THE BULLPEN

The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your first-place Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series tonight against St Louie at PNC Park. These are your keys to tonight's game. Where do I begin? Watching yesterday's doubleheader sweep of the Cards, I came up with tons of keys. I've got more keys than a locksmith. I've got more keys than a piano. But, here goes....1)Your first-place Pirates, at 64-42, .604 winning percentage, have the best, repeat, the best record in the majors. They haven't been in first place this late in the season since they last went to the postseason in 1992. Coincidence? I think not! 2)Two teams collide. St Louie has the best offense in the NL. The Pirates have the best pitching in MLB. The Pirates have grounded these birds, holding them to 3 runs in 29 innings. Meanwhile, the Bucco bats have erupted for 17 runs in 29 innings. St Louie has dropped 6 in a row. The Pirates have won 3 straight. Get #4 with some more Hit, Run, & Score! 3)Pirates starter, LH Jeff Locke, is 9-3 with a 2.15 ERA. However, Lockey is coming off of his worst start of the year in Miami. How do you follow-up the worst start of the year? Go out and Locke 'em down with your best start of the year! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Let's play two! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their HUGE series versus St Louie with a double-dip today at PNC Park. These are your keys for both games. 1)Last night, en route to a 9-2 slaughtering of St Louie, the Pirates erupted for 9 runs on 9 hits with only 4 strikeouts. Good wood is always good. Hit 'em hard with plenty of Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Last night's game was the blueprint for how to beat St Louie. Today's Pirates pitchers, RH A.J. Burnett and Pitcher X will need to keep the Cards off of the basepaths and keep their wits about them if they get into a jam. Clip the Cards wings! 3)The Pirates have scored 7 or more runs in 3 out of their last 5 games. All hands on deck today as we blast the Cards! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates begin a HUGE 5-game series tonight versus St Louie at PNC Park. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)The Pirates have taken 3 of 5 from St Louie this season. As you're well aware, St Louie sits atop the NL Central with the Pirates close behind. Knock the Cards off of their perch! 2)The Pirates are the worst in MLB in sacrifice flies. You can't afford to leave runners on the base paths. Take advantage of every opportunity you have. Sac up, Bucs! 3)St Louie only scored 3 runs as they were swept in a 3-game set by the Bravos. Kick 'em while their down with plenty of Hit, Run, & Score! To be the best, you have to beat the best. Whooo! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Rounding third and heading for home! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their road-trip this afternoon in Miami, FLA as they take on the Fish. These are your keys to today's game.  1)The Pirates sample the Miami Meatloaf today as they try to take 2 outtta 3. Serving up Meatloaf and Fish on today's menu! 2)The Fishies start rookie All-Start RH Jose Fernandez, 6-5, 2.74 ERA. The Pirates counter with rookie RH Gerrit Cole 5-3, 3.51. Fernandez is 3-0 with a 1.47 at home. Cole is 2-0 with a 2.03 on the road. Something has got to give. All aboard the Cole Train! 3)The Pirates, finally, had success with runners in scoring position last night. In their 7-4 victory, the battlin' Bucs went 6 for 17 with ducks on the pond. Sink the Fish with lost more of the ol' Hit, Run, & Score!

THE BULLPEN

One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series tonight in Miami, FLA as they face the Fish. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)The Pirates are 19 games over .500 at 60-41. The Fishies are 23 games under .500, 39-62. Last night, in a 2-0 defeat, the Minnows shut down the Sharks. You have to beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams. Luckily, both St. Louie and Cincy also lost. The Pirates try to avoid a 3rd loss in a row tonight. Go get 'em Bucs! 2)The Pirates have struck out 39 times in their last 3 games. They were also 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position in last night's defeat. We need some good wood! 3)The Pirates send RH Charlie Morton to the mound. Charlie is 2-2 with a 3.35 ERA. The Fish have RH Tom Koehler on the hump. Koehler is 2-5 with a 4.38 ERA. In 4 starts at Marlins Park, Koehler is 0-3 with a 6.35 ERA. Make him 0-4 with lots of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

