Pirates LIRIANO shuts down that REDBIRDS Offense...BUCCOS First Baseman GARRIT JONES goes O-Zone Layer at the DISH....NL Central all tied up..."WEEKEND BENDERS" TGIF Recap #1...ZOLTAN seen at PNC #BUCCOShardball

The Pirates needed one of their Pitchers to step up and clearly it's a Francisco Liriano Staff. The Buccos Left-hander went eight cruising allowing no runs on two hits as he struck out six and handed out two free passes. Liriano had the Redbirds Hitters off-balance all night long and the offensive help came early.

The Buccos scored a crooked two in their half of the first as Liriano took that and ran with it. Then in the bottom half of the 4th Buccos first baseman Garrit Jones and back stop Russell Martin go back to back Solo Jobs off Redbirds Starter Shelby Miller. Miller went 4 1/3 innings giving up five runs on eight hits as he walked three, struck out two, and gave up those back to back jobs in the fourth. The Redbirds middle relief shut down the Buccos after that but the damage was done.

Jones led the Pirates Offense as he finished the night 3 for 4 with with a run scored and four ribbies. "El Toro" Pirates Hot Corner Pedro Alvarez and "Cutch 22" in Pirates CF AndrewMcCutchen combined to go 0 for 7 but was picked up by Jones and Martin. Holliday led the Redbirds with two hits as Beltran and Craig has the other hits.


The NL Central as we go to press is all tied up at 78-56 and Redbirds Nation and Buccos Nation right the date down as I think this will be the last time they will be tied. The Red Legs lose ground on both as they lose to the Rockies and fall 3 1/2 games back.

360 Degrees...Zoltan was in the Left Field Seats reportedly....