THE BULLPEN

     You gotta lose your mind in Detroit Rock City! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road in Motown were they begin a 3-game series tonight with the Tigers. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates will start RH Gerrit Cole, 11-3, 2.16 ERA. The Cole Train looks to get back on the winning track following a loss to Cincy last time out and become the 1st 12-game winner in the Majors. All aboard for a win! 2)Detroit will counter with former MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, 0-1, 6.17 ERA. Say sayonara to Cy Young with some Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Tigers have won 2 straight while the Pirates look to get back in the win column following a 2-1 loss to Atlanta on Sunday. Tame the Tigers! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Extra, extra! Read all about it! Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings to you the latest on your favorite Black-N-Gold Teams, the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins, with the newest edition of The Black-N-Gold News.

                                         THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


Pirates-Our Pirates limped back home to PNC Park following last weekend's whipping from Washington. They were able to recover from that by defeating Cincy in a comeback win, 7-6, on Tuesday. The following day they placed OF/1B Corey Hart on the 15-day DL with a shoulder and called up RH Chris Volstad from Indy. The Buccos followed up those moves by losing to Cincy Wednesday night, 5-2. They also dropped the finale on Thursday, 5-4 in 13 innings. Good news came from the minors that day as it was announced that Altoona 1B Josh Bell and Indianapolis C Elias Diaz would represent the Pirates at the All-Star Futures Game to be played in Cincy on July 12. Altoona manager Tom Prince will be a member of the US Team coaching staff at the same game. Congrats to all! Friday brought more roster changes for the Bucs. They called up RH Delois Guerra from Indy while they moved OF/1B Andrew Lambo from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL and placed RH Rob Scahill on the 15-day DL. The Pirates then went out and beat the Braves 3-2 in 10 innings, handing the loss to former Pirate Jason Grilli. On Saturday, Bucco faithful got to raise the Jolly Roger again as the Pirates blasted the Braves 8-4. Sunday had more changes in store for the Pirates. They DFA'd OF Jose Tabata and Volstad to make room for OF Gorkys Hernandez and INF Steve Lombardozzi. The Pirates also were relieved to see CF Andrew McCutchen back in the lineup after leaving Saturday's game following a HBP on his left elbow. Unfortunately, none of these moves helped the Pirates as they failed to complete the sweep, losing to Atlanta 2-1. The Pirates now take their show on the road to Detroit for a 3-game set with the Tigers. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

Steelers-Not much news on our Steelers this week. The team is spread out, doing their own things while they wait for training camp to begin. There was an announcement this week that the team will honor RB Jerome Bettis' election to the Hall of Fame. They'll hold a ceremony at halftime on October 1 during their game with the Baltimorons. Oh, and Coach Tomlin was spotted at yesterday's Pirates game. Obviously, coach was scouting potential players, should any of the Pirates decide to become two-sport athletes. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

Penguins-Many announcements made by both the NHL and our Pens this week. First off, the NHL announced that this season's salary cap would be at $71.4 million. The NHL has also decided to go with a 3-on-3 overtime, in hopes of cutting down on the shootouts. The Pens are rumored to be interested in signing Russian W Sergei Plotnikov to skate on Evgeni Malkin's line. Supposedly they would be able to sign him on July 1. The complete regular season schedule was released. The Pens home opener will be October 13 versus Montreal. Finally, the draft was this weekend. The Pens only had 4 picks this season. Word was that GM Jim Rutherford worked the trade talk extensively but was unable to pull the trigger on any deals. Your new Penguin picks are-2nd round, #46 overall, F Daniel Sprong, round 5, #137, F Dominik Simon, round 6, #167, LW Frederik Tiffles and round 7, #197, C Nikita Pavlychev. Welcome to Pittsburgh. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Let's go, let's go, he can't hit, he can't hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series and their homestand today as they battle the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Following yesterday's 8-4 win, the Pirates go for 3 in a row over Atlanta. Time to clean house! 2)Atlanta has southpaw Alex Wood, 4-5, 3.44 ERA, on the hill. Get good Wood. Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates will counter with lefty Jeff Locke, 4-3, 4.73 ERA. Locke and load! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

    The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series versus the Atlanta Braves this afternoon at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Pirates won in a walk-off last night, 3-2 thanks to an RBI double by Jordy Mercer to score Andrew McCutchen. Keep on BUCN! 2)Braves RH Julio Teheran, 5-3, 4.67 ERA will face Pirates RH Charlie Morton, 5-1, 3.97 ERA. Charlie tries to bounce back following last week's awful outing in Washington, allowing 9 runs in 2/3 of an inning in a 9-2 loss. It helps that Atlanta's offense has faltered, scoring just 4 runs in their past 4 games. Grind 'em up, Ground Chuck! 3)Atlanta has also dropped 4 straight. Meanwhile, the Bucs go for 2 in a row. Remember, you've got to Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