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THE BULLPEN

Hey batter, batter, batter! Your Pittsburgh Pirates begin a 3-game series tonight in Miami, FLA against the Fish. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)The Pirates have won 4 of their last 5. The Fishies, meanwhile, have won 3 of their last 4. The Bucs had their 4-game winning streak snapped in heartbreaking fashion yesterday in a 9-7 defeat in DC. Friday is a good day for a Fish fry! 2)The Pirates start LH Jeff Locke tonight. Locke is 9-2 with a 2.11 ERA. He can join Francisco Liriano and become the second Pirates starter to reach double-digits in the win column tonight. Locke and load! 3)Pirates OF Starling Marte is mired in a 1 for 24 slump. Let's get the Marte Partay started tonight in Miami with loads of Hit, Run, & Score! Sink the Fish! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Let's play two! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series in DC today against the Gnats. These are your keys to today's game. 1)The Pirates have RH A.J. Burnett on the hill today. A.J. is 4-7 with a 3.07 ERA. A.J. hasn't won since coming off of the DL. I'd say he's due. Swat the Gnats, A.J.! 2)We know the Pirates packed the Jolly Roger for this road trip as they've won 4 in a row. Let's see if they've packed their brooms, too. They go for the sweep and try send the Gnats to their 7th straight defeat. Clean house in DC! 3)A.J.'s run-support (or lack thereof) is among the Major's lowest with the Pirates averaging only 3.07 runs per game when he starts. Pick A.J. up today with lots and lots of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

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THE BULLPEN

The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in DC tonight against the Washington Gnats. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)The Pirates start LH Francisco Liriano, 9-4, 2.44 ERA against the Gnats' RH Stephen Strasburg, 5-7 with a 2.97 ERA. Last time out, Frankie pitched his worst outing of the season, a 5-3 loss to Cincy. He gave up 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings. How do you follow up your worst start of the year? Go out and pitch your best start of the year. Mow 'em down, Frankie! 2)Frankie also goes for double-digit victories tonight for the 3rd time in his 8-year career. Meanwhile, the Gnats have lost 5 straight and are 2-8 in their last 10. Kick 'em while they're down and veto the Gnats! 3)The Pirates have won 3 straight. Go for #4 with plenty of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Put me in coach! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in DC tonight against the Washington Gnats. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)Last night the Pirates pulled out a 6-5 victory on the strength of a pair of 2-run homers by Clutch, Andrew McCutchen, and Vinny Vin's (Vin Mazzaro) first big league save. We lost closer Grilled Cheese, Jason Grilli, indefinitely due to a forearm (elbow?). The Bucs are looking for their 3rd straight win. If it's 3, it's for me! Go out and win it for Grilled Cheese (get well soon)! 2)The Gnats have dropped 4 in a row and are 2-9 in their last 11. Giving them #5 wouldn't be jive. Lay some Hit, Run, & Score on them! 3)The Pirates send rookie RH Gerrit Cole, 4-3, 3.89 ERA to the mound. The Gnats go with rookie RH Taylor Jordan, 0-2 with a 3.32 ERA. Jordan is looking for his first MLB victory. Not tonight, rook! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

