September 22
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Given recent history, there was nothing to suggest that the Pirates could come back from a four-run deficit going into the bottom of the eighth inning tonight. At that point, they'd totaled only four runs in the previous 25 innings combined against the San Diego Padres. Turns out the Pirates did have four runs in them, but nothing more. After forcing extra innings, the Pirates blew it in the 11th, giving up five runs to fall, 11-6, in front of a crowd announced at 12,566 at PNC Park. Only a small fraction hung around by the time the game was over nearly four hours later."
September 21
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Pirates manager John Russell didn't need to give a long-winded answer Sunday to explain why his team is struggling. "We're not a very good offensive team right now," Russell said after the Pirates' 4-0 loss to the San Diego Padres at PNC Park. "We're not doing some things we need to do." The complicated part for Russell is how to improve the offense. "I wish there was (something I could do to spark them)," Russell said. "They're just not swinging the bat well right now. We just need to have good at-bats, with guys on base, especially." A two-run third inning was all it took for the Padres to hand the Pirates their 15th shutout defeat of the season. Pitcher Kevin Correia threw seven ..."
September 21
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Two runs in the third inning were all the San Diego Padres needed to beat the Pirates at PNC Park today, 4-0. The Pirates (56-91) had just four hits, three of them singles, and no runs with two left on base through five innings. They sent no more than four batters to the plate through each of the first six innings against pitcher Kevin Correia, and got two runners on base together for the first time in the seventh. Hometown product Neil Walker flied out to end the threat. The Pirates had runners on first and second and the tying run on deck with one out in the ninth, but the Padres (68-82) turned to closer Heath Bell, tied for first in the NL with 38 saves. Steve Pearce struck out ..."