 

THE BULLPEN

     Hey batter, batter, batter, batter! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their homestand tonight as they battle the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park. Oh what a difference a week makes. It seems like only yesterday the Pirates where winning 8 straight, no one could score on them and they were just 4 back of St Louie. Now, everything has gone south. The Pirates have lost 5 of their last 6, scoring only 9 runs in the process, the pitching has fallen off the map and the defense is faltering while the Pirates have fallen 8 back in the NL Central. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is going to attempt to break down the keys to the game based on these 3 facets. 1)It last night's latest loss, 5-4 in 13 innings to Cincy, the Pirates were a putrid 4 for 13 with runners in scoring position, leaving 12 Bucs on the pond. Score early, score often, score BIG. Hit, Run & Score! 2)Last night the Bucs made 2 blunders in the field. In seasons past, the Pirates prided themselves on their defense. Not this year. Don't be afraid to flash a little leather. All you need is glove! 3)Atlanta will start rookie RH Williams Perez, 4-0, 2.78 ERA. The Pirates go with lefty Francisco Liriano, 4-6, 3.26 ERA. Frankie needs to step up and right the ship. Give 'em L, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series with Cincy tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Following last night's 5-2 defeat, the Pirates look to make some home-cooked Meatloaf tonight 'cause 2 outta 3 ain't bad. Love that home cookin'! 2)A win for Cincy would give them their first road series win since May 5-7. Their opponent in that series? Your Pittsburgh Pirates. Right the ship and raise the Jolly Roger! 3)Cincy starts RH Anthony DeSclafani, 5-5, 3.48 ERA. The Pirates counter with RH AJ Burnett, 6-3, 2.05 ERA. After winning 8 straight, the Bucs have now dropped 4 of their last 5, averaging a paltry 2.4 runs per game. Break out of this slump. Break out the Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Cincy Reds tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Bucs are 22-11 at home and have won 7 straight at PNC. There's no place like home! 2)Cincy will start RH Mike Leake, 4-4, 4.01 ERA. Lifetime versus the Buccos, Leake is 7-3 with a 3.10 ERA. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD with a big can o' Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates will go with RH Gerrit Cole, 11-2, 1.78 ERA. Cole has won 6 straight starts and is 15-2 since Sept. 2. All aboard the Cole Train for a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     We want a pitcher, not a belly-itcher! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are back home at the friendly confines of PNC Park as they open a 3-game series tonight with the Cincy Reds. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates limped back home from a 3-game sweep in Washington, scoring only 3 runs the entire series. In Mrs. Black-N-Gold's humble opinion, 3 runs is just not enough to win a 3-game set. Hit, Run & Score! 2)The Pirates are 1 and 5 versus Cincy this season. It's time for the Black-N-Gold to beat the Reds black & blue! 3)The Bucs start lefty Jeff Locke, 4-3, 4.74 ERA. The Baseball gods have given the Pirates a gift for this series. Johnny Cueto was supposed to start tonight but Cincy has pushed him back to Friday to give him a rest. The Buccos also manage to avoid closer Aroldis Chapman who is out due to paternity leave. In Cueto's place Cincy will start RH Josh Smith, making his Major League debut. The bad news is that typically, the Pirates can make a kid look like Cy Young in his first big league start. Make the kid work, wait for your pitch. And Locke needs to understand that just because his name rhymes with "Walk" that doesn't mean he has to issue any. Throwfirst pitch strikes and don't give up the free pass, it will bite you in the a$$. Locke and load! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Stop the presses, stop the presses! Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you the newest edition of the internet sensation that's sweeping Black-N-Gold Nation. It's The Black-N-Gold News, featuring the latest on your favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins.


