Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 7 CUBS 1

WHY THE PIRATES WON: WHEN MICHAEL PEREZ GETS A HIT, LET ALONE A HOME RUN, YOU KNOW IT’S GOING TO BE YOUR DAY. GREG BROWN WAS WONDERING WHY PEREZ WAS STARTING OVER HEINEMAN, SAYING THAT THE SHADOW MUST HAVE HAD A HUNCH. IT IS REAL DIFFICULT PLAYING A 111 BATTING AVERAGE OVER A 125 AVERAGE. IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER WHICH CATCHER YOU PLAY, THEY BOTH STINK. ROANSY CONTRERAS WAS NOT DOMINANT BUT STILL HELD THE CUBS TO 1 RUN OVER 5 INNINGS. THE BULLPEN COASTED IN FROM THERE, PROTECTING THE 6 RUN LEAD, MAKING SURE THE CUBS DID NOT MAKE THINGS INTERESTING. ANTHONY BANDA HAD ANOTHER GOOD TWO INNING OUTING. THE DFA THAT WASN’T. WHEN THINGS ARE GOING YOUR WAY, THEY ARE GOING YOUR WAY. WITH ALL THE HYPE ABOUT ONEIL CRUZ, THE PLAY OF BLIGH MADRIS HAS GONE SOMEWHAT UNDER THE RADAR. HE HIT HIS FIRST CAREER HOME RUN AND LOOKS REAL GOOD IN THE FIELD. PEOPLE WERE SAYING THAT YOU COULD NEVER REPLACE COLE TUCKER IN RIGHT FIELD. ALL IN ALL, ANOTHER REAL SOLID WIN FOR THE PIRATES.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: WITH 2 OUT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH, ONEIL CRUZ CAME UP BIG AGAIN GETTING A BASE HIT TO DRIVE IN RUN NUMBER 4. WHEN HE TRIED TO STEAL SECOND, A BAD THROW INTO CENTER FIELD, ALLOWED DANIEL VOGELBACH TO SCORE THE 5TH RUN. SPEAKING OF THE TURTLE HE HAD A BIG GAME WITH A DOUBLE, SINGLE, TWO WALKS, DROVE IN 2 RUNS AND SCORED ANOTHER. IT WAS ANOTHER EXHAUSTING GAME FOR THE TURTLE. I THINK HE MUST BE RESTED TOMORROW OR IT COULD AFFECT HIS HEALTH.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, CUBS IN PITTSBURGH. I KNOW WE ARE PLAYING THE CUBS, BUT WITH THE ADDITION OF CRUZ AND MADRIS, THERE SEEMS TO BE A NEW ENERGY TO THIS TEAM. EVEN THE TURTLE SEEMS TO BE RUNNING FASTER. THERE IS A LOT OF REHAB ASSIGNMENTS GOING ON IN INDIANAPOLIS THIS WEEK. YOU HAVE TO WONDER WHAT THEY ARE REHABBING FOR. SURELY, NOT TO PLAY BASEBALL FOR THE PIRATES.