Sports – Page 433 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Mustangs’ McDonald earns MVP as North defeats South in MINK League All-Star Game

Posted on July 7, 2016July 8, 2016

The MINK League All-Star game took place Thursday at Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph and the North All-Stars defeated the South 9-2.

The St. Joseph Mustangs had seven players on the North roster and shortstop Evan McDonald was named the MVP of the game as he finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored.

The North squad broke open a scoreless game in the third inning with five runs. After the South scored one run in the sixth inning, the North put the game away with a four-run seventh inning.

Sedalia’s Robert Cummings and Chillicothe’s Ross McWhorter also had two RBI each for the North All-Stars. St. Joseph players had a good night overall. Brett Marr and Tyler Cox each had one hit and one run scored, while Brady Anderson had an RBI ground out. Kyle Uhrich walked and scored one run.

On the mound the Mustangs’ John Millan threw a scoreless fourth inning, while Jake Purl allowed one run in the ninth inning.

J.C. Santos was the only South All-Star to have a mulit-hit game as he finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.

The St. Joseph Mustangs are back in action Friday as they host Chillicothe at 7:00 p.m. inside Phil Welch Stadium.

Perez sends Kansas City to walk-off win against Mariners

Posted on July 7, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez gave Royals reliever Brooks Pounders his first career win, Mariners starter James Paxton a frustrating no-decision and Kansas City a much-needed confidence boost with one mighty swing.

Perez capped a three-hit night with a double off the wall in the ninth inning Thursday night, scoring Whit Merrifield and Jarrod Dyson and giving the Royals a 4-3 victory over Seattle to open a four-game set.

“How many times have we been through it? I mean, we fight. We keep fighting,” said Danny Duffy, who kept the Royals in the game with 6 1/3 strong innings. “You’re never out of the game with these boys.”

Paxton kept them out of it for eight innings, using just 78 pitches to get that far. The only damage he allowed came in the eighth when Paulo Orlando delivered a two-out single to get Kansas City within 3-2.

Steve Cishek (2-5) came on to close the game and Merrifield doubled to lead off the ninth. Kendrys Morales was hit by a pitch moments later, Jarrod Dyson came on to run for him, and Eric Hosmer struck out before Perez dug in at the plate and a crowd of 31,425 reached a fevered pitch.

He lined a shot to center to give Pounders (1-0), who pitched an inning of relief, his stunning win.

“It’s a great moment in my life,” the big reliever said. “To walk away with a win in that game is just unbelievable. It says a lot about the team we have here.”

The victory snapped a four-game skid for Kansas City an extended Seattle’s road losing streak to 10.

“I don’t know if you can be much more in control of the game to being on the wrong side of things in an inning and a half,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Tough game to lose.”

The Mariners built an early 2-0 lead not with a homer — they entered the game tied for second in the majors with 128 of them — but with old-fashioned small ball. Dae-Ho Lee scored from second on Dan Robertson’s single in the second inning, and Robertson scored after a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Nelson Cruz added a homer off Joakim Soria in the eighth.

Those three runs seemed insurmountable the way Paxton was cruising along.

He induced inning-ending double plays the first two innings, then another one in the third after back-to-back singles led it off. Ketel Marte then made a nice play ranging out from third base on Alex Gordon’s blooper into shallow left field to leave Brett Eibner on third base and end the inning.

The worst throw Paxton made before the eighth wasn’t to the mound but to first base, when Kendrys Morales chopped a grounder back to him the previous inning. Paxton’s throw slipped and bounced halfway to the bag.

With everything else going for him, it still beat Morales easily for the out.

“They were popping up the cutter, hitting it on the ground. A lot of ground balls,” Paxton said. “Guys were making great plays behind me. So that’s what happens, you saw guys turn double plays.”

STATS AND STREAKS

Morales was 0 for 3 before getting hit by a pitch in the ninth, allowing him to extend his streak of reaching safely to 21 starts. … The Mariners lost for the fourth time when leading after eight innings. … Cruz homered for the seventh time in his last 14 games.