                                       THE BLACK- GOLD-NEWS





Pirates-When last we left our Buccos, they were getting ready to go on a historic run. They defeated the Philly Sillies last Friday night, 1-0 in extra innings, to earn Manager Clint Hurdle his 900th career victory. More history was made in Saturday's 4-3 win over Philly as CF Andrew McCutchen collected the 500th RBI of his career. On Sunday, the Pirates completed the sweep of Philly, again in extras, a 1-0 victory. Monday saw the Pirates pummel the White Sox in Chicago, 11-0. Tuesday was another W for the Bucs and another shutout of the Sox, 3-0. Wednesday the Pirates were winners again, edging the ChiSox 3-2. The pitching staff's scoreless streak came to an end after 35 shutout innings. C Francisco Cervelli's streak of scoreless innings caught ended at 56. The Pirates reached another milestone with Thursday's 3-2 win over Chicago. The Bucs led MLB with 8 series sweeps, they had a season-high 8-game winning streak and RH Gerrit Cole became the 1st 11-game winner in the Majors this season. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end as the Pirates streak fell in a 4-1 loss in Washington on Friday. Things only got worse for the Bucs. On Saturday Max Scherzer had a perfect game with 2 outs and a 2-2 count on OF Jose Tabata in the top of the 9th. Tabata's elbow helped the Pirates avoid the embarrassment of the perfecto as he was hit by a pitch. Scherzer did walk away with the no-hitter in a 6-0 Gnats win. Sunday the Gnats completed the sweep, pounding the Pirates 9-2. The Pirates also made some roster moves this week. The were able to come to terms with most of their draft picks including both 1st rounders, SS Kevin Newman of Arizona and 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes from Concordia Lutheran (TX) High School They also agreed to terms with 2nd round pick SS Kevin Kramer out of UCLA. In minor league news the Pirates promoted OF Willy Garcia from Double A Altoona to Triple A Indy. There was also a trade as the Pirates sent Indy RH Collin Balestar to Cincy for a player to be named. RH Angel Sanchez will make the trek from Altoona to Indy, too. Tomorrow night the Pirates are back at PNC as they begin a 3-game series with Cincy. Time to get back in the win column and raise the Jolly Roger. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

Steelers-As our Steelers began minicamp this week, word spread that DC Keith Butler is expecting his defensive linemen to do more than eat up space for his linebackers this season. Get ready to see more rushing the passer from the likes of Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt and company. Any moves created to help rush the passer and thus give the D opportunities for turnovers is a welcome addition. The team will reconvene at St. Vincent July 25 for the start of the 50th edition of training camp in Latrobe. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

Penguins-Our Pens made a few moves this week. They signed D Niclas Andersen to a 1-year, entry-level deal. Andersen has spent his career playing in Europe. We'll see if his style of play translates well to the NHL. The Pens also named longtime assistant Jacques Martin as special assistant to the head coach. Martin is expected to assist in advanced scouting and as an "eye in the sky", working with the coaching staff from the press box area. One more move the Pens made was the announcement that veteran NHL coah Mike Sullivan has been hired as head coach for their Wilkes-Barre Scranton affiliate. Sullivan has experience with the Bruins, Lightning, Rangers, Canucks and Blackhawks organizations. Finally, the Pens announced that LW Pascal Dupuis, out most of the season due to blood clots, is expected to return next season. Duper was given the go-ahead to begin workouts towards his comeback. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

    Rounding third and heading for home! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their road trip this afternoon in Washington as they battle the Gnats. These are your keys for today's game. 1)They say baseball is a game of streaks. How right they are. The Pirates went from the hottest team in baseball, reeling off 8 straight wins, to losing 2 in a row. The second loss hurt the most as Max Scherzer retired 26 consecutive batters yesterday. The perfect game bid was ruined when he caught Jose Tabata's elbow with 2 out in the top of the 9th on a 2-2 pitch in a 6-0 Pirates loss. Today, the Bucs will try to right the ship and salvage a win in Washington where they've lost 6 straight. Find the win column and raise the Jolly Roger! 2)RH Charlie Morton, 5-0, 1.62 ERA, takes the mound for the Pirates. He'll face Gnats LH Gio Gonzalez, 4-4, 4.82 ERA. A win today would give Charlie a 6th straight W to start his season. Grind 'em up, Ground Chuck! 3)The Bucs have scored just 1 run in the first 2 games of this series. The pitching staff helped propel the Pirates to their 8-game winning streak, now it's the hitters turn to left up the pitchers. Hit, Run, & Score, Oh my! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

