drove in his first run in the big leagues. Also, Adam Frazier knocked his first MLB home run. His pinch hit homer was the deciding factor. Congrats to both Elias and Adam! 

STEELERS

Our Steelers said goodbye to TE Matt Spaeth this week. The veteran tight end was released after failing a physical.

The Steelers also received some decidedly bad news this week, one week before training camp. News broke that RB Le'Veon Bell would be suspended for 4 games after missing a mandatory drug test. Bell is expected to appeal. The rumor of this suspension floated around for the past month. It was said that both Bell and the Steelers had been aware of this for some time. Bell had denied the suspension when confronted with it in the past. Mrs. Black-N-Gold can't help but wonder why our favorite Black-N-Gold football team didn't draft a running back in this year's draft. Bell has a history of both injury and suspension. Now D'Angelo Williams (another injury-prone back and on the wrong side of 30) will be #1 on the depth chart. He'll be followed by Fitzgerald Touissant. You may remember Touissant. The last time Steelers fans saw him, he was fumbling away the ball and the game in Denver. But wait! The Steelers DID sign rookie free agent running back Brandon Johnson out of Penn State. That depth chart doesn't elicit a whole lot of confidence now, does it?

Hopefully things will take a turn for the better once training camp begins. See ya in Latrobe. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

No news from our Penguins as our favorite Black-N-Gold hockey team continues to make the rounds with the Stanley Cup. If anyone hears that the cup is coming Mrs. Black-N-Gold's way, to Washington County, please contact her immediately. She can't find her picture with the Cup from 20 years ago and wants to get a new pic with it.

Until then, we countdown the days until we raise the banner and drop the puck. Let's Go Pens!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Our Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series with the Milwaukee Brewers tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The good news from last night's game? The Pirates scored 5 runs on 10 hits. The bad news? They gave up 9 runs on 12 hits. The offense woke up but the pitching certainly regressed. With this pitching staff, there's always room for more Hit, Run & Score! 2)Pirates pitchers may want to look at rookie RH Jameson Taillon's performance from Tuesday night. In that contest, Jamo worked 6 innings and gave up 0 walks. In last night's debacle, the Bucs issued 9 walks while Milwaukee limited their's to just 2. The free pass will always bite you in the a$$! 3)The Buccos will try to make some Milwaukee meatloaf today and take the series. 2 outta 3 ain't bad! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series tonight with the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Bucs won in dramatic walk-off fashion in last night's opener, 3-2. They've now won 2 straight. If it's 3, it's for me! 2)Milwaukee starts RH Chase Anderson, 4-10, 5.44 ERA. The Buccos counter with LH Jeff Locke, 8-5, 5.26 ERA. Chase Chase and Locke down a W! 3)The Pirates have scored just 4 runs in their last 4 games. How about more Hit, Run & Score?! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Play ball! Our Pittsburgh Pirates return home to the friendly confines of PNC Park tonight when they battle the Milwaukee Brewers in the first game of a 3-game set. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The battlin' Bucs, luckily, salvaged the final game in the series in DC, winning Sunday 2-1 in 18 innings. They only managed to score 3 runs in 36 total innings. We want more Hit, Run & Score! 2)Milwaukee starts RH Junior Guerra, 6-2, 3.06 ERA. The Pirates start RH Jameson Taillon, 2-1, 3.86 ERA, fresh of the DL. Guerra has been a shot in the arm for the 39-51 Brewers. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 3)The Pirates are looking to right the ship after dropping 2 of 3 in DC. They've had their share of troubles against the Brew Crew. You've got to beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Take me out to the ballgame! That's right, Mrs. Black-N-Gold and Brother Black-N-Gold will be representing Black-N-Gold Nation at today's game, along with our Black-N-Gold Niece. We'll be cheering on our Pittsburgh Pirates when they close out their set with the Washington Nationals today in DC. The Buccos need to salvage a win today. Stop SUCKN and start BUCN! These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates dropped their 3rd in a row with last night's 6-0 defeat in DC. We don't need loss #4. Hit, Run, & Score! 2)In the 1st 2 games of this series, the Bucs bats have gone silent, only scoring 1 run. 1 run won't get the job done. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)Meanwhile, the pitchers have surrendered 11 runs to the Nats. You got to know when to hold 'em! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