ROTATION REMOVAL

The Royals are sending RHP Chris Young to the bullpen and will start RHP Dillon Gee or LHP Brian Flynn in Sunday’s series finale. Young is 2-8 with a 6.90 ERA in 15 appearances, 13 of them starts. He’s also given up a league-leading 26 home runs despite pitching many of his games at spacious Kauffman Stadium.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals RHP Kris Medlen has been shut down after straining his shoulder during a rehab outing. Medlen was 1/3 with a 7.77 ERA in six starts before going on the disabled list in May with rotator cuff inflammation. “He is going to be no-throw for a couple weeks,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

UP NEXT

RHP Yordano Ventura returns for Kansas City on Friday night after spraining his right ankle running the bases in his last start in Philadelphia. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma will oppose him for Seattle.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals salvage final game against Pirates 5-1

Posted on July 7, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Wainwright relished the chance to stop a skid.

The Cardinals’ ace worked seven effective innings to help St. Louis beat Pittsburgh 5-1 on Thursday to avoid a four-game sweep and end the Pirates’ season-best seven-game winning streak.

“Today, I really wanted to push it as long as I possibly could,” Wainwright said. “I was having fun mixing and matching and mixing my delivery speed. I was pitching out there, that’s how I did it in 2014.”

Wainwright (8-5) was a 20-game winner two years ago, but missed most of last season with a torn left Achilles. He is rediscovering his form now, lowering his ERA to 4.49.

“He’s been a master craftsman for years,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. “He was on top of his game.”

Stephen Piscotty hit a three-run home run and Randal Grichuk also went deep for St. Louis, which reclaimed second place in the NL Central by a half-game over Pittsburgh to end a rough 4-5 homestand. All-Star Matt Carpenter (oblique) joined Brandon Moss (ankle) and Brayan Pena (knee) on the 15-day disabled list earlier in the day.

“We heard the news, then we went about our business,” Piscotty said. “We have to stay the course. I don’t think anyone’s going to give up by any means.”

Piscotty’s 11th homer off Arquimedes Caminero was initially ruled off the top of the center-field wall but the call was overturned after review. Piscotty had three homers during the home stand but didn’t think this one was out.

Tyler Glasnow (0-1) was charged with four runs in 5 1/3 innings in his debut. The 22-year-old right-hander was the 11th starter used by the Pirates and, like Steven Brault earlier in the series, got his first career hit.

“It was kind of crazy waking up and coming to the ballpark and I really think I took it all in,” the 6-foot-8 Glasnow said. “It was a fun experience.”

Hurdle was impressed.

“He commanded the zone, he made his pitches,” the manager said. “He didn’t let things get out of hand at any point in time.”

Jordy Mercer doubled and had an RBI for the Pirates, who had come from behind to win the previous six games. They haven’t swept a four-game series in St. Louis since 1997 and the Cardinals haven’t been swept in four games at home by anyone since Colorado in 2009.

Aledmys Diaz, named an All-Star earlier in the day to replace Carpenter, tripled off the top of the left-field fence and scored on a wild pitch to tie it in the fourth. Grichuk’s first homer since June 12 gave the Cardinals the lead for good in the fifth.

Wainwright matched his season best with nine strikeouts and got his 129th career win, passing Harry Brecheen for seventh on the franchise list. He’s permitted one run over 14 innings his last two outings.

“The way the first month and a half went for me was a real grind but I knew I was going to turn it around,” Wainwright said. “And I’m on my way, I wanted that eighth win.”

The first pitch was delayed 31 minutes by rain. During the homestand there were 5 hours and 44 minutes of delays.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (triceps) is expected to make a second rehab start on Sunday.

Cardinals: 3B Jhonny Peralta (left thumb) missed his second straight start.

NICE GLOVE

Cardinals 3B Greg Garcia made two nice grabs on liners, robbing Jung Ho Kang in the first and pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez in the eighth. Garcia led off in place of Carpenter and had a double, walk and scored a run.

