Boxscore

In the first game of the post-Dunn, post-Griffey era, the Reds won in the same fashion that they have whenever they’ve managed to scrape out a win: with home runs.

Sure, you might expect a team without two of the premier sluggers in the game to have a little less pop–and they do–but the Reds have long been a team built on the homer. That doesn’t change with the removal of two batters.

Brandon Phillips and Javier Valentí­n were the two Reds to hit homers, driving in 3 of the team’s 5 runs. Edinson Volquez allowed 1 run in 6 2/3 innings for the win.

For the Pirates, newcomer’s first start at PNC didn’t go as well as his two previous Pirates starts. His scoreless inning streak didn’t even make it out of the first. Despite that, he pitched well, giving up just 3 earned runs in 7 innings.

Boxscore

New Pirates pitcher Jeff Karstens almost perfected the art of pitching yesterday. Thankfully, he didn’t because the come-down from that high would be particularly devastating.

“All right, I pitched a perfect game!”

“Oh, no, it was for the Pirates.”

Talk about a meaningless effort right there. Karstens was very good in his second start, though, and hasn’t allowed a run yet as a Pirate. Pittsburgh can only hope that competency continues from Karstens and all the other players they received.

The perfect game bid was broken up in the 8th by Chris Young. Karstens’ final line was 9 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts.

Boxscore

Zach Duke pitched very well last night, striking out 6 in 7 innings and allowing only 2 runs. Although it was among the best starts Duke’s provided this year, it wasn’t good enough. The Pirates managed only one measly run. The lone RBI was Doug Mientkiewicz’s, thanks to a hit in the 9th.

Of course, it’s not exactly an indictment of the Pirates that they scored only one run off of Brandon Webb, who has an ERA on the year of 2.93. Yeah, he doesn’t allow too many runs. Webb pitched the complete game for his 16th victory on the year, while Duke received his 10th loss.

In the other blockbuster trade yesterday, the Pirates had some fun in a ménage à trois with the Red Sox and the Dodgers. For the first time in a very long time, I don’t even think they’ll be sore and regretful in the morning.

Manny Ramirez went to the Dodgers, Jason Bay went to the Red Sox, while Andy LaRoche, Bryan Morris, Brandon Moss, and Craig Hansen went to the Pirates. LaRoche gives the Pirates the complete set of LaRoche brothers in the Majors, so that’s worth something. I mean, look at how well the Reds did when they had both Boone brothers.

Andy LaRoche was one of the Dodgers best prospects, and every other player obtained is young and more talented than about anyone else in the entire Pirates farm system. So it looks like a competent move to secure the team’s future. Painful? Sure. Bay was good. But I think it’s something that’s been long overdue from the Pirates. Neal Huntington has earned a gold star for his work leading up to the deadline.

Pirates bloggers have mixed opinions.

• Pat at WHYGAS? likes the trade quite a bit and goes so far as to Fire Joe Morgan a Post-Gazette reporter’s opinion on the matter.
• Bucco Blog has the most negative reaction to the trade that I’ve seen, feeling it’s more of the same and that nothing has changed.
• Finally, the Pittsburgh Lumber Company rates the trade as very good, finding it much better than expected. When you’re a Pirates fan, better than expected is a huge win.

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Per their–our–about page:

Featured on this site are some of the best female sports bloggers on the net. These women are smart, sports savvy, and will kick your butt in fantasy ball. Consider this your hub for the best writing women in sports have to offer. You’ll find stuff that will make you laugh, make you think, and sometimes make you crazy. But that’s just like a woman, isn’t it? Throughout this site we will cover everything and anything about sports that deserves our attention. And probably a few things that don’t. But we promise to always entertain you and make you wonder why women don’t rule the sports blogging world. Yet.

Ideas for PTF content include everything from fantasy sports advice to our vision of what our favorite players’ blogs would say, (if they actually wrote them for themselves). Whatever the topic, you’re sure to find something interesting in each woman’s box.