50-YARD LINE

We got a feeling, Pittsburgh's going to the Super Bowl! Two very cool things happen this week. #1 Your Pittsburgh Steelers open training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. #2 The Wolverine opens in theatres across the country. How are these two items related? The Steelers have their own Wolverine in linebacker LaMarr Woodley. And like the X-Men Origins: Wolverine, movie, Woodley did not do so well his last time out and is looking for a chance at redemption. There were rumors that Woodley had turned soft and was out of shape last season. He did manage to play 13 games last year but amassed his lowest sack total, 4, since his rookie season of 2007. Some people say that the former Michigan Wolverine has gotten soft since he signed his last contract with the Steelers. His statistics show his production down every year since '09. The Steelers are counting on him to make like Wolverine and claw his way through opposing offenses this season. He'll need to step up in a big way now that James Harrison is no longer his bookend. It remains to be seen if the oft-injured, under-performing Jason Worilds, or 1st-round draft pick Jarvis Jones will start opposite Woodley. Either way, it's a big question mark for the defense. Too bad Woodley doesn't have Wolverine's healing power, to help battle the injury bug. He may need it if he's going to play every game this season. One of Wolverine's sayings is "I'm the best at what I do. What I do isn't very nice." The Steelers need their Wolverine, LaMarr Woodley to do the same. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are in the nation's capital tonight to start a 4-game series with the Washington Gnats. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)The Pirates start RH Charlie Morton, 1-2 with a 3.19 ERA. Washington counters with RH Dan Haren, 4-10, 5.61 ERA. Haren's last 10 starts for the Gnats have all been losses. #11 would be heaven! 2)The Gnats were swept at home this weekend by the LA Codgers, giving them a 3-game losing streak. Bring lots of Hit, Run, & Score and give them #4! 3)The last time these teams faced each other, the Gnats took 2 of 3 from the Pirates at PNC. It's payback time! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series versus the Reds this afternoon in Cincy. These are your keys to today's game. 1)The Pirates try to avoid the sweep in Cincy and right this ship. They send LH Jeff Locke, 8-2, 2.15 ERA, to the mound. Lockey is 4-1 in 9 road starts this season with an MLB-best 1.76 ERA. Locke and load! 2)The Pirates are a paltry 5-9 in the month of July. Time to turn those calendars back to June and turn this thing around! 3)During yesterday's 5-4 loss to Cincy, the Pirates had already left 7 men on base through the first 3 innings. Those ducks don't look good sitting out on that pond. Did you forget to pack something for this road trip? We need the ol' Hit, Run, & Score so we can Raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Hey batter, batter, batter! Your Pittsburgh Pirates try to pick up their first win of the second half tonight in Cincy against the Reds. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)Cincy has scored 3 runs or less in 8 of their last 16 games. Seeing the Reds score makes me see red! 2)Cincy starts RH Matt Latos, 8-3 with a 3.53 ERA. Latos has given up four-plus runs in each of his last 2 starts. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! 3)Latos is 0-3 versus the Bucs this year. Make it 0-4 with plenty of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Play ball! It seems so long since we've heard that phrase. Your Pittsburgh Pirates kick-off the second half of the season with a 3-game set in Cincy tonight. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)The Pirates lead the season series 6 games to 4. However, when these 2 teams meet, it's more beanball than baseball. The best revenge is a win. Don't get sucked into their head games.The Pirates are hitting an NL-worst .230 with runners in scoring position. Don't leave those ducks on the pond! Beat 'em with the bats. Score early, score often, score BIG! 2)The Pirates have an MLB-best ERA of 3.07. Hold 'em Bucs! 3)The Pirates send LH Francisco Liriano to the hill tonight. Frankie is 9-3 with a 2.00 ERA. He's won 4 games in a row but has lost his 2 starts to Cincy this season. Both of those losses came against Reds RH Mike Leake, 8-4, 2.69 ERA, tonight's starter. Third times a charm, Frankie! Now that everyone is rested and ready to roll, get to BUCN with lots of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

50-YARD LINE

Here we go Steelers, here we go! Training camp is right around the corner and the Steelers are gearing up for a run at a 7th Lombardi Trophy. They'll need to work out some of the kinks that kept them out of the playoffs last season. Mrs. Black-N-Gold takes a look at what the Steelers need to do to get back to the Super Bowl.

1)The Roethlisberger/Haley Dynamic. Alot of coverage was given in the media last year regarding QB Big Ben Roethlisberger and OC Todd Haley's relationship. "Do they get along or don't they?" "Will they be friends or won't they?" The thing is, the media and fans also made a big deal out of the friendship that Ben had with his former OC, Bruce Arians. There was also much harping on the "dink and dunk" offense. I think the dink and dunk was fine and dandy until Ben went down with an injury. He was on his way to one of his best seasons and was mentioned in both Pro Bowl and MVP conversations. Ben had knee surgery in the off-season and is said to be in the best shape of his career. At 31 years old, he's in his prime and is primed for another run at a Super Bowl. Haley has a younger, more physical offensive line to protect his franchise QB. I think as long as these 2 work together, they can have a long, productive working relationship. You don't have to be besties to win championships.