      You got a beat up glove, a homemade bat and a brand-new pair of shoes! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in DC this afternoon as they battle the Washington Gnats. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Well, the Pirates winning streak ended at 8 games with last night's 4-1 loss. The Bucs have dropped 5 straight to the Gnats. It's payback time. Find the win column and raise the Jolly Roger! 2)The Pirates start LH Francisco Liriano, 4-5, 2.94 ERA. In Frankie's last 5 starts, he is 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA. He picked up the win in Monday's 11-0 victory over the White Sox as he fanned 12 in 8 innings. Be filthy, Frankie! 3)Frankie will face former Cy Young winner, RH Max Scherzer, 7-5, 1.93 ERA. Say "sayonara" to Cy Young. Hit 'em early, hit 'em often, hit 'em HARD with some Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Put me in coach! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to the Nation's capital as they battle the Washington Gnats tonight. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 3-2 edging of the ChiSox, our Buccos have won 8 straight. #9 would be fine! 2)Pirates RH AJ Burnett, 6-2, 1.89 ERA takes the mound. He'll face Gnats RH Joe Ross, 1-1, 3.46 ERA. Get AJ another W! 3)The Pirates have won 21 of their last 26 games. They've also picked up 2 games in the standings on St Louie and are 4 games out. If memory serves Mrs. Black-N-Gold, the Pirates were swept away in DC last year. It's payback time. Veto Washington with some heavy 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 finish up their home-and-home series in Chicago tonight versus the White Sox. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 3-2 win over the White Sox, the Pirates have won 7 straight. #8 would be great! 2)Pirates RH Gerrit Cole, 10-2, 1.71 ERA faces Chicago RH Jeff Samardzija, 4-4, 4.84 ERA. In his last 4 starts, Samardzija is 0-2 with a 6.15 ERA. Time to open up a can of Hit, Run, & Score!3)Cole leads the Majors in victories and is the NL leader in ERA. All aboard the Cole Train for a win!  Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Hey batter, batter, batter, batter! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road for the second half of their home-and-home series with the Chicago White Sox. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 3-0 shutout of the ChiSox, Pirates pitchers have now tossed 30 consecutive scoreless innings. Keep those wins and goose eggs coming! 2)Tonight the Pirates send LH Jeff Locke, 3-3, 4.90 ERA, to the bump. Chicago counters with LH John Danks, 3-6, 5.16 ERA. Locke and load! 3)Last night the Pirates raised the Jolly Roger for the 6th straight game. We want more Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their homestand tonight at PNC Park against the Chicago White Sox. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates white washed the White Sox last night, 11-0. This was the Bucs 5th win in a row. During that winning streak the pitching staff has surrendered only 3 runs, shutting out opponents in 4 of the 5 games. Shut 'em down with goose eggs! 2)The Buccos battle another lefty tonight as the White Sox start LH Jose Quintana, 3-6, 4.00 ERA. He'll face Pirates RH Charlie Morton, 4-0, 2.05 ERA. To start his season, Ground Chuck has won 4 straight. #5 would be great! 3)In last night's victory, the offense exploded for 11 runs on 18 hits. Need I say more? Hit, Run, & Score!

THE BULLPEN

     Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Your Pittsburgh Pirates begin a home-and-home series with the Chicago White Sox tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates walked off for the 2nd time in their 3-game sweep of Philly on Sunday, 1-0. Problem is, they only managed 6 runs in the series. Now, Mrs. Black-N-Gold is no expert, nor does she play one on tv. However, she does know one thing about baseball. Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Rookie LH Carlos Rodon, 2-0, 2. 66 ERA gets the nod for the White Sox. He'll face Pirates veteran LH Francisco Liriano, 3-5, 3.25 ERA. The White Sox have lost 3 in a row. The Pirates have won 4 straight. #5 would be great! 3)Pirates pitchers have yielded just 3 runs during the 4-game winning streak, recording 3 shutouts along the way. Be filthy, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! You Pittsburgh Pirates play their phinale with Philly today as they battle the Sillies at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates have won 3 in a row and 2 straight versus Philly as they look to send the Sillies packing today. A win today would give Philly it's 10th straight loss on the road. Hit 'em early, hit 'em often, hit 'em HARD with a big case of Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Philly will send LH Cole Hamels to the hill. Hamels is 5-5 with a 3.19 ERA. He'll face former teammate, Pirates RH AJ Burnett, 6-2, 2.11 ERA. AJ is coming off a tough-luck, 2-0 loss to Milwaukee in which he surrendered 1 run in 7 innings. Get AJ the W! 3)Since May 9, the Pirates have the best record in baseball at 21-11. At 22-41, Philly is the worst team in the Majors. Beat Philly silly! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Philly Sillies this afternoon at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Mrs. Black-N-Gold has some good news and some bad news following last night's (this morning's?) 13-inning, walk-off 1-0 win over Philly. The good news is Pirates pitchers have not allowed a run to score in the past 22 innings. They'll look to continue that trend today as Philly sends RH Sean O'Sullivan, 1-4, 4.96 ERA to face Buccos RH Gerrit Cole 9-2, 1.73 ERA. Cole looks to become the first 10-game winner in the Majors. He leads MLB with his 1.73 ERA. Keep us rollin', Cole Train! 2)The bad news is that during the Pirates modest 2-game winning streak, they've only managed to score 3 total runs against 2 of the worst teams in baseball, Milwaukee and Philly. The Bucs bats are, indeed, in a funk. Last night, against the not-so-impressive, Kevin Correia, the Pirates pounded out 13 hits but needed Starling Marte's walk-off single in the bottom of the 13th to push Chris Stewart across the plate for the win. They stranded 17 runners and were a putrid 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Don't waste good pitching with crummy hitting, especially against lousy teams. Hit, Run, & Score, Oh my! 3)At PNC, the Pirates have beaten Philly in 4 straight. #5 would be great! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates open a 3-game series tonight against their cross-state rivals, the Philly Sillies, at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Former Bucco RH Kevin Correia makes his season debut for Philly. He'll face Pirates LH Jeff Locke, 3-3, 5.37 ERA. Locke is struggling to stay in the rotation. He needs to throw first-pitch strikes and don't give up the free pass, it will always bite you in the a$$. Locke and load! 2)For his career, Locke is 4-0 vs Philly. Win #5 would not be jive! 3)The Pirates managed just 1 win in their 3-game set with lowly Milwaukee and could only muster a measly 3 runs the entire series. Beat Philly silly with some Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Extra, extra! Our Pirates are off today so Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you an early edition of The Black-N-Gold News, giving you the latest on our Pirates, Steelers & Pens.

