Brian Burres, Alex Presley Come Through In Pirates' 3-1 Victory

by Charlie Wilmoth on Sep 2, 2011 6:06 PM EDT

As bad as things have gotten, at least the Pirates are still ahead of the Cubs. The idea that the Cubs would get into striking distance of the Pirates seemed crazy six weeks ago, but earlier this afternoon, there they were, just three games back of the Bucs for fourth place, and with a plum matchup against Brian Burres. (Not that it's momentous stuff, either way, but it sure would have been depressing to fall behind the Cubs.)

Well, Burres somehow struck out five batters in 5.1 innings, and the Pirates' bullpen, which has seemed so rickety recently, was dominant, striking out five batters of its own in the remaining 3.2. The Cubs' only run came in the second, when Carlos Pena took a hanging 90-MPH Burres fastball over the wall in center.

In the third, Josh Harrison dumped an RBI single into right (scoring Alex Presley, who had tripled to lead off the inning), and Garrett Jones brought home another run with a double to the wall. They added an insurance run in the seventh as Presley tripled again and came home on an opposite-field single by Jose Tabata. Presley had three hits, scoring two runs.

Andrew McCutchen left the game after getting hit in the hand. He's day-to-day.

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The Pirates

cannot lose 100 games this season.

HUZZAH!

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Sep 2, 2011 6:13 PM EDT reply actions

What a relief!

by maguro on Sep 2, 2011 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions

pinch hitter

did we really pitch hit brad lincoln with rosters expanded to 40. great planning

by schlep on Sep 2, 2011 6:31 PM EDT reply actions

He nearly

got a hit.

Scorched one to SS that Castro luckily got on the short hop.

Lincoln DH’d on his non-pitching days in college.

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Sep 2, 2011 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Dude can hit

The glare of the spotlight is harsh, and the pressure that success breeds immense. We revere our heroes, but expect much. And criticism can come as easily as praise.
Twitter: @shanecglass

by glass0941 on Sep 2, 2011 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

According to BA, Lincoln would have been a borderline 1st rounder as a hitter.

You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts.

by WTM on Sep 2, 2011 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Sep 2, 2011 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Reply fail

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Sep 2, 2011 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Getting beat by Brian Burress

Dear Cubbies:

Welcome to our world.

by bucdaddy on Sep 2, 2011 6:39 PM EDT reply actions

“We lost to Dana F. Eveland?!”

— Pirates fan

“We lost to Brian F. Burres?!”

— Cubs fan

You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts.

by WTM on Sep 2, 2011 6:41 PM EDT reply actions

Had the exact same thought

Glad it’s not just us.

Actually, a few years ago, when the Mets were still good, they had an astoundingly bad record against rookie SPs. As in, they were a .600 team against everyone else, and hardly won any against callups.

by JRoth95 on Sep 2, 2011 7:51 PM EDT up reply actions

The truth

by CO_Bucs on Sep 2, 2011 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Speed never slumps

As the local Santa Barbara Foresters Manager states—speed never slumps (BTW, the Forresters are one of the top summer baseball teams in the country who have won their division fourteen straight years and national championships in 2006, 2008, and 2011.) They allow college players to use wood bats in their transition from college to the pros) Way to go Mr. Presley. A very needed win to right the ship. Hopefully Cutch can get back soon, but way to pick up the slack by Presley and Tababta. and Burres..

by long4willie on Sep 2, 2011 7:06 PM EDT reply actions

I wouldn’t be surprised if Cutch needed some time off. Basically, he’s a Shakespearean actor forced to perform in a clown show. It’s gotta wear on him a lot. If I were him, I’d lie awake at night wondering what I could do in a major league lineup.

You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts.

by WTM on Sep 2, 2011 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Your statement is so fucking depressing

While I certainly wouldn’t call guys like Presley, Tabata, and Walker “clown show” caliber guys, I can see your point, especially during that point of the season where he was in a lineup with what I count as at least four or five guys everyday who began the year in AAA (some combination of Fort, Fryer, Pearce, XP, Harrison, Wood, Ciriaco, d’Arnaud, and Paul— and I also count Diaz because he essentially was a AAA caliber player.)

But statements like yours really makes me believe he won’t be a Bucco in the long term. I guy like that deserves the money, and furthermore, he doesn’t deserve to have to play Center Field and to look to his right and left and see Matt Diaz and Xavier Paul as his colleagues out there. A guy with his talent deserves to be playing in outfields with other good players. Granted, the outfield he’s with now is significantly better then it was a month ago. Lets face it, as the days go by, the more the reality comes to the surface— he’s going to one day be in Pinstripes, or playing in front of the Green Monster or Wrigley Ivy or in Philly or D.C. or whatever team is in a market big enough with the payroll to give him the star contract he deserves. And well, if some of you think he’s going to be an upright human being and show he really does love playing here and take less money, then we better start winning and giving him a product he’ll want to stay around for.

by Zach Buccos on Sep 2, 2011 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions

In all honesty, if I was McCutchen, there’s no way I’d sign with the Pirates beyond my arb years unless and until I felt I was part of a major league lineup. And major league lineups don’t get blown away by Dan Eveland or get 13 hits in three games against a bunch of Asstros scrubs.

You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts.

by WTM on Sep 2, 2011 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Another way

in which Pedro’s Lost 2011 is hurting the team. Imagine a lineup in which Cutch is the 2nd best hitter.

by JRoth95 on Sep 2, 2011 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions

A refreshing idea

Let’s hope we see that in 2012. I would have just take an NL league-average third baseman in retrospect.

by CO_Bucs on Sep 2, 2011 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions

For a second there

I thought the team name was the “Forest Managers.” which would be kind of awesome, actually.

by JRoth95 on Sep 2, 2011 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Punctuation marks do make a difference - Santa Barbara Forester's manager

If they were the Forest Mangers they could really bring the lumber!!!!

by long4willie on Sep 2, 2011 10:43 PM EDT reply actions

I love to watch AP run the bases

i know there would be a major lack of power in the outfield, but i would love to see him in left or right next year. Dude is a pure leadoff hitter, hope he gets a spot in the opening day lineup next year…..

by bbautista24 on Sep 3, 2011 3:52 AM EDT reply actions

Looks like his hand isn’t bothering him TOO bad ;)

by Thunder on Sep 3, 2011 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I believe Presley can hit 13-15 homers in a season. Not ideal power, but not empty, either. He has a better chance of reaching 15 than Tabata imo.

by bolton on Sep 3, 2011 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

No way!

Tabata will get to 12 before AP – I’ll betcha five bucks.

[/Tabata man-crush rant]

Also, I’m on my way to Wrigley, hoping to get a cheap ticket for the game. I’m meeting up with Jim from North Side Notch in about 5 mins for a pre-game Bloody Mary or 7.

Free your ass and your mind will follow.

by cocktailsfor2 on Sep 3, 2011 11:19 AM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions