Red Hot Pirates Have Cardinals In Their Sights As First Half Ends
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Don't blame the Pittsburgh Pirates if they don't want to take a few days off for the All-Star break.
With three consecutive wins over St. Louis, the Pirates are in the thick of another pennant race.
"Last night is a classic game. [Root Sports] has classic games and you know that is a game you will watch 10 years from now and they will throw it out, and you back it up with another one," Clint Hurdle said.
Less than 24 hours after Andrew McCutchen's walk-off homer in the bottom of the 14th, Gregory Polanco was the hitting hero Sunday in the bottom of the 10th to push the Buccos one game closer to the Cards.
"The crowd has been great, particularly on weekends here. Really, for the past couple of years, but yeah, games like last night and tonight, you can feel the added energy in the ballpark," Neil Walker said.
The Pirates are one of the hottest teams in baseball heading into the All-Star break. What once was a nine-game deficit in the standings, is now two-and-a-half.
"Stay in the game and play hard, and try to do the little things that you need to win some ball games and never give up. Just fight to the end," Francisco Liriano said.
While some fans around the country may be surprised about these Pirates, the men in the locker room are not.
"We talked about it in Spring Training -- we are on a mission. When you are on a mission you don't count sacrifice. You don't count effort. Those are things that have to show up every day," Hurdle said.
Four Pirates won't get much of a break as they are in Cincinnati to play in the All-Star Game, but the rest get some much-needed days off.
"We have had a very good first half. I have encouraged them all to go back, relax, take care of the things they need to do. I wished the guys good luck who are headed to the All-Star Game, and we will all meet in Milwaukee and crank it up for the second half," Hurdle said.
Hold on to your Pirates hats, because it if the first half is any indication, it's going to be a wonderful ride.
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