UP NEXT

Pirates: Francisco Liriano (5-8, 5.34) snapped a five-game losing streak his last time out, but is 0-2 against the Cubs this year.

Cardinals: Michael Wacha (5-7, 4.38) has won three straight starts and faces the Brewers for the second straight time.

— Associated Press —

Mustangs’ game with Nevada suspended in the 10th due to darkness

Posted on July 6, 2016

The St. Joseph Mustangs blew a six-run lead Wednesday night against Nevada, but didn’t have a chance to make up for it and pull out a win as the game was suspended due to darkness.

St. Joe’s collegiate summer baseball team had a transformer blow earlier in the day so the lights at Phil Welch Stadium didn’t work. The Mustangs moved up their game with the Griffons but because it went to extra innings they had to suspend the game in the top of the 10th inning with the game tied 9-9. The game will start back up on July 20th when Nevada comes back to play St. Joseph.

The Mustangs fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning Wednesday, but answered right back with four runs of their own. After the Griffons scored one in the second, St. Joe took control of the game with another four-run inning in the fourth and they added one more run in the seventh inning to take a 9-3 lead.

Nevada scored one in the eighth inning and then rallied to force extra innings with a five-run ninth. The Griffons scored all five runs with two-outs in the ninth inning after a Louis Mele error at first base. Mustangs’ reliever Jonathan Lynch retired the first two batters of the inning and then walked back-to-back batters before the error. He gave up two hits and walked another batter as Nevada sent 10 men to the plate.

Mele had a big night at the plate as he went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Orencio Fisher and Davey Casciola added two hits each and Matt Wollnik drove in two runs.

Jason Blanchard started for St. Joseph as he went six innings and allowed three runs on six hits.

The Mustangs are off until Friday when they host Chillicothe. The MINK League All-Star game will take place Thursday at Phil Welch Stadium. The Home Run Derby begins at 5:15 p.m. and the game between the North and South All-Stars will begin around 7:15 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM.

Royals swept by Blue Jays, drop fourth straight game

Posted on July 6, 2016July 7, 2016

TORONTO (AP) — Michael Saunders hit a solo home run in the fourth inning and singled home the winning run in the eighth as the Toronto Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep of Kansas City, beating the Royals 3-2 on Wednesday.

Toronto won its fifth straight, while its 2015 ALCS opponent dropped its fourth in a row.

Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-out double off Kelvin Herrera (1-2) in the eighth and scored when Saunders lined a single to center. Russell Martin followed with an RBI double.

Marcus Stroman (7-4) pitched eight innings to win for the first time in four starts. Roberto Osuna finished for his 17th save.

Saunders, one of five AL candidates for the All-Star Final Vote, opened the scoring with a one-out drive off Ian Kennedy in the fourth, his 16th.

The homer was the 21st allowed by Kennedy this season, tied for second-most in the majors. Kennedy has allowed at least one homer in seven consecutive starts, giving up 13 in that span.

Stroman was perfect through five innings, throwing 44 pitches. Kansas City didn’t hit a ball out of the infield until Paulo Orlando flied to center to end the fifth.

Brett Eibner broke Stroman’s streak when he walked on a 3-2 pitch to begin the sixth. The next batter, Alcides Escobar, broke up the no-hitter and ended Stroman’s shutout bid with an RBI triple.

Toronto led 2-1 on Ezequiel Carrera’s RBI single in the fifth, but Eibner tied it 2-all when he connected off Stroman in the eighth.

Kennedy allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out 10, one shy of his season high.

The retractable roof was open when the game began but started to close during the top of the sixth. It was still sliding shut when a light rain began falling in the bottom of the seventh. Play was not interrupted.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: DH Kendrys Morales (back) was held out of the starting lineup.

Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada was placed on the 15-day DL, one day after being named to the All-Star team for the first time. Estrada will still attend the game in San Diego but won’t be able to pitch. RHP Drew Hutchison will start for Toronto in the opener of a four-game series against Detroit on Thursday. RHP Bo Schultz was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (4-1, 3.11) starts as Kansas City returns home for a four-game series against Seattle. He’s 0-1 with a 1.69 ERA in five games against the Mariners, including three starts. LHP James Paxton (2-3, 4.24) starts for Seattle.

