THE BULLPEN

     Play ball! Your Pittsburgh Pirates finish up their series in San Diego tonight against the Padres. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 5-2 victory, the Pirates have won 8 of their last 9. More wins would be fine! 2)The Pirates start LH Jeff Locke, 3-2, 4.70 ERA. He'll square off against San Diego RH Odrisamer Despaigne, 2-3, 5.23 ERA. The Bucs lefty looks to extend his scoreless innings streak as he's held opponents without a run for the past 10 2/3 innings. Locke down San Diego! 3)A win tonight would give the Pirates their 3rd straight series. We want more Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Got a beat-up glove, a homemade bat and a brand-new pair of shoes! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in San Diego tonight against the Padres. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates could not find the win column last night as they lost on a 2-out, grand slam in the bottom of the 9th, 6-2. Get back in the win column & raise the Jolly Roger tonight! 2)RH Charlie Morton, 1-0, 2.57 ERA makes his 2nd start for the Pirates. He'll face Padres RH Tyson Ross, 2-4, 3.84 ERA. In Morton's season debut, a 4-2 win over Miami on Monday, he gave up 2 runs on 8 hits while walking 0. He also recorded 18 ground ball outs. Grind 'em up, Ground Chuck! 3)During the Pirates winning streak, they averaged 6.6 runs per game. Last night they only managed 2 runs on Pedro's 2-run single in the 3rd. What does this tell us? Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Let's go, let's go, he can't hit, he can't hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their sojourn out west as they battle the San Diego Padres tonight. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates start LH Francisco Liriano, 2-4, 3.86 ERA. The Padres go with RH James Shields, 6-0, 3.75 ERA. Last time out Frankie pitched the Pirates to victory with 12 strikeouts in 6 innings, giving up just 1 run and walking 2. Tonight he looks to give Big Game James his first loss of the season. Give him L, Frankie! 2)The Pirates exploded for a season-high 11 runs on 15 hits in last night's 11-5 victory. We want more Hit, Run, & Score! 3)With last night's win, the Pirates have now won a season-best 7 straight. #8 would be grrrreat! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     I don't care if I ever get back! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road as they open a 4-game series in San Diego tonight against the Padres. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With yesterday's 5-2 comeback win over the Marlins, the Pirates have swept back-to-back series and have won 6 straight. #7 would be great! 2)This is the first times since 2013, when the Bucs were on their way to a 9-game winning streak, that the Pirates have reeled off 6 straight. Bring us more with some Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates put RH AJ Burnett and his 4-1 record and 1.37 ERA, on the bump. The Padres counter with RH Ian Kennedy, 2-4, 6.11 ERA. In AJ you have the pitcher with the best ERA in the Majors. In Kennedy you have a pitcher with one of the worst ERAs. Score early, score often, score BIG! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Let's play two! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series against the Miami Marlins with a matinee today at PNC Park. These are your keys for this afternoon's game. 1)The Bucs will start RH Gerrit Cole, 6-2, 2.05 ERA. Cole looks to pick up where he left off with his last outing. In that 4-1 win over the Mets, he went 8.1 innings, giving up just 1 unearned run on 6 hits with 1 walk and 10 strikeouts. All aboard the Cole Train for another Pirates win! 2)With last night's 5-1 victory, the Pirates have won 5 straight. #6 would be great! 3)Much has been said, rightfully so, about the masterful pitching during the Pirates winning streak. Don't forget the offense who have outscored the opposition 30-7 during this run. You gotta believe and you gotta Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Extra, extra, read all about it! Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you the latest news on all the Black-N-Gold happenings of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. Stop the presses for The Black-N-Gold News.


                                         THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

The Pirates-Our Buccos opened a homestand this week with a 2-game, interleague series against the Minnesota Twins. Unfortunately, things did not go well for the Pirates in that series as they dropped both games. LH Francisco Liriano only lasted 2 innings, surrendering 7 runs against his former team. Following an off-day, the New York Mets came to town and the Pirates found their groove. They swept the Mets back to New York, outscoring them 21-4. Starters Gerrit Cole, AJ Burnett and Liriano all recorded at least 10 strikeouts in each of their outings, the first time that's happened for the Bucs since '69. The Pirates also made some roster moves this week. They called up OF Jose Tabata and optioned RH Wilfredo Boscan back to Indy. They also transferred INF Justin Sellers from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL. One more roster move was made yesterday as RH Charlie Morton was reinstated from the DL and RH Radhames Liz was DFA'd. The Pirates are now 1 game under .500 and in 3rd place in the NL Central, looking to make a move. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

The Steelers-The Steelers made a roster move of their own this week. They claimed QB/WR Devin Gardner, a former Michigan Wolverine, off waivers from the New England Patriots. The Steelers also continue with offseason workouts as they ready for more OTAs on the South Side this week. Several Steelers past and present were in attendance at PNC Park last week as the Pirates paid tribute to recently-retired S Troy Polamalu. Classy move. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