                
                                               THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS


The Pirates-Our Pirates started out the week on a high note as another minor leaguer received an honor this week. Congrats to Indy RH Adrian Sampson, named the International League Pitcher of the Week. Unfortunately, things weren't going as smoothly for the big club. They dropped the opener of their 3-game set to Milwaukee, 2-0. They did have an opportunity to stock the farm as they had 3 selections in the first 2 rounds of the MLB Amateur Draft. With their 1st pick they selected SS Kevin Newman of Arizona, 19th overall. They chose 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes from Concordia Lutheran High School in Texas with the 32nd overall pick. Hayes is the son of former Pirates 3B Charlie Hayes, so the bloodline is there. In the 2nd round, they picked another SS, Kevin Kramer of UCLA. Tuesday night brought another loss to Milwaukee, 4-1. Last night, the Bucs were able to salvage a win as RH Charlie Morton won his 4th straight decision, 2-0. The Buccos are off today. They begin a 3-game series with their cross state rivals, the Philly Sillies, Friday night at PNC Park. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

The Steelers-Our Steelers continued their OTAs on the South Side this week. It was announced that players are to report to the 50th edition of training camp at St. Vincent's in Latrobe on Saturday, July 25. Sunday, July 26 will be the first practice open to the fans. Just 91 days until the kickoff to the regular season when our Steelers battle the New England Patriots. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

The Penguins-Not much news to report on our Pens. They did announce that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has signed 2 forwards to their club, Adam Krause and Ty Loney. You may remember Ty's dad Troy from his days as a 2-time Stanley Cup winner with the Pens. The kid has the pedigree. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Schlemiel, schlemazel, hasenpfeffer incorporated! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series with Milwaukee tonight as they battle the Brewers at PNC. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's second straight loss to Milwaukee, 4-1, the Pirates have managed just 1 run in 2 games. Last night they only scratched out 4 hits as their offense continues to be anemic. Some Hit, Run, & Score would be a shot in the arm! 2)Milwaukee starts RH Kyle Loshe, 3-6, 6.59 ERA. The Pirates go with RH Charlie Morton, 3-0, 2.84 ERA. Grind out a win, Ground Chuck! 3)Luckily the Pirates did not lose ground on Chicago and St Louie as both teams lost night, too. The Bucs need to take advantage of this schedule. They're making the Brewers look like contenders instead of the pretenders that they are. Batter the Brew Crew! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