Blue Jays: Hutchison is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two games, one start. He went 6-3 with a 2.78 ERA in 15 starts at Buffalo. RHP Justin Verlander (8-6, 4.11) starts for Detroit.

— Associated Press —

St. Louis loses third straight game to Pittsburgh

Posted on July 6, 2016July 7, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jung Ho Kang is playing while under investigation for sexual assault , and the Pirates infielder helped Pittsburgh climb in the standings Wednesday night.

Kang drove in two key runs with a seventh-inning double a day after Chicago police announced their investigation, and Pittsburgh beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5 on Wednesday night for its sixth straight comeback win.

Kang’s double off Jonathan Broxton (1-1) put the Pirates up 6-5 after they trailed 5-1.

Kang, through an interpreter, declined to comment on the assault allegations after the game in his first public remarks. He did talk about the latest comeback victory, which gave Pittsburgh seven consecutive wins overall and leapfrogged them past St. Louis for second place in the NL Central.

“Not only myself but also all the teammates and the team as a whole unit, we always think positive and keep our heads in the fight,” Kang said. “And that’s what we did today and the last couple of days.”

In a statement Tuesday, police said a 23-year-old woman reported being assaulted by Kang inside a hotel. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the Chicago woman met Kang through a dating app. Kang invited the woman to his hotel room on June 17, after the Pirates played the Cubs.

The woman said she blacked out, then drifted in and out of consciousness as he sexually assaulted her. The woman’s name has not been released.

Kang has not been charged, and Major League Baseball said in a statement it would “respond fully as additional facts emerge.”

The Pirates have won three straight series at Busch Stadium after dropping their previous seven in St. Louis.

Pirates relievers combined for five scoreless innings. A.J. Schugel (2-2) got the win and Mark Melancon picked up his 26th save.

Pirates left-hander Jeff Locke lasted just four innings and had his three-start winning streak snapped.

“Typically you don’t get away with starts like that,” Locke said. “Four innings from your starter, five runs and you probably don’t have a good chance to win the game. But the guys don’t give up. You know it’s kind of inspiring.”

Rookie shortstop Aledmys Diaz went 3 for 5. His 12th homer of the season tied the game 1-1 in the third and his single in the fourth capped a four-run rally for the Cardinals.

Jaime Garcia exited after giving up a pair of walks to start the sixth. Both walks came around to score.

The Cardinals have lost three straight and fell to 18-26 at home. They have lost 10 games in a row at home to teams with winning records.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny successfully challenged first base umpire Dan Iassogna’s out call on Kolten Wong that would’ve ended a four-run rally in the fourth. After a 1 minute, 35 second review, Wong was ruled safe on his bunt attempt. The Cardinals added two extra runs due to the challenge as Jedd Gyorko scored on Wong’s hit and Diaz followed with an RBI single.

CARPENTER INJURED

Cardinals All-Star second baseman Matt Carpenter left the game in the third inning with a right oblique injury after swinging awkwardly at one of Locke’s pitches. Carpenter was replaced by Wong.

Matheny said Carpenter was in the MRI tube as he spoke to reporters after the game.

“I have a high level of concern because I’ve felt that injury and I’ve seen it,” Matheny said. “It can be tough, but I’m not going to make any conclusions until we hear from the people that know what they’re talking about.”

MUSICAL CHAIRS

The Pirates recalled LHP Kyle Lobstein and optioned LHP Steven Brault to Triple-A Indianapolis. It is the fourth roster move in as many days for the Pirates.

STAGE FRIGHT

Fans that bought a special theme ticket received a John Goodman bobblehead, commemorating his character in “The Big Lebowski.” Goodman, a St. Louis native, threw out the first pitch.