The Penguins-Still not much going down with our Penguins as they ready for next month's draft. The big news in the NHL last week was that former Detroit Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock, a Stanley Cup winner, has landed behind Toronto's bench for the coming seasons. That should put an end to the Babcock-to-Pittsburgh talk. There is also word that the Pens may seek compensation in the form of a draft pick if/when former Head Coach Dan Bylsma gets a new gig. The Pens did not seek compensation when former GM Ray Shero recently signed on as New Jersey's GM. Disco Dan is rumored to be in the running for the coaching job in San Jose and Buffalo. Buffalo has 2 1st round picks in the upcoming draft and may be willing to part with their 2nd 1st rounder. That would be good for the Pens as they don't have a pick until the 4th round. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

    We want a pitcher, not a belly-itcher! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Miami Marlins tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)LH Jeff Locke, 2-2, 5.28 ERA will start for the Bucs. The Marlins haven't announced their starter yet. Locke needs to continue the run of excellent starting pitching the Pirates have enjoyed lately. Locke down a W! 2)Last night, the top of the lineup was a combined 0 for 11. That just won't do. We need some Hit, Run & Score outta you! 3)Thanks to last night's 4-2 win, the Pirates have won 4 straight. #5 would be great! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates begin a 3-game set tonight versus the Miami Marlins at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With yesterday's 9-1 mauling of the Mets to complete the sweep, the Pirates outscored NY 21-4 in the 3 game series. We want more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)It's not all about the hitting, though. For the first time since '69, the Pirates had 3 starters throw for 10 strikeouts or better in 3 straight games. Cole Train and AJ registered 10, respectively and Frankie fanned 12 yesterday. RH Charlie Morton makes his season-debut today and looks to join the fray. Grind 'em up, Ground Chuck! 3)At 21-22, the Pirates can get back to .500 tonight with a win as they quietly move up the NL Central ladder where they're in 3rd place, 6.5 games in back of St Louie. The Marlins carry the worst record in the NL at 18-27, .400. Sink the Fish! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series against the New York Mets this afternoon. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates look to do a little house cleaning and send the Mets packing. The Pirates have beaten the Mets 2 straight. #3 would be great! 2)It's a lefty matchup as the Mets start Jonathon Niese, 3-4, 3.72 ERA. He'll face Francisco Liriano, 1-4, 4.15 ERA. Both southpaws are coming off dreadful starts. Last time out for Niese, he yielded 8 runs on 11 hits in 5 plus innings of a 10-2 loss to St Louie. Frankie lasted just 2 innings, giving up 7 runs in an 8-5 loss to Minnesota. We need another stellar pitching performance today. Frankie needs to be filthy! 3)The Mets have lost 6 in a row on the road. The Pirates have scored 12 runs in the past 2 games. Give 'em more with the ol' Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

   Hey batter, batter, batter, batter! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the New York Mets at PNC Park today. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Todays game is another terrific pitching match-up. We have Gotham's Superman, RH Matt Harvey, 5-1, 1.98 ERA going toe-to-toe with Pittsburgh's Batman, RH AJ Burnett, 3-1, 1.38 ERA. Harvey hasn't surrendered a run in 16 innings. AJ is having a season for the ages, giving up just 8 earned runs in 8 starts this season. The Dark Knight returns! 2)Last night the Bucs found the win column and raised the Jolly Roger. They defeated the Mets 4-1, and boy, that game had everything. It featured an outstanding pitching performance from Gerrit Cole as he scattered 6 hits, giving up just one run, over 8 1/3 innings, striking out 10 batters. The Pirates defense was in the house, they turned not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 double plays. And the Bucco bats awoke from their slumber with some timely hitting. It was a complete team victory and the Pirates need more games like this. They've won 4 of AJ's last 5 starts. We want more, Hit, Run, & Score! 3)NL Central-leading St Louie has dropped 2 straight. The Pirates leap-frogged Cincy last night for sole possession of 3rd place, 7 1/2 games back. Now is the time to make a move and attack! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Put me in coach! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their homestand and their search for the win column as they open a 3-game series tonight versus the New York Mets at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Mets are coming off a 5-0 win over St Louie yesterday and have won 4 of their last 6. The Pirates lost to Minnesota Wednesday night in 13 innings, 4-3, dropped 2 straight to the Twins and are on a 1-6 run. At a quarter of the way through the season, the Pirates need to make a move and turn this ship around. Raise the Jolly Roger! 2)The Mets will start rookie RH Noah Syndergaard, 1-1, 3.18 ERA. The Pirates counter with RH Gerrit Cole, 5-2, 2.40 ERA. Since September 7, over 13 starts, Cole has gone 9-2 with a 2.64 ERA. All aboard the Cole Train for a win! 3)At 40 games into the season, the Pirates are closer to Milwaukee in the NL Central basement than they are St Louie in the penthouse. The Bucs have got to make a move and now is the time. Get it done by gettin' it done.  Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold is feeling nostalgic as America said good-bye to late night host David Letterman last night. Yes, the Pirates just lost 2 in a row to the Twins but you gotta believe. Going with a Dave theme today, she gives you The Top 10 Reasons Our Pirates Will Win The World Series.