    I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Milwaukee Brewers tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Bucs dropped their first game of this series last night 2-0, managing just 5 hits. They left 9 men on base and were 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Find the win column tonight with some Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Milwaukie will give RH Taylor Jungmann his first Major League start. He'll face Pirates lefty Francisco Liriano, 3-4, 3.24 ERA. In Frankie's last 3 outings, 19 innings, he is 2-0 with a 0.95 ERA, registering 29 Ks. Be filthy, Frankie! 3)The Pirates had a chance to gain ground on St Louie, who were losers last night. The Cubbies were winners, gaining ground on us in the NL Central. Both the Bucs and Cubs are tied for 2nd, 6.5 games back. St Louie continues to be in the top spot. Gotta make hay while the sun shines! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     If you build it, they will come! Your Pittsburgh Pirates return home to the friendly confines of PNC Park tonight to begin a 3-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With yesterday's 3-0 blanking of the Braves, the Pirates finished their road trip at 7-3 and have won 13 of their last 16 games. The Bucs record at home is 15-9 while the NL-worst Brewers are 11-16 on the road. Raise the Jolly Roger! 2)Milwaukee will start RH Jimmy Nelson, 2-6, 4.41 ERA. RH AJ Burnett, 6-1, 2.20 ERA, is on the bump for the Bucs. AJ has won 6 straight. #7 would be great! 3)The Buccos will face the Brewers, Philly & ChiSox during this homestand, all teams with losing records. The Pirates will not face a team with a winning record until St Louie visits right before the All-Star break. You have to beat the good teams and beat up the bad ones. Hit, Run, & Score, oh my! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Rounding third and heading for home! Your Pittsburgh Pirates finish up their 10-game road trip today in Atlanta as they battle the Braves. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Pirates ace RH Gerrit Cole, 8-2, 1.90 ERA goes for win #9 this afternoon as he tries to get the Bucs back in the win column following last night's 5-4 9th inning loss. All aboard the Cole Train for a W! 2)The Pirates will face Atlanta lefty Alex Wood, 4-2, 3.19 ERA. Wood is going for his 4th straight win. Score early, score often, score BIG. Get good Wood! 3)The Pirates try to serve up some Atlanta-style Meatloaf today as they go for 2 outta 3 in this series. Give 'em a heaping helping of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Start spreading the news! Mrs. Black-N-Gold gets you up-to-date on all the latest Black-N-Gold happenings for our Pirates, Steelers and Penguins with the newest edition of The Black-N-Gold News.

                                        THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

Pirates-Our Buccos received some good news to start the week. Congrats to Triple A 2B Alen Hanson as he was named International League Player for the Month of May! The Pirates opened a 3-game set in San Fran as they looked to exact some revenge on the World Champs for last October's Wild Card loss. The Bucs got revenge X 3 as they pulled off the San Francisco Sweep. They edged San Fran on Monday 4-3. On Tuesday they topped the Giants 7-4. Wednesday afternoon made brought the hat trick with a 5-2 victory. The Pirates also completed a roster move as RH Radhames Liz cleared waivers and was sent to Triple A Indy. Last night they increased their current winning streak to 4 straight, winning their first game of their 3-game set in Atlanta, 10-8. They'll look to keep the streak alive tonight with LH Jeff Locke on the mound. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

Steelers-Things were relatively quiet on the South Side this week as our Steelers wrapped up week #2 of OTAs. They did unveil a logo that celebrates the team's 50th anniversary of training camp at St. Vincent's College. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is sure merchandise will be available on your next trip up to Latrobe. Also this week, ILB Lawrence Timmons expressed an interest in restructuring his contract in hopes of finishing his career with the Black-N-Gold. We'll see if the Steelers are as committed to the Pro Bowler as he is to them. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

Penguins-Our Pens made some headlines this week. First, D Kris Letang was cleared to begin workouts as he attempts to come back from a concussion that ended his season prematurely. The Pens also lost Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Head Coach John Hynes as former GM Ray Shero hired him away to man the bench in New Jersey. Yes, the Pens are expected to receive compensation in the form of a 3rd round pick in 2016. There is also word around the rink that the Pens may be interested in signing RFA LW Brandon Saad, a Pittsburgh native, once his Stanley Cup run with the Blackhawks is over and they're free to negotiate with him. We'll see if that happens and whether or not the 'Hawks match the Pens offer. Of course the big news this week is that Pens owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle are exploring their options regarding a sale of the team. They may or may not sell the entire team outright. Word is Burkle is interested in retaining his share and that Mario would like to remain with the team in some capacity. Right now, they're just checking in with Morgan Stanley to see what is the team's worth. Hopefully this will not prevent the Pens from being active this offseason. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Batter up, hear that call, the time has come for one and all to play ball! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series tonight in Atlanta as they battle the Braves. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates got past the Braves last night 10-8 as they turned 4 double plays and pounded out 14 hits including 2 home runs. The bullpen also uncharacteristically gave up 4 runs and the defense committed 4 errors. It's great that the Bucs are winning and everyone keeps picking each other up but the D has stood for disappointment this season, not defense. Luckily the hitting and pitching have bailed us out. Gotta get better by flashing the leather! 2)With last night's W the Pirates have improved their road record to an even 15-15. One of Mrs. Black-N-Gold's keys in her season preview was to win on the road. Road warriors! 3)The Pirates have won 12 of their last 14 games. During that 14 game run, they've averaged 5.71 runs per game, the 3rd most in MLB during that stretch. Give them more Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     There's no crying in baseball! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are on the final leg of their road trip as they begin a 3-game series tonight in Atlanta against the Braves. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates have won 11 of 13 and 3 in a row. Get win #4 with some Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Atlanta has dropped 2 straight. #3 would be great! 3)RH Charlie Morton, 2-0, 1.93 ERA starts for the Pirates. He'll face Atlanta RH Williams Perez, 1-0, 2.66 ERA. Charlie has been getting the ground ball outs that he needs to be effective. In his last outing, a 5-2 win over San Diego, he gave up just 3 hits in 7 innings and retired the final 11 batters he faced. He'll look to continue that trend tonight. Grind 'em up, Ground Chuck! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Your Pittsburgh Pirates are off today before beginning a 3-game series in Atlanta tomorrow night. Just because the Bucs have an off-day, that's no excuse for fans to take the day off, too. The recent release of the early votes for the NL All-Star team show an atrocious showing for The Black-N-Gold.