2)Youth. The Steelers have been trying to get younger on both sides of the ball for the past few seasons. It's time some of these youngsters step up and become the next generation of great Steelers. That means keep your head on straight, play the game the way it's supposed to be played and when you make a great play, act like you've been there before.

3)Lack of Depth. If you look at the depth chart, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot there. This is an opportunity for some guys looking to make names for themselves to get noticed. Otherwise, an injury or two to any unit, and it could all fall apart. The Steelers will need alot of good health and good luck to make it back to the Super Bowl unless some unknowns emerge.

4)Turnovers. Turnovers are a two-way street. It's great when your defense creates them. It sucks when your offense creates them. How many times did the Steelers need a big play on either side of the ball, last season, only to see it slip out of a receiver or defensive backs hands? The Steelers need to learn when and when not to turn the ball over.

5)No playmakers. This goes hand-in-hand with the turnovers. The Steelers need players who are going to step up and make the "splash" play as Coach Tomlin likes to call it. There weren't enough of those last season.

6)AFC North Division. Need I remind you that the defending Super Bowl Champion, Baltimorons, play in the Steelers division? Also, the Steelers were on the outside, looking in, last season as the Bungles went to the playoffs, too. Heck, even the lowly Clowns were able to beat the Steelers. Sweep your division and you're assured of the playoffs.

7)Coach Tomlin. Or as I like to call him Coach "Cliche". Tomlin has been called a player's coach. That may work to his disadvantage as he can be too much buddy and not enough coach. Leadership starts at the top. He needs to instill focus, discipline and professionalism in his young charges if the Steelers are to get back to the Promised Land.

Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

50- YARD LINE

Here we go Steelers, here we go! Your Pittsburgh Steelers report to training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe on July 26. The Steelers are looking to bounce back this season as they missed the playoffs last year. To add insult to injury, they had to watch as their AFC North division rivals, the Baltimorons, won the Super Bowl. Can the Steelers make it to the promised land this year? Will they even make the post season? As they gear up for a run at Lombardi Trophy #7, let's look at 7 reasons the Steelers can win the Super Bowl.

7 Reasons the Steeler Can Win the Super Bowl

1)For starters, #7. As long as Ben Roethlisberger is under center, the Steelers will always have a chance at the playoffs. We're talking about a quarterback who has already won 2 Super Bowls and been to a third. He's also won 3 AFC Championships and played in 2 Pro Bowls. Ben is almost always left out of the elite quarterback conversation but not other Steelers QB since HOFer Terry Bradshaw has been as successful as Ben. No matter how you slice it, as long as #7 is healthy, the Steelers have a shot at Super Bowl #7.

2)For the first time in decades, the offensive line could be a strength rather than a weakness. They've gotten considerably younger and have 2 1st-rounders on the line (Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro) and 1 2nd-rounder (Mike Adams). They also have a new coach to teach these young studs a thing or two, Jack Bicknell. This unit can grow into the kind of mauling, road-grading type of line that the Steelers have lacked for too long.

3)Youth. The Steelers continue to go with the youth movement, saying goodbye to some tried and true veterans, in the process (Harrison, Hampton, Starks). There are more of Coach Tomlin's guys on the team than there are holdovers from the Cowher era. It's time to hear names like Timmons, Woodley, Brown and Sanders on a consistent basis. And they've go to take the even younger players like Cortez Allen, Jarvis Jones, Le'Veon Bell and Markus Wheaton and show them the ropes. These youngsters have to channel their energy and use it to the Steelers advantage.

4)That advantage leads us to #4, these younger players should be plenty hungry. They don't know what it's like to hoist that Lombardi Trophy. And those players that do know what it's like, are itching to do it again this season. For some of these guys, it could be their last round up. They'd like to ride off into the sunset in style, as champions.

5)Parity. The good thing about the salary-cap era NFL, is that anyone can win on any given Sunday. And teams that didn't make the playoffs last year, most certainly have a chance to turn things around the next year. Even the defending champions have seen their roster overturned due to the cap. The Steelers need to make this a positive by taking advantage of teams that are in roster-disarray. Kick your opponents while they're down.