10) 1B Pedro Alvarez is ready to go on a tear. Petey found the Allegheny in Tuesday night's game. Ok, he actually found someone's boat. Forget finding the fence, find the river!

 9) INF Jung Ho Kang is fitting in nicely, thank you very much. Thanks to his nifty .320 batting average and .848 OPS, the Korean import has hit his way into the everyday lineup. Kang ho!

 8) RH AJ Burnett is back. The Pirates weren't giving AJ much run support in the early going. But AJ has found the win column lately. He's now 3-1 and is 2nd in the Majors with a 1.38 ERA. The Dark  Knight returns!

 7) CF Andrew McCutchen is awakening. Cutch has been clutch as he's 2nd on the team with 22 RBI. He came through in last night's extra-inning loss with a home run to tie the game, while going 3 for 5.  His gimpy knee seems to be coming around, too. Cutch happens!

 6) C Francisco Cervelli has found a home. Frankie C has settled in behind home plate. The pitching staff is comfortable with him, he's shown an ability to throw out baserunners and he can get on base. Welcome home, Frankie C!

 5) RH Gerrit Cole has taken a step towards becoming the Pirates ace. Cole Train's 5-2 mark and 2.40 ERA show he's turning into the Bucs #1 starter before our very eyes. Cole is our ace in the hole!

4) 2B Neil Walker is poised to explode. The Pittsburgh Kid is back in the #2 spot in the batting order and he's the quintessential #2 man. The Real Deal is on his way to coming back around!

 3) 3B Josh Harrison is kicking into gear. Harrison has raised his batting average to .245 and climbing after flirting with .100 the first month of the season. He went 3 for 6 from the leadoff spot in last night's extra-inning tilt.  JHay all the way!

 2) LF Starling Marte leads the Pirates in several offensive categories, .295 batting average, 41 hits, 8 home runs, 26 RBI and .346 OBP. Marte just has to remember to coming up gunning with his cannon of an arm so runners stop taking the extra base on him. Welcome to the Marte Partay!

And the #1 reason Our Pirates will win the World Series....

 1) Because I bleed Black-N-Gold and it's a 'Burgh thing, baby!

    Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their 2-game set against the Minnesota Twins tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 8-5 win over the Bucs and LH Francisco Liriano, the Twins improved to an AL-best 12-5 against lefties this season. They'll face another Pirates southpaw in Jeff Locke, 2-2, 5.40 ERA. The Twins will start RH Mike Pelfrey, 3-1, 3.23 ERA. Locke is 0-2 with a 7.27 ERA in his last 5 starts, giving up 5 runs in 3 2/3 innings in his last outing, an 11-10 loss to the Cubs. We need to Locke down a win! 2)The Bucs did battle back from an 8-1 deficit last night after 3 innings but fell short, 8-5. They collected 13 hits but were just 4 for 17 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 men on base. You don't win ballgames if you don't Hit, Run & Score! 3)Now, Mrs. Black-N-Gold would like to reach out to the public. It seems the Pirates have misplaced the Jolly Roger again and are having a hard time raising it with regularity. Our Buccos are sinking like a stone in the NL Central. Right the ship, find the win column and raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     It's back, better late than never! Start spreading the news because Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you the latest addition of The Black-N-Gold News, keeping you up-to-date on all the Black-N-Gold happenings of the past week.

                                                    
                                         THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


The Pirates-Boy, the Buccos make Mrs. Black-N-Gold want to drink. A lot. They did take 2 of 3 from St Louie last weekend before the home crowd. But then they were lucky to get a split from the lowly Sillies. They then rode into Wrigley Field to face the Cubbies riding a 2-game losing streak. They came back from a 7-1 deficit in the opener on Friday only to lose in heartbreaking fashion, 11-10 in 12 innings. Saturday was a great pitching matchup between RH Gerrit Cole and LH Jon Lester. Lester go the better of Cole, winning 4-1. The Bucs did manage to salvage 1 win in Chicago, taking Sunday's finale, 3-0. The Pirates were off yesterday and open a 2-game, interleague series with the Minnesota Twins at home tonight. RH Ricky Nolasco will start for the Twinkies. He'll face Pirates LH Francisco Liriano. The Pirates made some minor roster moves in the last week. LH Antonio Bastardo was on the paternity list for the week. LH Bobby LaFromboise was re-called in his place. Bastardo has since been reinstated and LaFromboise sent back to Indy. The Pirates also called up RH Wilfredo Boscan over the weekend to help with the depleted bullpen. INF Steve Lombardozzi was sent to Indy to clear roster space. The Pirates are expected to make another move in the next day or so. The rumor is that OF Jose Tabata may get the call back to Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, due to the slow news day, the rumor mill generated Cole Hamels talk yesterday. This story (or non-story) was probably cooked up by the Pirates PR department to stoke the fans fire. There is absoBUCNlutley no way the Pirates will part with the cash and/or prospects needed to make this deal happen. Mrs. Black-N-Gold, of course, disagrees. If the Pirates are as invested as they claim to be towards winning the division and a World Championship, the Hamels deal is a no-brainer. You don't know if any of your prospects are going to pan out. With Hamels, you'd have another frontline starter under control for the next few years. Plus, if you trade for Hamels, that means St Louie doesn't get him. They would not be afraid to pull the trigger, the Pirates shouldn't be either. But Bottom-Dollar Bob prefers to get players that he can low-ball, continuing to pull the wool over the fans eyes. Go ahead, Bob. Prove me wrong. You gotta want it to win it. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