     True, the way some of our Pirates have played in the early going, the only way they deserve to go to the All-Star Game in Cincy next month is if they purchase a ticket. But Mrs. Black-N-Gold thinks it's a darn shame that Pittsburgh has arguably the best player in the Majors in CF Andrew McCutchen and he is ranked 8th among NL outfielders (actually that's an improvement. First tallys had him ranked 11th). Okay, so Cutch did get off to a sluggish start, along with most of the team but he's come on like gang-busters since. Or didn't you notice that he was named Co-Player of the Month for May (along with Milwaukee OF Ryan "Fraud" Braun)?

      Face facts, fans, the Buccos go as Cutch goes. He's their leader after all. And now that he's taken off, the Pirates have, too, winning 11 of their last 13 and surpassing the Cubs for 2nd in the NL Central. Let us not forget May 5th of this season. That was the day Cutch was batting a lowly .188 and declared that he was tired of going "0 for friggin' 4". Since May 6, #22 has a slash line of .398/.473/.699 with 11 doubles, 5 home runs and 25 RBI. The only player better than that is Nats OF Bryce Harper who at last look was the top vote-getter in the NL. In the past week alone, Cutch is 13 for 24 for a .542 average with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 7 RBI and 6 runs scored. He has seen his season average go all the way up to .293 with 7 home runs, 34 RBI, 2 triples, 13 doubles and 31 runs scored on 55 hits.

     Cutch has also endeared himself in the hearts of baseball fans all across the country. He took up the cause for the under-privileged with his article in the Players Tribune, speaking out about the injustice that is served inner city youth with the costly demands of playing organized baseball. And just this weekend a video went viral of Cutch handing 2 young Pirates fans his batting gloves following the team's loss in San Diego. There is also the romantically-inclined Cutch, who proposed to his future wife on the Ellen show. Cutch also dared the baseball gods during spring training by cutting off his signature dreads. Of course, he auctioned the locks off for charity. How many other feel-good stories do you need? The man is always happy, never snippy and sometimes sappy. All the things you want in your baseball heroes.

     Just yesterday morning, Mrs. Black-N-Gold read a story stating that a recent survey ranked Pittsburgh, Cutch's home city, as the 2nd Best Baseball City in America. What's that say for us as fans that we can't get our guy to start the All-Star game? Don't hand Mrs. Black-N-Gold the excuse that you can't vote. In years past, fans would collect their All-Star ballots from the ushers at the ballpark, take a stack home and drive a nail through said stack in an effort to vote for your favorite players all at once, then return them to the ballpark Well, the stone ages are over, my friend. Now MLB wants fans to vote exclusively electronically. Log onto MLB's official website or the Pirates website and follow the links. You can vote up to 35 times per e-mail address. Don't hand me that line that you don't have access to a computer or an e-mail address. If you're reading these very words, you certainly have the power to vote. Mrs. Black-N-Gold has already casted 70 votes, one for her personal e-mail address and one for her work e-mail address (work has to be good for something, right?). It's time we Black-N-Gold-clad fans have our voices heard. Cutch certainly deserves our support. So go out and vote. And when you use up all of your 35 votes, get another e-mail address and vote again. Use your mother's, your friend's, your co-worker's, you neighbor's but make sure you VOTE! My name is Mrs. Black-N-Gold and I paid for this announcement. Remember, Cutch is ASG Worthy. Cutch the Vote. Thank you for your time and keep on CUTCHN! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Hit the ball and touch 'em all! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series in San Fran this afternoon against the Giants. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates go for 3 in a row in San Francisco following last night's 7-4 win. If it's 3, it's for me! 2)Pirates lefty Francisco Liriano, 2-4, 3.47 ERA will face San Fran RH Tim Hudson, 3-4, 4.62 ERA. Frankie had a 2-0 lead when he was pulled in his last start. That game ended as a 6-2, walk-off loss in San Diego. Clean house in San Fran today. Be filthy, Frankie! 3)CF Andrew McCutchen continued to rip NL pitching, going 4 for 5 in last night's win, with 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Cutch was a homer short of the cycle. Now that's CUTCHN. Keep on BUCN! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Batter up! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in San Fran tonight as they square off against the Giants. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates continue their Revenge Tour of San Fran as they go for 2 in a row. Let your freak flag fly. Raise the Jolly Roger! 2)The Pirates sent San Fran to their 3rd straight defeat with last night's come-from-behind 4-3 win. Give them loss #4 with some Hit, Run, & Score! 3)RH AJ Burnett, 5-1, 1.81 ERA is on the bump for he Bucs. He'll face San Fran RH Chris Heston, 5-3, 3.82 ERA. After starting out 0-1 AJ has gone on a 5-0 run. Blackout San Fran! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to San Francisco as they open a 3-game series against the World Champion Giants tonight. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates will start RH Gerrit Cole, 7-2, 2.11 ERA. He'll face San Fran RH Ryan Vogelsong, 4-2, 4.24. Cole has won 7 of 10 starts this season. All aboard the Cole Train for a Pirates victory! 2)The Pirates had to settle for a series split in San Diego as they lost the finale last night 7-1. Get back in the win column and raise the Jolly Roger! 3)Here is a chance for revenge from last October's 8-0 Wild Card game loss. Score early, score often, score BIG with a big can o' Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Stop the presses, stop the presses! Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you the latest edition of The Black-N-Gold News to keep you up on all the Black-N-Gold happenings of our Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers and Penguins.


