Pirates Notebook: Starting pitchers in weekend spotlight
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ST. LOUIS -- The Pirates are playing an important four-game series this weekend. Not because the St. Louis Cardinals are a divisional foe, but because the four starting pitchers who likely hold the fate of the team and foreseeable future of the franchise will be on display.
That group would include in order: Zach Duke, the starter last night, Paul Maholm, Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny.
The foursome, supposedly the cornerstone for the rebuilding franchise, mostly has been inconsistent, struggling more than being successful. They are a combined 10-16 and with a 5.36 ERA.
None has a winning record. Gorzelanny is .500 at 4-4. Only Duke, has an ERA of less than five -- and he entered the game last night at 4.55.
- INDIANAPOLIS (27-29) beat Toledo, 3-2. RHP Jimmy Barthmaier (1-0, 2.57), making his Class AAA debut after a promotion from Class AA Altoona earlier in the day, allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. He struck out four, walked one. SS Brian Bixler (.167) hit his first home run and went 1 for 4. 3B Neil Walker (.229) went 1 for 3. RF Steve Pearce (.254) went 1 for 4. CF Andrew McCutchen (.297) went 0 for 4.
- ALTOONA (20-31) won at Erie, 8-6. LHP Josh Shortslef (1-0, 3.12) allowed one unearned run and three hits in four innings. RHP Evan Meek (4.00) allowed two runs in two innings of relief. LF Jonel Pacheco (.284) went 2 for 3 with two walks and an RBI.
- LYNCHBURG (21-33) beat Wilmington, 5-4. LHP Danny Moskos (3-3, 5.22) allowed one run and five hits in five innings. He struck out four, walked four. RF Jamie Romak (.287) hit his eighth home run, the fourth in as many games, and went 2 for 2 with two walks.
- HICKORY (27-28) lost at Charleston, 5-0. RHP Dustin Molleken (4-3, 5.81) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. C Andrew Walker (.250) went 3 for 4. 3B Bobby Spain (.327) went 1 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to 20 games.
Pirates manager John Russell conceded it has been tough to win games with such inconsistent pitching, and he knows the starters must get better for the team to be successful. He also believes the Pirates have shown a lot of fight while battling within three games of .500.
"You can look at it as we've built a lot of character," Russell said.
"I think what we've found is our offense knows and has shown we can come from behind, and our offense has proven it can battle until the end. It shows if we pitch well, we can have success because we have a lot of confidence at the plate."
Russell said he's not sure what has happened with his pitching staff, but he is not ready to panic.
"Perhaps those guys are putting too much pressure on themselves," Russell said. "But, again, it all comes around and maybe if our pitching was better we wouldn't have found out what our offense is capable of or about."
Catcher Raul Chavez's days with the major league club are numbered as he was called up from the Pirates' Class AAA affiliate Indianapolis May 14 to replace Ryan Doumit, who is out with a fractured thumb.
Chavez, however, has made the most of his time as he has impressed Russell with his defensive ability and, in particular, his arm strength.
Chavez earned his second consecutive start last night ahead of backup Ronny Paulino, and Russell said he was in the starting lineup mostly because he gives the Pirates a strong presence behind home plate.
Russell understands the Pirates are in a stretch of divisional games, but he is not circling this four-game series, or any other, for that matter, as being more important. He said the Pirates are in no position to look past any game.
"I don't think we can afford to look that far ahead, to say, 'Where will we be at the end of the four games?' " Russell said.
"I think we do better when we just focus on the game at hand and worry about today's game and not so much looking ahead down the road. You get into trouble trying to look too far ahead."
• Doumit appears to be inching closer to returning to the lineup as his rehabilitation will accelerate this weekend. Yesterday, he worked on blocking drills and today he is expected to do some more catching and throwing the ball to bases.
• The Pirates (25-28) have hovered near .500 for most of the season. Shortstop Jack Wilson, however, believes they've played well enough that, if they could develop some consistency, they could forge their way into the Central Division race. "We've played some good baseball and we've had some tough luck in a few games or we might be sitting above .500," Wilson said. "We just need to keep working at it."
• Maholm, who will start tonight, has had mixed results against St. Louis. He has started five games against the Cardinals and is 1-3 with a 3.03 ERA. In his most recent start against them, Maholm lasted six innings May 14, giving up 11 hits, 3 walks and 4 earned runs in a 5-1 loss.
First Published May 31, 2008 12:00 am