The Steelers-Our Steelers continue to ink deals with members of the 2015 draft class. They locked up CB Doran Grant, LB Anthony Chickillo, CB Senquez Golson, TE Jesse James, LB Bud Dupree and WR Sammie Coates last week, all to 4-year deals. Only 1 pick remains unsigned, 7th round S Gerod Holliman of Louisville. There is also some sad news to report this week. 25 year old former LB Adrian Robinson passed away over the weekend. Mrs. Black-N-Gold offers her sympathies to the Robinson family.

The Penguins-Not much noise being made on the Pens side of town. The Baby Pens were eliminated in game 5 of their 2nd round Calder Cup series, 2-1. Some Penguins got to celebrate this week as Sid's Team Canada defeated Geno's Team Russia, 6-1 to win gold at the World Championships. The US Team scored a bronze medal by defeating the Czech Republic. Mrs. Black-N-Gold would really prefer to write about the Pens playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs, not this exhibition stuff. She hopes that will be sooner rather than later. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are back home as they begin a 2-game series with the Minnesota Twins tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)RH Ricky Nolasco, 3-1, 6.38 ERA starts for Minny. He faces Pirates lefty Francisco Liriano, 1-3, 2.96 ERA. Nolasco carries a hefty ERA with him. Score early, score often, score BIG! 2)First-year manager Paul Molitor has the Twinkies headed in the right direction at 21-17, 3 games out in the AL Central. They've gone 6-4 in their last 10 but only have a 7-11 record on the road. Make roadkill out of 'em, Frankie! 3)The Pirates continue to look up in the NL Central at 18-20, 7.5 games out of 1st place. They're 9-7 at PNC but just 5-5 in their last 10 games overall. Someone needs to tell the Bucs that winning 1 game every series just won't cut it. You've got to win more with some Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Take me out to the ballgame! Yes, Mrs. Black-N-Gold is on the road as she makes her first-ever trip to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field to see our Pittsburgh Pirates battle the Chicago Scrubs. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates came back from 7-1 yesterday to tie it at 10 only to lose in heartbreaking fashion in the 12th. Pick yourselves up and come back strong. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is bringing the Jolly Roger. Get in the win column. Hit, Run & Score! 2)Aces high today as Pirates RH Gerrit Cole, 5-1, 2.32 ERA faces Chicago lefty Jon Lester,  3-2, 4.10. The Pirates have lost 3 in a row and don't need to lose more to Chicago. The Pirates need Cole to suck it up today and eat up innings for us. Get us on the winning track, Cole Train! 3)It's become increasingly apparent this season that Lester has a case of the yips when it comes to holding runners at first. Run, Forest, run! ! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Let's play two! Your Pittsburgh Pirates open a crucial 3-game series this afternoon against the Chicago Scrubs at Wrigley Field. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Following yesterday's 4-2 loss to Philly, the Pirates are 0-13 when trailing after 7 innings. They've also only managed 2 runs in their last 2 games. I don't know if anyone told the Pirates this, but that's not how you win ball games. Score early, score often, score BIG, Hit, Run, & Score! 2)This is a big series in Chicago, the Scrubs seem to have found the Bucs number this year. Our Buccos need to make up some ground 'cause it's getting late early (to quote the great Yogi Berra). The Pirates have dropped 2 straight and are sinking fast, all the way down to 4th place in the NL Central. Right the ship and raise the Jolly Roger! 3)The Pirates start LH Jeff Locke, 2-2, 4.71 ERA. Chicago goes with RH Kyle Hendricks, 0-1, 4.65 ERA. Locke down a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series in Philly with the Sillies this afternoon. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates send RH Vance Worley, 2-2, 4.63 ERA, to the hill. Philly goes with RH Aaron Harang, 3-3, 2.38. Time to let the Vanimal out of his cage! 2)The Bucs look to rebound following last night's 3-2 defeat. Find the win column, take the series and raise the Jolly Roger! 3)During last night's loss the Pirates struck out 11 times while scoring only 2 runs on 6 hits, going 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. Score early, score often, score BIG with a can o' Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     We want a pitcher, not a belly-itcher! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in Philly tonight as they battle the Sillies. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 7-2 victory, the Pirates have won 4 straight. #5 would be great! 2)It's a battle of lefties as Francisco Liriano, 1-2, 2.79 ERA squares off against Cole Hamels, 2-3, 3.68 ERA. Be filthy, Frankie! 3)With last night's loss, Philly has dropped 11 of their last 14 and is a MLB-worst 11-23. Beat 'em silly with a big can o' Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Philly Sillies tonight at Citizens Bank Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates start RH AJ Burnett, 1-1, 1.66 ERA. He will face Philly RH Sean O'Sullivan, 0-1, 4.91 ERA. AJ returns to Philly for the first time since leaving the Sillies in the offseason. He has not given up more than 2 runs in his first 6 starts. Show 'em what they're missing! 2)The Pirates have won 9 of their last 11 in Philly and 3 straight. #4 would be great! 3)In last night's 4-3 win, 4 of the Pirates 7 hits were for extra bases. Extra, extra, read all about it, Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Let's go, let's go, he can't hit, he can't hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road as they battle their cross-state rivals the Philly Sillies in a 4-game series. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Following yesterday's big 4-3 win over St Louie, the Pirates have won 3 of 4 and 2 straight. #3 would be great! 2)Philly has the 2nd worst record in the NL at 11-21. You have to beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams with a big can of Hit, Run & Score! 3)Pirates RH Gerrit Cole, 4-1, 2.27 ERA, faces Philly RH Jerome Williams, 2-2, 5.18 ERA. All aboard the Cole Train, Gerrit will keep us on the winning track! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Start spreading the news, The Black-N-Gold News, that is. Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you the latest edition with the lowdown on the happenings with our Penguins, Pirates and Steelers.

