It was a familiar story for the Pirates yesterday, as they have been locked in a miserable month of May. Poor defense and a lack of timely hitting led to another loss. Joe Block reports.
Manager Derek Shelton says his hitters are feeling the pressure to perform.
Shelton says failing to score with the bases loaded and no one out in the 6th was a killer for the Bucs.
Starter Rich Hill, whose failure to field a squibber in front of the plate led to the Rockies scoring three runs, says the team needs to take a step back from the miseries of the month.
Pirates pitcher Vince Velasquez has begun to throw again after suffering elbow pain last week in Tampa Bay, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk says the news is “very encouraging”. Velasquez will throw a live bullpen session early next week and then probably make a rehab start before returning to the rotation.
Tomczyk says “things are looking really good” with Oneil Cruz’s surgically repaired left ankle. The swelling has subsided and Cruz is doing upper body weight training, while remaining in non-weight-bearing mode. He’ll wear his boot for another month.
Ji-Man Choi is out of his protective boot and building strength as he recovers from an Achilles sprain.
Pitcher Wil Crowe has received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his ailing shoulder and won’t throw again for another two weeks or so.
The Pirates are off today and open a weekend series in Baltimore tomorrow night.
ALTOONA
Altoona could muster only four hits in a 7-2 loss to Akron yesterday. Mason martin and Matt Gorski each homered for the Curve.
After splitting the first two games of the six-game series, the Curve and Rubberducks meet again tonight at PNG Field, with Sean Sullivan getting the start for Altoona
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