      Play ball! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in the nation's capital tonight when they battle the Washington Nationals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates didn't start off the 2nd half in the win column, losing last night's opener 5-1. They only managed 1 run on 4 hits. We gotta have more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)With that loss, the Bucs have dropped 2 straight. #3 ain't for me! 3)We see the return of Buccos RH Gerrit Cole, 5-4, 2.77 ERA, tonight. He'll square off against Nats RH Tanner Roark, 8-5, 3.01 ERA. This will be Cole's 1st start since a stint on the DL before the All-Star break. All aboard the Cole Train for a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Make baseball fun again! Our Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road tonight to open a 3-game series that starts the 2nd half in Washington DC to battle the Nationals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Pirates LH Francisco Liriano, 5-8, 5.15 ERA faces Nats RH Stephen Strasburg, 12-0, 2.62 ERA. Strasburg is due to lose. Why not tonight? Give him L, Frankie! 2)When facing a pitcher of Strasburg's caliber, it's best to get to him quickly. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 3)Before the All-Star break, the Bucs were on an 8-2 run. Keep finding the win column and raising the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Start spreading the news! That's right, Black-N-Gold Nation, it's time for all of the Black-N-Gold information. Mrs. Black-N-Gold has for you the latest edition of The Black-N-Gold News. She's got all the news for you on our Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers and Penguins.


                                         THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS 

PIRATES

Our Pirates seem to have righted the ship in the early goings of July. They had a big series against NL Central-leading Chicago last weekend to close out the 1st half of the season. Before the began that series, they made a roster move. 1B Josh Bell was called up from Triple A Indy while RH Tyler Glasnow was sent back to Indy. 

The move helped as Bell recorded his 1st Major League and run scored en route to the Bucs 8-4 win. Congrats to Josh! Bell also made history with his 1st MLB grand slam in his 2nd MLB at bat in Saturday's 12-6 win. 

Congrats also go out to LF Starling Marte. The Marte Partay was elected to the NL squad as an injury replacement. 

The Buccos went for the sweep in Sunday's game to finish the 1st half. Unfortunately, the came up short losing 6-5. 

The Pirates lost RH Rob Scahill in a waiver claim to Milwaukee during the All-Star break. 

The Bucs stars had a chance to shine in the All-Star Game at San Diego on Tuesday. RH Mark Melancon walked a batter but also recorded 1 out to end his inning. Marte hit a single in his only at bat. Maybe if they'd played more, they could have helped the NL. They fell to the AL 4-2. 

They'll return to action on Friday night to open a 3-game series in Washington versus the Nationals. They're in 3rd place in the NL Central, 7.5 games out. They are 1.5 out for the 2nd wild card spot. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

The only news to report from our Steelers is that they'll honor Hall of Fame LB Kevin Greene for his enshrinement into Canton. There will be a ring ceremony October 2 at Heinz Field when the Steelers face the KC Chiefs. 

Training camp begins on July 27. See you soon. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

There was one signing made this week. Our Pens re-signed D Justin Schultz to a 1 year deal.

Just a few more announcements regarding the Pens. F Phil Kessel recently underwent surgery for a hand injury suffered during the Stanley Cup playoffs. He is expected to be ready for training camp. Get well soon, Philly!

It was also announced that D Olli Maatta will not perform his military service for the Finnish army this offseason. Maatta is still trying to recover from various injuries and will fulfill his commit at a later time. Hopefully, Olli will be rested and recovered by the time training camp rolls around. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     It's MLB All-Star break this week. Most of our Pittsburgh Pirates, with the exceptions of LF Starling Marte and RH Mark Melancon, have a few days off to rest their weary bones and get ready for the final 73 games of the season. They're currently in 3rd place in the NL Central, 7.5 games behind the leader the Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals are in 2nd place, 7 games back. The Bucs are 1.5 games out of the 2nd wild card spot. Mrs. Black-N-Gold thought she would take an opportunity to look at 4 things the Buccos need to make a run in the 2nd half.

1)PITCHING-Yes, pitching is the obvious need. It seems to be obvious to the fans and the media. But is it obvious to GM Neal Huntington? That, I'm not so sure. The rotation is definitely going to get an overhaul going into the 1st series against the Washington Nationals. If RH Gerrit Cole returns for that series, it could be the shot in the arm the staff needs. But where do the Bucs go from there? The starting pitching has got to get better and stronger and go longer. If they don't, the bullpen arms will wear down again. NH needs to start looking under a rock for every available arm (although, it may be that kind of thinking that got us in this mess in the first place). If we never see LH Jon Niese again the the Black-N-Gold, that will be alright by me. LH Francisco Liriano needs to get back on track or see what he can bring in a trade. Bring up the youngsters. If there's not enough room in the rotation, try them in the bullpen. While you're at it, you may as well see if RH AJ Burnett ever filed his retirement papers.