                                                              
                                       THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


The Penguins-With the offseason here, things have been relatively quite on the Pens front. The only newsworthy info this week is that the highly-anticipated availability of former Red Wings coach Mike Babcock is now upon us. The Pens are one of 10 teams mentioned with the Stanley Cup-winning coach. The only thing is, the Pens recently gave a vote of confidence to Coach Mike Johnston. Mrs. Black-N-Gold will continue to keep her hear to the wall on this one. One other tidbit worth mentioning: the Penguins may be out of the playoffs but the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Baby Penguins are not. The Pens 2-1 win last night over Manchester puts them down 2 games to 1 in the 2nd round series. Let's Go Pens!!!














The Pirates-Pirates fans have not gotten to raise the Jolly Roger much this week. The Buccos were swept in heart-breaking fashion last weekend in St Louie, losing all three games in extra frames. Good news awaited the Bucs on Monday as RH Gerrit Cole was named NL Pitcher of the Month. Congrats to the Cole Train as he posted a 4-0 record for the month of April with a 1.76 ERA in 30 1/3 innings pitched, striking out 35, registering a .098 WHIP and holding opponents to a .198 batting average. Unfortunately, the Pirates were back to their losing ways on Tuesday as Cincy slammed the Pirates 7-1 at PNC Park. On Wednesday, the Pirates not only lost to Cincy again, 3-0, they also lost OF/1B Andrew Lambo to the 15-day DL. They called up INF Steve Lombardozzi to replace him. The Pirates were able to salvage a 7-2 win in the finale with Cincy on Thursday. Then it was back to more of the same as St Louie came to town and promptly defeated the Bucs 8-5. The Pirates were able to exact some revenge last night with a 7-5, come-from-behind win. In that contest, the Pirates made MLB history by fielding the first ever 4-5-4 triple play. They go for the series this afternoon. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!





                                                                                            

The Steelers-The Steelers finished up the 2015 draft last weekend. In the 4th round they selected CB Doran Grant from Ohio State. They took Glassport native and former Penn State TE Jesse James in the 5th round. They had 2 picks in the 6th round, choosing DT LT Walton out of Central Michigan first and Miami LB Anthony Chickillo second. The Steelers finished up the draft by picking S Gerod Holliman from Louisville in the 7th round. They also signed 12 undrafted free agents to close out their weekend. On Friday the Steelers inked the first of their draft picks, DE Walton to a 4-year deal. Friday was also the day that rookie minicamp started, time to get all the youngsters acclimated to the Steeler way. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

                                                                                   