6)The defense still has some gray-beards in Keisel, Troy, Clark & Ike. But, with apologies to Warren Sapp, they have gotten younger. The veterans need to show the young pups how it's done with some serious on-the-job training. And the grayest beard of all, DC Dick LeBeau, continues to amaze by trotting out the #1 D last season.

7)Head Coach Mike Tomlin. Tomlin is a player's coach. He commands the attention of his team and earns their respect. With a career .654 winning percentage, 1 Super Bowl victory and 2 AFC Championships, he has what it takes to lead this group back to the playoffs and the Super Bowl!

THE BULLPEN

One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out the first half of the season today against the New Yawk Mets at PNC Park. These are your keys to today's game. 1)The Pirates are tied atop the NL Central with St Louie at 56-36, also the best mark in the majors. Today they try to tie the club-record for most wins before the All-Star break, 57 set by the World Champion '71 Bucs. They also go for the sweep of the Muckin' Fets today. Break out the brooms, it's time to clean house! 2)All-Star Andrew "Clutch" McCutchen is heating up. Clutch cracked a homer and an RBI single that was the go-ahead run last night. In his last 14 games, Clutch is batting a scorching .392. Clutch, Clutch, Clutch is on fire! 3)The Mets start RH Dillon Gee today. Gee is 6-7 with a 4.60 ERA for the season. However, in 4 career starts versus the Pirates, Gee is 2-0 with a 1.73 ERA. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD with lots of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Take me out to the ballgame! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series against the New Yawk Mets tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)The Mets start RH Carlos Torres who is 0-1 with a 0.51 ERA in relief appearances this season. It will be his first start in almost 3 years. Remind this kid why he was sent packing to the bullpen with plenty of Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Pirates go for 5 wins in a row over the Mets and 3 straight overall. Muck the Fets! 3)The Pirates have RH A.J. Burnett on the hump tonight. A.J. is 4-6 with a 3.05 ERA. He's 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his last 3 games against the Mets. Line 'em up and watch 'em fall, A.J.! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates open a 3-game series tonight against the New Yawk Mets at PNC Park, their final series before the All-Star break. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)In Wednesday's 5-0 win, the Pirates pounded out 12 hits and went 5 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Finally, those poor ducks weren't left on the pond. Keep it up with plenty of Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Pedro Alvarez is riding an 8-game hitting streak. Congrats to Petey for, eventually, being named to represent the NL in the Home Run Derby. But remember, Petey, the Mets David Wright didn't pick you. You only got in the Derby because CarGo backed out. Love the snub and take it out on Wright and the Mets this weekend. Show 'em what you've got. Don't get mad, get even! 3)The Pirates pitching staff has MLB's best ERA at 3.09. In their last 25 games, only 1 Pirates starter has given up more than 3 runs. Line 'em up, and knock 'em down! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their 3-games series with the Oakland Athletic Supporters tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys to tonight's game. Instead of suggesting what they need to do, I'm going to try a different tact today, in an effort to bring them out of their slump. You may don rally hats, if you like. 1)The Pirates need to find a way to scratch out a win. You can NOT go "0" for Oakland! And you most certainly can NOT score 2 runs in 2 games and expect to win said games! 2)Whatever happened to taking the series? You can NOT continue to win just 1 game in a 3 game series! 3)4 losses in a row? Oh, no! You can NOT lose more than 4 games in a row and expect all to be well! That being said, please always remember and don't ever forget, there are 3 keys to every game that you must, absolutely, MUST execute in order to win the game. 1)Hit 2)Run 3)Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Raise the jolly roger! Your Pittsburgh Pirates try to right the ship against the Oakland Athletic Supporters tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)In their 2-1 loss last night, the Bucs left 10 runners on base. If you continue to leave the ducks on the pond, your ship will be sunk. Let's see some Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Pirates have lost 5 of their last 7 and are now staring up at St Louie in the NL Central, a 1/2 game back. Haven't seen that jolly roger fly in some time. Hoist the colors! 3)Oakland is now 10-0 versus the Pirates in interleague play. We're due so let's take the next 2...starting tonight! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

