PIRATES DROP SERIES FINALE TO RANGERS

The Pirates fell behind in the first inning and never recovered as they dropped another game to the Rangers yesterday. Joe Block has the details.

The Pirates have today off and will open a weekend set in Seattle tomorrow night.

Pirates starter Vince Velasquez is ready to return from the injured list after throwing 4-and-two-thirds innings of shutout ball in a rehab start last Saturday in Indianapolis. Velasquez has been out since experiencing elbow pain on May 4^th in Tampa Bay. General manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton both said yesterday that Velazquez will return to the rotation this weekend in Seattle. That will likely be Saturday night.

Other injury news:

First baseman Ji Man Choi will begin running again next week. He’s been out since April 23^rd with an Achilles injury, and this week has started hitting, playing catch, and fielding grounders.

Pitcher Wil Crowe is doing plyometrics and next week will begin a throwing program. He’s on the 60-day injured list.

Pitcher Max Kranick’s journey back from last year’s Tommy John surgery will take another step when he throws a live session toward the end of next month. He is throwing two bullpen sessions per week right now. He could begin minor league rehab game action in the second half of the season.

JT Brubaker is also recovering from Tommy John surgery. He is out of his post-op brace but won’t be doing any throwing until next year.

Shortstop Oneil Cruz will possibly get out of his walking boot in the next ten to fourteen days and begin working on strength and flexibility in his broken ankle.

ALTOONA CURVE

Altoona’s bats were raking again yesterday as the Curve bombed Hartford, 13-9. Henry Davis had four RBIs on a groundout, a single, and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. Mason Martin drove in four runners with two singles and a sac fly. Six Curve batters: Martin, Liover Peguero, Matt Fraizer, Matt Gorski, Andres Alvarez, and Dylan Shockley, all had two hits.

The Curve will send right-hander Kyle Nicolas to the mound tonight for the third game of the series.