THE BULLPEN

     Play ball! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their homestand and their series with St Louie this afternoon at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates turned a 4-5-4 triple play, lost a 3-0 lead and came back to defeat St Louie last night, 7-5. Today, the Buccos look to make some meatloaf  'cause 2 outta 3 ain't bad. Love that home cookin'! 2)Five of the Pirates 9 hits last night went for extra bases. Extra, extra read all about it: Hit, Run, & Score! 3)St Louie sends lefty Tyler Lyons, 0-0, 6.23 ERA, to the mound. The Pirates counter with LH Jeff Jocke, 2-2, 4.85 ERA. In Locke's last 2 starts he is 0-2 with a 7.47 ERA. Lyons is 0-7 with a 7.07 ERA over his last 7 MLB starts. Feed Tyler to the Lyons and Locke down a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     I don't care if I ever get back! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with St Louie tonight in the friendly confines of PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Mrs Black-N-Gold has some good news and some bad news from last night's game. The good news is the Pirates bats didn't go back into hiding. They scored 5 runs on 12 hits. The bad news? St Louie score 8 runs which were powered by the long ball. Good to see the Buccos bats go at it 2 days straight. But leaving opportunities on the basepaths? Not so great. St Louis is a very opportunistic team that will take advantage of an error, a base running gaff or any other mistake at the drop of a hat. If you want to be the best, you've got to beat the best! 2)The Pirates face another undefeated St Louie starter tonight in RH Carlos Martinez, 3-0, 3.64 ERA. He'll face Pirates RH Vance Worley, 2-2, 3.90 ERA. Unleash the Vanimal! 3)In Martinez's last start, Chicago torched him for 7 runs on 9 hits in 3 2/3 innings. Tonight is fireworks night at the ballyard. Light a big stick of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates open a 3-game set tonight at PNC Park as they battle the St Louie Cardinals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)No need to panic, Pittsburgh. The Pirates found the win column, their offense, and the Jolly Roger all in last night's 7-2 victory over Cincy. Sure, it's only one game but you have to win the first one to start a winning streak. The Bucs bats exploded for 11 hits as they got AJ Burnett his first W of the season. Tonight they'll try to give St Louie RH Michael Wacha his first L as he's 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA. He'll face Pirates lefty Francisco Liriano, 1-1, 1.95 ERA. Give 'em "L", Frankie! 2)St Louie is 16-5 versus NL Central rivals. Mrs. Black-N-Gold stated in her Pirates season preview that our Bucs needed to take care of business in the NL Central. TCB! 3)The Pirates just need to keep on keepin' on like they did last night. Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Put me in, coach! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series with Cincy tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The nightmare continues. In the last 8 games, our Buccos have only managed to score 8 runs while losing 7 of those 8 contests. They've dropped 5 in a row. Manager Clint Hurdle has tried shaking up the lineup but nothing seems to work. If anyone has seen the Pirates offense, please, please, please return it to PNC Park as soon as possible. Post a sign out in front of the ballpark that says "Help wanted. Must be able to Hit, Run & Score"! 2)Here it is, May 7. The Pirates are 0 for May and 0 for Cincy, having lost every game this month and every game they've played against the Reds. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is at her wit's end. This team sorely lacks the resilience and tenacity to come from behind. What the Buccos need to do is keep that Hamilton kid off the basepaths and don't let them get a lead so Chapman can come in and shut the door. In other words, score early score often, score BIG! 3)It's been so long since Mrs. Black-N-Gold raised the Jolly Roger, she doesn't even know where it is. Find the win column and raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with Cincy tonight as they battle the Reds at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Cincy sends RH Mike Leake to the mound. Leake is 1-1 with a 3.03 ERA. The Pirates go with RH Gerrit Cole, 4-0, 1.76 ERA. Cole was named the NL Pitcher of the Month for April, going 30 2/3 innings with 35 strikeouts, a .098 WHIP and a .198 BAA. All aboard the Cole Train for a Pirates win! 2)The Buccos offensive woes continued in last night's 7-1 loss to Cincy. They managed only 1 run on 3 hits, leaving 9 men on base while going 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position. They made another work-a-day pitcher look like the second coming of Cy Young. Look, it's really quite simple. Let me break it down for you. Hit, Run & Score! 3)Have you seen the Bucs' bats or the Jolly Roger lately? If so, please return to PNC Park, asap. They are sorely missed. With last night's latest defeat, the Pirates have lost 4 straight. #5 would most definitely be great. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Take me out to the ballgame! Your Pittsburgh Pirates open a 6-game homestand tonight as they begin a 3-game set with the Cincy Reds at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates limp back home having lost 3 straight to the St Louie Cardinals. During that sweep, the Pirates lost each game in heartbreaking, extra-inning fashion. There was good news and bad news to take from the St Louie series. The good news is the pitching staff held the Cardinals to just 7 runs in 3 games. Unfortunately, the bad news is that the Buccos only managed 4 runs in those 3 games. The opposing team's feelings won't be hurt if you score more runs than they do. Avoid loss #4 with some Hit, Run & Score! 2)Speaking of sweeps, the Pirates will look to avenge the sweep that they suffered in Cincy in the first series of the season. The Black-N-Gold needs to beat the Reds black & blue. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)Cincy starts RH Michael Lorenzen, 0-1, 5.40 ERA. The Pirates counter with LH Jeff Locke, 2-1, 4.76 ERA. Locke down Cincy! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

50-YARD LINE

     The picks are in and the names have been called. Your Pittsburgh Steelers drafted 8 players in this year's draft and signed 12 undrafted rookie free agents this weekend. Will any of them stick with the team and make an immediate impact? Mrs. Black-N-Gold looks at the 2015 draft class.