2)DEFENSE-Mrs. Black-N-Gold was very surprised when she saw that the Pirates are tied for 3rd best in the NL with a .987 fielding percentage. They're 4th in the league with just 44 errors. This is good news for all concerned. With sometimes suspect pitching, it is a trend that needs to continue if they hope to make the playoffs. Limit the number of opportunities for the opponent by limiting the number of balls that hit the grass.

3)GRIT-This is one of those type of unquantifiable traits that every team needs. Manager Clint Hurdle refers to it often. Following the dreaded June swoon, the Buccos exhibited tons of grit by bouncing back in a big way to start the month of July. They need to continue to show every bit of grit to continue to battle for a playoff spot. That's what so cool about this team. If one guy gets down, another teammate will pick him up. Grit happens.

4)YOUTH-The story of how the Baby Pens helped the veterans in Pittsburgh go from out of the playoffs straight to the Stanley Cup is well-documented. Mrs. Black-N-Gold isn't saying that the kids from Indy would lead the Buccos all the way to the World Series, but they can give this team the the shot in the arm they need. The young pitchers certainly have more upside than some of the current starters. And it's always good to have energy off the bench if not in the starting lineup. Let's see if these kids are alright, too.

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold feels if the Pirates can make the necessary adjustments, they could be playoff-bound again this year. But a one-and-done wild card isn't good enough. Get ready for the 2nd half of the season and a run to the World Series. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Hey batter, batter, batter, batter! Our Pittsburgh Pirates close out the first half of their season today with a matinee versus the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates go for 3 in a row against Chicago following last night's 12-6 win. The victory was powered by 4 home runs from CF Andrew McCutchen (could the giant finally be awakening from his slumber?) SS Jordy Mercer, RF Sean Rodriguez, and 1B Josh Bell. The Bell tolled with his 1st career granny. Chicks dig the long ball! 2)Some house cleaning is the order of the day as the Bucs go for the sweep. Break out the brooms! 3)During the 1st 2 games of this series, the Buccos have scored 20 runs. There's always room for more Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Chicago Cubs tonight on the North Shore at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 8-4 win in the opener, the Bucs have gone 8-1 in their last 9. Refuse to lose! 2)This has been a season of many firsts for several Pirates prospects. We've seen Wilfredo Boscan, Jameson Taillon, Chad Kuhl, Steven Brault and Tyler Glasnow all contribute to the big club on the mound. We've also seen Adam Frazier record his 1st MLB hit and RBI. Last night was another milestone for another highly-toted rookie. Congrats to 1B Josh Bell for his 1st MLB hit and run scored. These youngsters are contributing the way the Baby Pens helped the Black-N-Gold win another Stanley Cup. The kids are alright! 3)The Cubs start LH Jon Lester, 9-4, 2.67 ERA. He will face Pirates rookie RH Chad Kuhl, 1-0, 4.09 ERA. Of course, Mrs. Black-N-Gold could cue up the "Kuhl" puns for this last one. But she's not going that route right now. Lester can be had on the basepaths. It's a well-known fact that he doesn't like to throw over to hold the runner. Run wild on the lefty and Hit, RUN, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Mrs. Black-N-Gold is back in Black (N-Gold) to bring you the newest edition to the internet sensation that is sweeping Black-N-Gold Nation. Yes, it's time, once again, to give you all the information on our Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins. It's time for The Black-N-Gold News.


                                                 THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

PIRATES

Boy were our Pirates glad to turn the calendar to the month of July because they've gotten hotter than a firecracker in a fire pit this past week. Some of their prospects that are in the pipeline have also heated up and received recognition for their play. 

The following members of the Double A Altoona Curve were named to the Eastern League All-Star Game: 1B Edwin Espinal, LH Jared Lakind, RH Tyler Eppler and OF Harold Ramirez. Congrats to all! 

The Pirates welcomed July by winning the opener last Friday night in their series in Oakland 7-3. They found the win column again on Saturday in a 4-2, 10-inning win. They completed the sweep on Sunday with a 6-3 victory. 

Roster moves were plentiful this week. The Bucs claimed C Eric Fryer off waivers from St Louie. To make room for the new backstop, they designated for assignment RH Rob Scahill. They also placed C Chris Stewart on the 15 day DL with a knee and RH Jameson Taillon on the 15 day DL due to right shoulder fatigue. Get well soon, Jamo and Stew! 

There was some good news on the injury-front. RH Gerrit Cole began his rehab assignment at Triple A Indy. Also, RH Ryan Vogelsong worked a simulated game on his way back from injury. And C Francisco Cervelli started working with the bat as he comes back from a broken hamate bone in his left hand. 

