One night after being shut out, 3-0 by the Astros, the Pirates turned the table, with their own shutout performance led by a pitcher who entered the game with an ERA of almost nine. Joe Block has the story.
Manager Donnie Kelly says rookie pitcher Mike Burrows was impressive.
Burrows came back from a 3-0 count to strike out the Astros leadoff hitter, then settled into a groove to earn his first win of the season.
In his weekly Pirates injury report, senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said catcher Joey Bart remains in concussion protocol with a “lesser scale of concussion”, but has returned to full baseball activities.
Tomczyk also said reliever Dauri Moreta is close to “game readiness” after Tommy John surgery almost two years ago and starter John Oviedo is “feeling really good” in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and from a spring training lat injury. Oviedo will throw live batting practice this week with limited velocity. Reliever Colin Holderman has had a setback in his recovery from a finger injury and is not throwing. Relievers Justin Lawrence and Tim Mayza are still not throwing, and starter Jared Jones is still weeks away from beginning exercises after his elbow surgery.
ALTOONA CURVE
Altoona was shut out for the second straight night in New Hampshire, where the Curve managed just two hits in a 3-0 loss to the Fisher Cats. Wilber Dotel starts for the Curve tonight.