#1 Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky-The Steelers were expected to go for defense in this year's draft and they didn't disappoint, taking 6 defensive players out of 8. However, many thought their #1 pick would go to a cornerback, helping the depleted secondary. Instead, the Steelers drafted a LB #1 for the third straight year. The 6' 4" 269 lb. Dupree was ranked 36th in Sports Illustrated's 300 rankings of their NFL Draft Preview issue. The speedy Dupree (his 4.56 40 at the Combine was 2nd fastest among linebackers) recorded 45 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles for the Wildcats last season. His 23.5 career sacks rank 2nd in KU history. The former Kentucky captain is described as a "football junkie" by Coach Mike Tomlin. SI had him pegged to go in the 1st round at #24 to Arizona.

#2 Senquez Golson, CB, Mississippi-This may be a stretch pick for the Steelers. Golson himself did not expect to go so high. At 5' 9", and 179 lbs. could this have been a desperation pick by GM Kevin Colbert and Coach Tomlin? All the top-rated corners were already off the board. Golson was ranked at #91 by SI. Another product of the SEC, Golson registered 33 tackles, 10 interceptions and 8 passes defended last year. His 10 picks were the most of any Division I cornerback. Although a smallish corner, the Steelers are said to love his ball-hawking ability.

#3 Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn-The Steelers nab another SEC alum only this time it was on offense. At 6' 1" 212 lbs., Coates has the size and the speed that the Steelers need. The 3-year starter finished last season with 34 receptions for 741 yards and 4 touchdowns good for a ranking of #66 by SI. He finished his career at Auburn with 13 touchdowns and 7 100-yard games. The Steelers project him as a slot man. However, he tends to suffer from the dropsies and will need to overcome that affliction if he hopes to crack the receiving corps.

#4 Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State-SI's 136th player registered 49 tackles, 5 interceptions and 9 passes defensed for the national champions. At 5' 10", 200 lbs., he's looked at as another smallish corner. He does have an ability to make plays, finishing his career in Columbus with 146 tackles, 110 solo, 9 interceptions, 1 sack, and 20 broken up passes. He is said to be a good, physical tackler with an eye for the ball.

#5 Jesse James, TE, Penn State-The 6' 7", 261 lb. McKeesport native was ranked by SI at #139. He started every game for the Nittany Lions in 2013 and 2014. His 2014 numbers were 38 receptions for 396 yards and 3 touchdowns. He broke the Penn State tight end record by scoring 11 touchdowns for his career. The knock on him is his blocking ability. Hopefully, Heath Miller will take him under his wing and start groom to James as his replacement.

#6 LT Walton, DE, Central Michigan-The first of the Steelers 2 6th round picks, Walton was ranked at #173 by SI. The 6' 5", 319 lb. Walton recorded 19 tackles, 2 sacks and 1 forced fumble for CMU last season. He was a starter in 30 of his 54 career games and is said to be a force on the defensive line. He finished his collegiate career with 146 tackles (110 solo), 9 interceptions, 1 sack, 4 TFLs and broke up 20 passes.

#7 Anthony Chickillo, OLB, Miami-Not ranked by SI but does have the lineage. Both his grandfather and father played for Miami and in the NFL. At 6' 3", 267 lbs. played DE in college but is expected to make the switch to OLB. Started 47 of 50 games for Miami, finishing his career with 170 tackles, 89 solo, 29 for loss. He also forced 2 fumbles, recovered 5 and broke up 5 passes.

#8 Gerod Holliman, FS, Louisville-Holliman was ranked at #65 by SI. He recorded 34 tackles, 14 interceptions and 3 passes defended last season. Stands at 6' 0" and 218 lbs. Won the Thorpe Award as the nation's best DB in 2014. Was also named first-team All-American and first-team All-ACC. His 14 interceptions were best in FBS and tied the single-season mark. There is concern regarding his tackling ability.

     There you have it. The breakdown on this year's draft picks. Will they all stick? Probably not. Considering the Steelers went big on the defensive picks, it's important that many of them do stick around and pan out and help return the Steelers defense to respectability and Super Bowl glory. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Rounding third and heading for home! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their road trip with today's finale in St Louie against the Cardinals. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates dropped their 2nd straight to St Louie, 2-1 yesterday in 11 innings. The Buccos bats were lifeless, going 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position and leaving 18 Bucs on the pond. This team is a contender? I don't know if the Pirates got the memo but the object of the game is Hit, Run & Score, Oh my! 2)Things don't get any easier for the Pirates today as RH Vance Worley, 2-2, 4.50 ERA faces RH Michael Wacha, 4-0, 2.42 ERA. Unleash the Vanimal! 3)This feast or famine offense is really making Mrs. Black-N-Gold starved for some runs. Find the scoreboard, find the win column & raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Extra, extra! Read all about it. Hot of the presses, Mrs. Black-N-Gold has the latest news for you on your favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Penguins, the Pirates, the Steelers. Catch all the info from the past week with The Black-N-Gold News.