The Pirates provided the fireworks in their 4th of July series opener in St Louie on Monday, winning 4-2. They won Tuesday's tilt 5-2. 

The Bucs announced that RH Mark Melancon would represent the team next Tuesday at the All-Star Game in San Diego. It will be the Shark's 3rd All-Star appearance. Congrats, Mark! LF Starling Marte is one of the players involved in the NL Final Vote. You have until 4pm today to vote for the Marte Partay to join the Shark in San Diego. Vote Marte!

Unfortunately, OF Austin Meadows won't make his appearance in the Futures Game in San Diego on Sunday. Meadows has been sidelined with an injury. Get well soon, Austin.

LH Steven Brault was called up for a spot start against St Louie. The Bucs DFA'd C Jacob Stallings to make room. Stallings cleared waivers and returned to Triple A Indy. 

On a more serious note, it was announced this week that Pirates 3B Jung Ho Kang is under investigation for sexual assault by the Chicago police department. The alleged incident was said to have occurred when the Bucs were in Chicago back on June 17. As of yet, no charges have been filed. 

Following his spot start, Brault was returned to Indy while LH Kyle Lobstein was recalled from Indy. The Pirates won their 7th straight on Wednesday, a 7-5 win over St Louie. The win was also their 6th come-from-behind win. The Buccos closed out their series in St Louie yesterday. They called up highly-touted RH Tyler Glasnow from Indy for the start. Lobstein was sent back down to Indy. Unfortunately, the streak came to a halt with a 5-1 loss. Glasnow showed us some reasons he was the Pirates #1 prospect but still suffered the loss.

All in all it was an excellent road trip, going 7-2. They now return home tonight for a 3-game set with the NL Central-leading Cubs before the All-Star break. Following a woeful June, the Bucs have managed to get themselves back in the playoff conversation. If they want their voices to be heard, they've got to have a good showing this weekend against Chicago. So far this season, they've only beaten the Cubs once. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

Mrs. Black-N-Gold just checked her notes (twice) and sees no significant news on our Steelers this week. She did hear that RB Le'Veon Bell made some noise. Apparently, LBell has released some rap tunes and the lyrics on one of the songs says something to the affect that he needs "15 mil" a year once his current deal runs out this year. How about that? I just busted my own rhyme without even tryin'. I don't know if Bell go the memo, but the Steelers don't air their laundry in public like that when they do business. Especially to a running back coming off a knee injury who has a bit of a history with the injury bug. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Training camp opens at the end of the month. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

PENGUINS

It's the offseason for our Pens but they made some news this week with the start of free agency. They lost G Jeff Zatkoff, who signed with the LA Kings. 

They did manage to sign assistant coach Jacques Martin to a 2 year contract extension. 

Lots and lots of 2 way deals were made. The Pens signed D Chad Ruhwedel to a 1 year, 2 way contract. Also receiving such deals were Ds Steve Olesky, Stuart Percy, David Warsofsky, and Cameron Gaunce and Fs Tom Sestito and Garrett Wilson. 

GM Jim Rutherford signed a 3 year contract extension. 

And former Pens GM Ray Shero signed D Ben Lovejoy to a 3 year deal in New Jersey. 