“I immediately was scared and I was going to say no, but I thought it might be fun,” Goodman said. “I don’t deserve this.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: An MRI on C Chris Stewart’s knee showed wear and tear and could require surgery, but Stewart hopes to rehab and play through it. … RHPs Gerrit Cole (triceps) and Ryan Vogelsong (facial fractures) will throw bullpens Thursday.

Cardinals: C Brayan Pena (knee) was placed on the 15-day DL and C Alberto Rosario was called up from Triple-A Memphis. 3B Jhonny Peralta (thumb) sat Wednesday and is day-to-day.

UP NEXT

Pirates: RHP Tyler Glasnow will make his major league debut. He went 7-2 with a 1.78 ERA at Indianapolis.

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (7-5, 4.70 ERA) pitched seven shutout innings in his last start and St. Louis is 10-3 in his last 13 outings.

— Associated Press —

Blown transformer moves up Mustangs game

Posted on July 6, 2016July 6, 2016

Thunderstorms have caused some issued for the St. Joseph Mustangs forcing the team to move up its Wednesday start time.

The Nevada Griffons will take on the St. Joe Mustangs tonight at Phil Welch Stadium at 5:30 p.m. instead of the regular 7 p.m. start time. Ky Turner, General Manager for the Mustangs said the game time was moved up due to a blown transformer to stadium lights. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m.

Turner said the issue was discovered early this morning after storms blew through the area.

“The rest of the stadium is fine and operating as normal it’s just the stadium lights,” Turner said. “There is a chance the stadium lights could be repaired by then but just in case.”

He said crews from Kansas City Power and Light and the City Parks Department are working on the issue. But in case the lights are not restored in time for the evening game they went ahead and made the decision to move the game time up.

The Mustangs said they plan to send University of Rhode Island pitcher Jason Blanchard to the mound as the team goes for its eighth win in a row.

St. Joseph extends win streak to seven with 4-2 victory at Chillicothe

Posted on July 5, 2016July 5, 2016

The St. Joseph Mustangs extended their winning streak to seven games Tuesday night with a 4-2 victory at Chillicothe.

St. Joe’s collegiate summer baseball team improves to 25-8 this season and 18-8 in the MINK League. With wins over Sedalia and Chillicothe in their last two games, the Mustangs now have a two game lead on Sedalia in the North Division and two and half games over Chillicothe.

St. Joseph struck first in the opening inning as Evan McDonald doubled to start the game and then scored on a Mudcat error. Davey Casciola extended the lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly in the third inning before Chillicothe scored one run in the bottom of the third.

The Mustangs took a 4-1 lead in the fifth inning as they scored another run on a Chillicothe error and added one more on Casciola’s second sac fly. The Mudcats scored one run in bottom of the fifth but that was as close as they’d get.

Michael Lydon-Lorson earned his second win of the season as he allowed just five hits and one earned run in seven innings of work. He struck out seven and walked two.

Steve D’Amico picked up his second save in as many days as he worked a scoreless ninth inning.

McDonald led the St. Joe offense as he raised in MINK League leading batting average to .472 with a 3-for-5 night and two runs scored. Brady Anderson added a pair of singles.

The Mustangs return home to Phil Welch Stadium Wednesday as they host Nevada at 7:00 p.m.

Young gives up four HRs as Royals lose at Toronto again

Posted on July 5, 2016July 5, 2016

TORONTO (AP) — Josh Donaldson hit two solo home runs, Troy Tulowitzki had a three-run blast and the Toronto Blue Jays connected four times to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-3 on Tuesday night.

Fresh off being named a reserve to the AL All-Star team, Donaldson went 3 for 4 and scored four runs while the Blue Jays won their fourth straight.

Donaldson has scored 77 runs, a franchise record for runs before the All-Star break. Carlos Delgado had 76 in 2003.

All four Toronto homers came off Royals right-hander Chris Young, who matched Runelvys Hernandez’s team record by allowing at least one home run in 13 consecutive starts. Hernandez did it from October 2005 to August 2006.

Young (2-8) has surrendered a major league-worst 26 home runs this season.

