The Latest Breaking News from Pirates

PITTSBURGH — Daniel Vogelbach finished his swing, dropped his bat and stared toward the Clemente Wall in right field. The Pirates’ designated hitter found a low-and-inside fastball, and he did what many left-handed hitters do with pitches there — pulverized it. No question Vogelbach knew it was gone.

PITTSBURGH — On Monday, the Pirates played one of their best games of the young season, pitching a gem in a 5-1 win over the perennial powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers.

PITTSBURGH — The streak the Pirates had going was equal parts emblematic of their new pitching philosophy and the byproduct of playing sub-.500 baseball. It was also just pretty darn strange. Nearly 30 games, and a starting pitcher didn’t have a single win? Yeah, never happened before.

The kid who grew up in Norwood Park, starting out playing T-ball as a 6-year-old, made his MLB debut with the Pirates on April 26 as a 23-year-old outfielder.

CINCINNATI — The first win of the season for a Pirates starting pitcher will have to wait. So will any good vibes emanating from the banks of the Ohio River, which vanished along with a couple baseballs off the bat of old friend Colin Moran, who smacked two home runs…

You could tell he was terrified.

CINCINNATI — As if having a second baseman strap on catcher’s gear wasn't difficult or unlikely enough, the Pirates' subsequent trick Saturday at Great American Ball Park was a real doozy: They decided to go on a home run-hitting binge.

CINCINNATI — The Pirates on Saturday added injury to insult.

Pittsburgh was forced to use Josh VanMeter as their emergency catcher on Saturday afternoon against Cincinnati. Here’s why.

The bullpen continues to be tested.

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