Pirates Notebook: Tracy sees offense, but it's from his son
Share with others:
CHICAGO -- Jim Tracy saw a rare sight Monday night -- offense.
OK, so it was in Lansing, Mich., and not Wrigley Field, but it was pretty sweet all the same.
The Pirates' manager and his wife, Debra, drove from Chicago to Lansing to watch their son, Chad, 21, play for Class A Clinton against Lansing in a Midwest League game.
Young Tracy, a catcher, had two doubles and a home run and drove in four runs in Clinton's 6-2 victory.
"It was kind of a dream come true," said Tracy, who had not seen Chad play professionally.
Chad was a third-round draft pick of the Texas Rangers in June. His spree Monday night lifted his batting average to .276. He has three home runs and 21 RBIs.
Big moment for LaRoches
Adam LaRoche had a proud family moment Sunday when his younger brother, Andy, made his major-league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers and got his first major-league hit, a double off Kyle Davies, in Atlanta.
"It was unbelievable," LaRoche said. "I promise you I was more excited than he was. I'm so proud of him."
Atlanta right fielder Jeff Francoeur, who knows Andy through Adam's career with the Braves, knew what the hit meant. He asked the fan who retrieved it to give it to him so he could give it to Andy LaRoche.
"We both got our first [major-league] hits in the same stadium, which is pretty neat," said LaRoche, who got his first big-league hit April 7, 2004, off the New York Mets' Steve Trachsel.
Good thing he can pitch
Tom Gorzelanny enters his start tonight against the Cubs 0 for 33 with 20 strikeouts lifetime.
"Obviously, I'm not a good hitter," he said, "but, when I did hit in high school -- when I was a sophomore I really hit [well] -- I'd always hit right-handed.
"I could switch-hit, but I stuck on the right side because I had more power, better bat speed. I felt more comfortable right-handed."
When he entered professional baseball, the Pirates told Gorzelanny he'd hit left-handed so his pitching arm would be away from the pitcher.
"So, the first time I'm hitting left-handed I'm facing professional pitchers," Gorzelanny said. "That's not an easy adjustment."
Munoz makes mark
Gorzelanny's name arose during Class AA Altoona's 2-0 win Monday night against Erie.
Curve starter Luis Munoz struck out 10 batters in his seven-inning stint. It was the first time a Curve pitcher had a double-digit strikeout game since Gorzelanny struck out 13 in a playoff game against Akron in 2005.
Munoz, 4-0, has allowed just 10 hits and three earned runs in 21 2/3 innings in his past three starts.
Time change
The starting time of the first game of the Pirates' makeup doubleheader against San Francisco Aug. 13 has been changed to 5:05 p.m., 30 minutes earlier. The Giants asked for the change because after the doubleheader they are scheduled to fly to Atlanta, where they will begin a series the next night.
Sakamoto shows improvement
Kent Sakamoto, the Pirates' 12th-round pick in the June draft, has slumped a bit recently with Class A Hickory, but the first baseman is still worth monitoring.
The Fresno State product, a right-handed batter, had a .299 batting average, three home runs and 18 RBIs for the Crawdads through Monday.
Last summer, Sakamoto batted . 228 with three home runs, 23 RBIs and 48 strikeouts in 162 at-bats with Williamsport.
"He's a classic example of a guy who needs to adjust to a wood bat," said Brian Graham, the Pirates' senior director of player development. "He'll be a better player when he does that. It doesn't happen in a half-season."
Sakamoto, 6 feet, 222 pounds, projects as a doubles hitter with a chance to be a double-digit home-run hitter.
Night moves not good
Entering the game last night, the Pirates were 12-17 in night games at Wrigley Field. They played their first night game here June 26, 1989. Doug Drabek beat Greg Maddux, 2-1.
INDIANAPOLIS (19-11) beat Syracuse, 9-7. LHP Michael Tejera (1-0, 7.70) allowed one run and two hits in five innings. RHP Dan Kolb (0.64) recorded the final two outs for his third save. SS Brian Bixler (.340) went 3 for 4 with a triple, double and RBI. CF Nyjer Morgan (.315) went 2 for 5.
ALTOONA (15-13) beat Erie, 4-3. LHP Josh Shortslef (0-3, 3.97) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings. RF Adam Boeve (.305) hit his first home run and went 1 for 3. 3B Neil Walker (.270) went 1 for 4. CF Andrew McCutchen (.183) went 0 for 4.
LYNCHBURG (12-15) lost at Wilmington, 6-1. RHP Todd Redmond (2-3, 4.50) allowed six runs in six innings. RF Jamie Romak (.200) went 1 for 2 with two walks.
HICKORY (13-16) beat Delmarva, 5-4, in 11 innings. RHP Serguey Linares (0-0, 0.00) a Cuban defector making his professional debut, allowed one unearned run and one hit in six innings. He struck out four and walked one. C Kris Watts (.286) went 3 for 4 with a triple and double.
First Published May 8, 2007 11:18 pm