Toronto’s R.A. Dickey (6-9) allowed two runs, none earned, and four hits in seven innings to win for the first time in nine home starts this season. The knuckleballer came in 0-6 with a 5.14 ERA at home.

Kansas City lost for the fourth time in five games and dropped to 16-29 on the road.

Donaldson connected in the first inning and went back-to-back with Ezequiel Carrera in the third. It marked the eighth multihomer game of Donaldson’s career and the fifth time this season the Blue Jays have hit consecutive homers.

Three batters later, Tulowitzki chased Young with his seventh homer in 15 games since returning from the disabled list.

Fellow All-Star Edwin Encarnacion had two hits and an RBI, raising his ML-leading total to 77.

Young allowed six runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings. He is winless in nine starts.

Kansas City’s Cheslor Cuthbert hit a two run homer off Dickey and finished with three RBI.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Wade Davis (forearm) was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 1. The Royals selected RHP Brooks Pounders from Triple-A Omaha and designated LHP Tyler Olson for assignment.

Blue Jays: OF Jose Bautista (turf toe) is no longer wearing a walking boot. “That’s progress, as long as he doesn’t stub it,” joked manager John Gibbons. There is no timetable for Bautista’s return. … RHP Marco Estrada (back) is feeling better but could be get one or two extra days of rest before his next start. RHP Drew Hutchison would like start for Toronto if Estrada cannot pitch Thursday against Detroit.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (6-7, 4.04) starts Wednesday’s series finale. Kennedy has allowed 20 home runs, including one in each of his past six starts.

Blue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman (6-4, 5.08) allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings against Cleveland in his most recent start after allowing 38 earned runs in his previous eight outings.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals drop second straight at home to Pirates

Posted on July 5, 2016July 5, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Eric Fryer burned his former team with two hits and three RBI and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 on Tuesday night.

The Cardinals released Fryer when backup catcher Brayan Pena came off the 15-day disabled list and the Pirates claimed him off waivers on Sunday. He batted .368 with St. Louis with five RBI in 38 at-bats behind seven-time All-Star Yadier Molina but Pena has a two-year, $5 million contract.

Juan Nicasio (7-6) worked two scoreless innings in relief of lefty Steven Brault, who allowed one earned run in four innings while throwing 82 pitches and adding a single in his debut. The 24-year-old Brault pitched in place of fellow rookie Jameson Taillon, placed on the DL on Sunday with shoulder fatigue.

Josh Harrison and David Freese added RBI for the Pirates, who have taken the first two games of a four-game set and are 7-4 in the season series, closing within one-half game of the second-place Cardinals in the NL Central.

Mark Melancon finished for his 21st consecutive save and 25th in 26 chances.

Mike Leake (5-7) gave up five runs in six innings for the Cardinals, who got RBI from Jedd Gyorko and Matt Holliday. Leake has lost his last three outings with a 6.06 ERA.

Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang, under investigation by Chicago police on an allegation of sexual assault, singled pinch-hitting to open the ninth.

HOT BOX

Harrison stayed alive in a rundown between third and home long enough for the hitter and runner to take two bases in the fifth. The Cardinals finally got him out on a play scored 3-2-5-3-6-4.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Ryan Vogelsong (facial fracture) threw 61 pitches in a four-inning simulated game. … RHP Gerrit Cole (biceps) struck out six and allowed two hits for Triple-A Indianapolis to begin a rehab start.

Cardinals: SS Jhonny Peralta was taken out after three innings with discomfort in his left thumb. The team said it was unrelated to the surgery for a torn thumb ligament in March.

SLUMPING

Matt Adams, who replaced Peralta in the lineup, is in an 0-for-31 slump.

UP NEXT

Pirates: Jeff Locke (8-5, 5.13) has won his last three starts with a 1.93 ERA and bested Oakland ace Sonny Gray his last time out.

Cardinals: Jaime Garcia (6-6, 3.84) allowed one run in eight innings against the Brewers his last time out. He has a 0.57 ERA against Pittsburgh in six games, four starts.

— Associated Press —