                                          THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

Pirates-Our Pirates continued winning for most of the week, sweeping the Miami Marlins at the beginning of the week. In Monday's 4-2 win, C Francisco Cervelli celebrated his first home run as a Bucco, a 3-run shot. On Tuesday, the battlin' Bucs won their 5th straight, a 5-1 win over Miami. Tuesday was an off day but still a reason to celebrate, CF Andrew McCutchen was named NL Co-Player of the Week with Milwaukee's Ryan Braun. Wednesday brought a 5-2 win, their 6th in a row and a sweep of the Fish, their second straight series sweep. Unfortunately, the Pirates organization suffered a setback on Thursday as they announced that Triple A RH Nick Kingham had undergone Tommy John surgery the day before to reconstruct his UCL. He is expected to miss 12-18 months. Meanwhile, the Pirates opened a 4-game set in San Diego on Thursday night, pounding the Padres 11-5 for their 7th straight victory. Friday brought more news from the minors as the Pirates promoted OF Keon Broxton from Double A Altoona to Triple A Indy. Friday also brought an end to the Pirates winning streak, in heartbreaking fashion. Tied 2-2 with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th, RH Rob Scahill faced San Diego C Derek Norris, a victim of 4 strikeouts on the evening. Norris came up big for the Fryers as he delivered a walk-off grand slam to down the Buccos 6-2. The Pirates got back in the win column on Saturday night, 5-2. They ended up settling for a series split in San Diego as they lost the finale last night, 7-1. The Bucs will travel up the coast as they open a 3-game set with the World Champion San Francisco Giants tonight. Here is a chance for revenge of the 8-0 Wild Card loss back in October. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

Steelers-Our Steelers were happy to report that all players were in attendance for OTAs on the South Side. They also now have all of their draft picks under contract, signing 7th round pick, S Gerod Holliman to a 4 year deal on Saturday. Earlier in the week Hall of Fame RB Jerome Bettis made headlines when he declared that when all is said and done current RB Le'Veon Bell will finish his career as the best RB in Steelers history. The. Best. Ever. Let's hope Bus' prediction will come true. If so, Le'Veon will need to put the weed on the backburner until his playing days are over. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

Penguins-Our Pens did not have such a rosy week as controversy swirled around GM Jim Rutherford and his staff. A few weeks back, former GM Ray Shero inked a deal to be the new GM with New Jersey. The move made nary a ripple in the Black-N-Gold Universe. The Pens parted ways with Shero last season and where happy to have him off their books. But when the Boston Bruins requested compensation in the form of a draft pick when the Edmonton Oilers hired former Boston GM Peter Chiarelli as their new president, it kicked up a tidal wave of trouble for Rutherford and company. It seems that the Pens GM and his assistants were not aware of this little used loophole in the NHL rulebook. The Pens whiffed on a possible draft pick when Shero went to Jersey. They made sure not to make the same mistake twice as they secured a 2016 3rd round pick from the Buffalo Sabres this week as compensation when the Sabres hired former Pens Coach Dan Bylsma. Mismanagement of the rulebook and bumbling of the salary cap? Looks like Rutherford and the boys need to do their homework if they ever plan to get the Pens back to the Stanley Cup finals. Get it together, Jimbo. Let's Go Pens!!!