BLUES N'AT

It’s summertime and that means festivals are popping up all over the tri-state area. Washington is no exception as they’ll be hosting the Whiskey Rebellion Festival on July 11-13. Friday, July 12 will be the annual Blues, Brews & BBQ show. The audience will be seeing (and hearing) red that night as Washington’s very own Ruby Red and the Dirty Devils kick off the evening’s festivities. They’ll be joining 2 legendary Pittsburgh blues bands, Jill West & Blues Attack and The Billy Price Band. I was fortunate enough to meet with 3/5 of the band, vocalist Kim Lucchini, keyboardist Jeff Kessel and guitarist/vocalist Tom Pollok. Although I wasn’t able to speak with bassist/vocalist Paul Kuzupas and drummer Kevin Hollinger, I did have the pleasure of finding out what drives this band to the bluesy rhythms that they provide fans. Billing themselves as an "eclectic electric blues band" their diverse musical tastes help form the ground work for their sound. Their influences range from the Rolling Stones and the Allman Brothers Band to Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald to the Clash and Saffire the Uppity Blues Women. As a matter of fact, Kim sights Saffire's Gaye Adegbalola as her mentor, or "blues mama" as she calls her. The band mentioned how fellow blues musicians near and far as well as the blues community as a whole have welcomed them with open arms via friendliness and encouragement. The Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania will even feature the original tune, Gypsy Blues, on their forthcoming Blues from the 'Burgh IV CD. But wait, there's more! There will even be a Ruby Red & The Dirty Devils CD out by 2014. If you can't wait for that, there's plenty of opportunities to catch their live shows in the coming months starting with the Whiskey Rebellion. You can get listings for their latest gigs as well as breaking news at rubyredandthedirtydevils.com or like them on their Facebook page. Yes, things are coming up rosy red for Ruby Red and the Dirty Devils.

 

THE BULLPEN

Rounding third and heading for home! Your Pittsburgh Pirates begin a 3-game series against the Oakland Athletic Supporters tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)The Pirates are 2-4 in their last 6 games. They're now tied with St Louie for 1st in the NL Central. No, it's not time to push the panic button. But dropping 2 straight series to sub-.500 teams is never a good thing. Time to get the mojo working and get back to BUCN! 2)The Pirates are 29-15 at home. Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home! 3)In interleague play, the Pirates have never beaten Oakland. Ever. We have All-Star Jeff Locke on the mound tonight against their All-Star, Bartolo Colon. We need Locke to lock 'em down and we need to break out the ol' Hit, Run, & Score! Let's right the ship, mateys! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Hey batter, batter, batter! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series in the Windy City today versus the Chicago Scrubs. These are your keys to today's game. 1)The Pirates look to try out some Chicago Meatloaf as they go for 2 outta 3 against the Scrubs. Scoreboard Watch: St Louie won yesterday and is only 1 game back and Cincy won, making them 3 1/2 out. Need that wind to blow out when we're at bat today. I hope the Pirates packed some extra Hit, Run & Score! 2)Pirates RH A.J. Burnett returns from the disabled list to take the hill. A.J. is 4-6 with a 3.12 ERA but is looking for his 6th straight win at Wrigley. Friendly confines, indeed, A.J.! 3)Congrats to Petey, Clutch, Grilled Cheese and Locke for getting All-Star nods. Petey homered yesterday, but the Bucs fell to the Scrubs 4-1. Did you know when he homers, the Pirates are 16-5? Hit that ball a country mile, Petey! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series this afternoon at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field against the Chicago Scrubs. These are your keys to today's game. 1)Pirates LF Starling Marte has been on a tear, lately. He is hitting .373 with 9 extra base-hits during a 10-game hitting streak. Marte Partay! 2)The Scrubs start RH Edwin Jackson, 4-10 with a 5.75 ERA. The Pirates send RH Charlie Morton, 1-1, 2.50 ERA to the mound. The Pirates pitching staff has the lowest ERA in the Majors at 3.14. Line 'em up, and knock 'em down! 3)The Bucs are 8-2 in their last 10 games and have won 12 of their last 14. At 53-32, they continue to have the best record in baseball with a 2 game lead over St Louie in the NL Central. Need to keep this train a' rollin' with lots of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Let's play two! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to Wrigley Field today as they battle the Chicago Scrubs. These are your keys to today's game. 1)The Pirates are 6-3 versus the Scrubs this season. After dropping 2 of 3 to the Sillies, the Pirates need to right their ship! 2)The Scrubs start RH Jeff Samardzija, 5-7 with a 3.34 ERA. The Bucs have LH Francisco Liriano on the hill. Frankie is 7-3 with a 2.23 ERA. In 7 of his 10 starts, Frankie has given up 1 run or less. Get on the board early and give him the lead with lots of Hit, Run, & Score! 3)In 2 starts against the Scrubs this year, Frankie has won both, 1-0 and 2-0. Shut 'em down, Frankie! We lost a little ground to Cincy yesterday as they were rained out. Luckily, St Louie lost. Hope that wind is blowing out of Wrigley when are Buccos are at bat. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Firecracker, firecracker, boom, boom, boom! Happy 4th of July! Your Pittsburgh Pirates try to finish up their series with the Philadelphia Silles this afternoon at PNC Park with a bang. These are your keys to today's game. 1)It's a Cole War today as the Sillies send LH Cole Hamels, 2-11 with a 4.58 ERA to the mound. Hamels is trying to tie a personal-best today. He leads the Majors with 11 losses. Another loss would match his total for most in a season. Light the kid up! 2)RH Gerrit Cole is your Pirates starter today. Cole 45 is 4-0 with a 3.70 ERA. He is the first Pirate since 1907 to win his first 4 Major League starts. #5 would not be jive. All aboard the Cole Train! 3)In the rookie's 24 1/3 innings, the Pirates have score 23 runs. Let's see the Pirates shoot off some fireworks this afternoon with lots of Hit, Run, & Score! Raise the Jolly Roger today, wave that flag, wave it wide and high! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