C Matt Cullen and D Justin Schultz are still on the open market with a chance of returning to Pittsburgh. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Baseball fever, catch it! Our Pittsburgh Pirates return home to the friendly confines of PNC Park tonight to start a 3-game series with the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs for their last series before the All-Star break. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates return home following an impressive 7-2 road trip after yesterday's 5-1 loss to St Louie. They'll look to get back in the win column in front of the home crowd. There's no place like home! 2)The Bucs have climbed back into the playoff picture following a dismal June. If they want to continue to photobomb the postseason, they'll need to do better against the Cubs. They've only beaten the Cubbies once this year. Get the monkey off your back and kick their ass! 3)RH Jake Arrieta, 12-3, 2,33 ERA will start for Chicago. The Pirates counter with LH Francisco Liriano, 5-8, 5,34 ERA, Everything has not been "jake" for the Buccos vs Arrieta. He is 3-0 against The Black-N-Gold this season. Hit hit early, hit him often, hit him HARD; Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Rounding third and heading for home! Our Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their road trip with a matinee in St Louie against the Cardinals today. These are your keys for today's game. 1)With their 7-5 win last night, the battlin' Bucs came back to find the win column for the 6th straight game. Comeback kids! 2)They also won their season-high 7th game in a row. They'll break out the brooms as they go for the St Louie sweep. #8 would be great! 3)Rookie RH Tyler Glasnow will make his MLB debut for the Buccos. He'll face St Louie RH Adam Wainwright, 7-5, 4.70 ERA. The time is now for Glasnow; Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Let's go, let's go, he can't hit! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in St Louie tonight when they clash with the Cardinals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 5-2 come-from-behind win, the Pirate have won 9 of 11 and 6 in a row. They've come back in their last 5 to find the win column. Keep raising the Jolly Roger! 2)The  bullpen has gone from bull crap to downright bullish, allowing just 1 earned run in their past 40 1/3 innings. You got to know when to hold 'em! 3)Pirates LH Jeff Locke, 8-5, 5.13 ERA will face St Louie LH Jaime Garcia, 6-6, 3.84 ERA. Locke down a W with a big can o' Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     You got a beat up glove, a home made bat and a brand new pair of shoes! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in St Louie tonight when they clash with the Cardinals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With yesterday's 4th of July 4-2 win, the Bucs have won 5 in a row. Get your kicks with win #6! 2)After yesterday's game, the Buccos placed RH Jameson Taillon on the 15 day DL with right shoulder fatigue. That means another pitcher gets the call to make his MLB debut from Indy. No, it's not RH Tyler Glasnow. Today's starter will be LH Steven Brault. No knock on Brault but why the continuous delay with Glasnow's debut? Sure he started Saturday at Indy but if it's not that excuse, it's another. Is the front office trying to make an example of this kid or what? Don't cut off your nose to spite your face, NH. Meanwhile, 2 Pirates rookies picked up their 1st MLB wins this season (Taillon and RH Chad Kuhl). Can a 3rd rookie get his 1st MLB W? Do it again, get the rookie a win! 3)The Bucs will face their old nemesis, RH Mike Leake, 5-6, 4.13 ERA. For some reason, Leake has the Pirates number. What is a team to do? Score early, score often, score BIG; Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Firecracker, firecracker, boom, boom, boom! Our Pittsburgh Pirates look to start some fireworks with their NL Central rivals, the St Louie Cardinals, today when they open a 4-game series. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Bucs broke out the bats and the brooms yesterday en route to the sweep of Oakland with a 6-3 win. They've won 7 of 9 and 4 in a row. Keep the streak alive with win #5! 2)The Buccos have scored 26 runs during their winning streak  There's always room for more Hit, Run, & Score! 3)Pirates LH Jon Niese, 6-6, 5.07 ERA will face St Louie RH Carlos Martinez, 7-5, 2.83 ERA. Niese is another pitcher that needs to right the ship or he's sunk. A win for Niese would be nice! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Baby you're a firework! Our Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series in Oakland today when they face the Athletics. These are your keys for today's game. 1)With last night's late night BUCN 4-2 win in 10, the Pirates have won 3 straight. Give us win #4. Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Mrs. Black-N-Gold hopes the Bucs packed their brooms for this trip because they can clean house in Oakland with a sweep. Break out the brooms! 3)The Pirates will start LH Francisco Liriano, 4-8, 5.33 ERA. He'll face Oakland RH Daniel Mengden, 1-3, 2.81. Frankie is really struggling. Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't know why the Buccos don't place him on the DL and let him figure things out. They could bring up RH Tyler Glasnow in his place. Are the Pirates cutting off their nose to spite their face? Be filthy, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Play ball! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their west coast swing tonight when they take on the Athletics in Oakland. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 7-3 win in the opener, the Pirates have righted the ship to improve to 5 wins in their last 7. More wins would be heaven! 2)Bucs rookie RH Chad Kuhl, 1-0, 5.40 ERA takes the mound. The rook picked up the victory in his 1st MLB start last Sunday over Clayton Kershaw. Another win would be Kool! 3)Oakland starts LH Rich Hill, 8-3, 2.25 ERA. Hill is a reclamation project if there ever was one. He had a stint in independent ball last year and has found his way back to the bigs in a big way. He likes to throw the kind of junk that could put the Buccos bats into a funk. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD; Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Put me in, coach! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their road show tonight in Oakland where they'll battle the Athletics. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates will start LH Jeff Locke, 7-5, 5.12 ERA. Oakland counters with RH Sonny Gray, 3-6, 5.03 ERA. Locke has not issued a walk in his past 2 outings, both wins. That's good because we all know the free pass can bite you in the a$$. Locke down a W! 2)Even though they're 35-43, the A's are no pushovers. They just took 3 of 4 from San Fran. Score early, score often, score BIG; Hit, Run, & Score! 3)At 38-41, the Bucs are trying desperately to stay in the playoff conversation. They're 3.5 games out of the 2nd wild card spot and need to put the June swoon behind them. Light up the A's like a firecracker on the 4th of July! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!