                                    THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

The Penguins-Now that the Pens are, unfortunately, in the offseason, news has slowed down. However, the Pens did make news when they announced following their early playoff exit that they would retain the services of GM Jim Rutherford and Coach Mike Johnston. Many fans speculated, or at least hoped, that owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle would cut ties with the GM and/or the Coach. That is not to be as they'll see how things shake out next season with a year under their belts. In other Black-N-Gold hockey news, both Cs Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin decided to play for their respective countries in the World Championships. Sid was even named captain for Team Canada. The Pens also made some roster moves. Following the end of their season, the Penguins assigned D Taylor Chorney, Brian Doumlin and Derrick Pouliot and F Scott Wilson to the Baby Pens at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Joining them will be C Oskar Sundqvist from the Swedish League. Hopefully we'll see these gentlemen with the big club next year. We will not see RW Craig Adams next year. The Pens announced that they will not be bringing Adams back. They will try to bring back W Beau Bennett and D Ian Cole as they'll extend qualifying offers to the RFAs. Just some of the many moves the Pens are expected to make this offseason to get them back to the Cup. Let's Go Pens!!!

The Pirates-The Pirates completed their first sweep ever in the desert as they finished up their 3-game set with the DBags. They edged Arizona Saturday night, 2-1. They pummeled the DBags for the sweep on Sunday 8-0. Unfortunately, they didn't have as much luck against division rival Chicago. They dropped 2 of 3 to the Scrubs at Wrigley, losing Monday 4-0 and Tuesday 6-2. The Bucs did bounce back to salvage the finale on Wednesday, winning 8-1. Congrats to CF Andrew McCutchen who collected his 1000th hit in that victory. The Pirates began a 3-game set in St Louie last night with a 2-1, 10-inning loss. They'll look to get back in the win column today as they continue that series.  Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

The Steelers-The Steelers made a little noise in the week leading up to the draft when WR Antonio Brown reported for workouts on the South Side. This comes after rumors of a holdout due to a contract dispute swept the Pittsburgh area last week. Steelers fans can breath a sigh of relief (for now, anyway). It was also reported that RFA S Robert Golden signed his one-year tender. Of course, the biggest news to come out of Steelers headquarters this week is draft news. In Thursday night's round one the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky as the 22nd overall pick in the draft. OLB certainly is a need for the Steelers but many hoped they would address their woeful secondary in the first round. They did try to rectify that in round 2 last night as they drafted CB Senquez Golson from Mississippi. Golson was quoted as saying he was surprised that he went in the 2nd round. Also, at 5' 9", Golson will be called upon to cover WRs that are much taller than himself. Hopefully something can be said for the fact that he played in the SEC in college. In round #3 the Steelers added depth to the WR corps by drafting Auburn's Sammie Coates. The draft wraps up today with rounds 4-7. Mrs. Black-N-Gold would like to see the Steelers get some more bodies for the secondary. They also need to look for some TE depth. Unfortunately, the Batlimorons traded up to snag the best TE in the draft, Maxx Williams, right out from under the Steelers noses. TE is not a very strong group in this draft. Just don't waste a pick on a throw-away TE. There are too many needs to fill on this roster and the Steelers can't afford to waste picks today. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Batter up! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in St Louie today against the Cardinals. These are your keys for today's game. 1)St Louie took round 1 in this series last night, 2-1 in 10 innings. Today, the Pirates look to get back in the win column when they send LH Francisco Liriano, 1-1, 2.22 ERA, to the mound. His opponent will be RH John Lackey, 1-1, 4.21 ERA. Be Filthy Frankie! 2)The Bucs were just 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position last night, leaving 6 men on base. At one point, the bases were full of Bucs with no one out. They failed to take advantage of that opportunity. You can't leave men hanging like that. St Louie certainly makes the most of their opportunities. What's the key to the game? Hit, Run & Score! 3)It is crucial for the Pirates to get back in the win column and prove that they can beat worthy opponents, not just the Milwaukees and Arizonas of the league. Raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to St Louie where they'll battle the Red Birds tonight in an NL Central showdown. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates got back in the win column in Chicago on Wednesday with an 8-1 win. In that victory, every Pirates starter collected at least one hit. Keep the Hit Parade going with more Hit, Run & Score! 2)The Pirates start RH AJ Burnett, 0-1, 1.80 ERA. He will face St Louie RH Lance Lynn, 1-2, 3.63 ERA. As good as AJ pitched the first month of the season, he's still looking for his first win. Get AJ a W! 3)The Pirates finished the month of April with a 12-10 record good for 3rd place in the NL Central at 3.5 games behind division-leading St Louie. This is the first time in recent memory that the Bucs have made it through the first month of the season with a winning record. Now's the time to gain some ground. Make hay while the sun shines! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!