In our daily Wake-Up Call, we get you ready for the day with a complete look at all things Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates bounced back from their series defeat at the hands of the Reds in style, putting 17 hits up on the board to take the first game of the four-game series against Detroit by a score of 7-4.
Yesterday’s game was interesting in that it was the first time the Pirates were to use the designated hitter in Interleague play this season. Manager Clint Hurdle went to the numbers, and saw that Matt Joyce fares very well against Tigers starter Justin Verlander. Joyce served as the DH, and as the saying goes, “Numbers don’t lie.” Joyce came through with a 2-for-4 day, collecting an RBI and a run scored.
Going into the season, many observers (including this author) questioned Joyce’s inclusion on the 25-man roster. Prior to yesterday’s game, Joyce was 0-f0r-6 while serving as Hurdle’s primary pinch-hitting option. If Joyce should need more at-bats to be effective, it’s hard to see where those plate appearances might come from, with the team’s run creation humming along at high efficiency.
Polanco continues to roll
In the win, Gregory Polanco continued what is perhaps the best stretch of play in his young career.
The right-fielder went 3-for-5 with an RBI in the game, but the real story is his production through the first week of the season. Polanco is slashing .381/.548/.619. He has four RBI in seven games from batting primarily in the sixth spot. He also leads the National League with nine walks entering today’s action. If there is one player that personifies the buy-in that this team is giving to the new run-creation approach, it has to be Polanco.
Yesterday’s Player of the Game
After each game, the staff at Pirates Breakdown will go to twitter to let the people be heard. We’ll ask you who you think should be deemed the Pirates player who had the most impact on the game as a whole. Here now is yesterday’s result:
It's time for the #Pirates player of the game Twitter poll following 7-4 win. #Raiseit #RTJR #RaisetheJollyRoger
— Jason Rollison (@jrollisonpgh) April 11, 2016
Make sure to watch for this poll on our twitter feed after each game.
Baseball talk on the web
- MLB Trade Rumors has a great writeup on former Pittsburgh Pirates executive Tyrone Brooks and his plans for MLB’s Diversity Program.
- Dave Cameron over at Fangraphs wonders if Trevor Story resembles J.D. Martinez.
- The Baltimore Orioles are off to a surprising 6-0 start. Can it last? Birds Watcher is all over the best start in O’s history.
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