Root, root, root for the Pirates! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series against the Philadelphia Sillies tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)LH Jeff Locke is really the scheduled starter for the Pirates tonight. Locke is 7-1 with a 2.06 ERA for the year. In his last 8 starts, Locke's ERA is 1.07. Put the Sillies in Locke-down! 2)Locke's only loss this year was his first start of the season. Locke and load, baby! 3)The Sillies will start LH John Lannan, 1-2 with a 4.83 ERA. In 9 career starts versus the Pirates, Lannan is 1-4 with a 4.53 ERA. It's time to start another winning streak tonight with lots of Hit, Run, & Score! Get to this kid. Score early, score often, score BIG! Looking at the standings, The Pirates remain atop the NL Central with the best record in baseball at 51-31. St Louie lost last night so they're 2 games back and Cincy won (something about a no-hitter, I'm sure you've heard it by now) and they are 4 games behind. Philly is 40-44 and has a road record of 21-26. This is not a good team. You have to beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams. Beat the Sillies silly! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

The Bucs are going all the way, all the way, all the way! Your Pittsburgh Pirates begin the second half of the season with a 3-game series against the Philthedelphia Sillies that kicks off tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys to tonight's game. 1)The Pirates start LH Jeff Locke. Locke is locked in at 7-1 with a 2.06 ERA. He's unbeaten in 15 straight starts. The last Pirate to accomplish that was Dock Ellis in 1971. Locke and load! 2)The Pirates were off yesterday after coming off of a 14-inning, 2-1 victory over Milwaukee to extend their winning streak to 9 in a row. They're also 9-0 after off-days. Let's get these streaks to 10 with lots of Hit, Run, & Score, oh my! 3)The Sillies are 20-26 on the road. The Pirates are 28-13 at home. What better place to beat our interstate rivals than the friendly confines of PNC Park. There's no place like home! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

UPDATE: I heard on the radio this morning Jeff Locke will not start because he warmed up during Sunday's game. The Pirates haven't named a starter for tonight's game yet. So it won't be "Locke and load" tonight but RE-Load as the Pirates try to find another canon to shoot at the Sillies. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!