Boxscore

The Cardinals (13-9) have now lost two straight and fallen a game and a half back. Is this the end for them? Maybe they need to change General Managers to stop the losing.

Ian Snell pitched better than expected for the Pirates (9-12). He started things off with a bang, allowing four runs in the first, but settled down after that. In fact, the Cardinals never scored another run. Damaso Marte (1-0) gets the win, while Matt Capps (S 6) picks up the save.

Anthony Reyes (1-1) was tagged with the loss, and I can totally picture Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan talking to John Mozeliak, saying, “See!” Their dislike of the hurler is odd.

At any rate, the Pirates go for a series win today, sending out Tom Gorzelanny against Joel Pineiro at 7:05pm EDT.

Boxscore

No, he doesn’t wear a ruby-quartz visor to contain the destructive energies produced by his eyes, but Xavier Nady continues to have a fine April, like he so often does. Raise that trade value, X-Man!

The Pirates (8-12) scored all their runs in the 6th thanks to two-out hits from Ryan Doumit and Nady, and it was all they needed. Paul Maholm (1-2) got the win and Matt Capps (S 5) got the save. Ricky Nolasco (1-2) got the loss for the Marlins (12-8).

The Pirates, ever full of hope about winning, host the Cardinals tonight at 7:05pm EDT. They send Ian Snell against Todd Wellemeyer.

Boxscore

The Cubs (10-6) mastery of the Pirates (7-9) continues, albeit within the regular nine innings this time.

Ian Snell (2-1) had one bad inning where he allowed all the Cubs runs. (It’s never a good thing to start an inning by allowing a lead-off triple, like Snell did to Fukudome.) That was enough for Rich Hill (1-0) and the Cubs bullpen. Kerry Wood (S 4) chimed in with the save.

Nate McLouth continues his hot hitting, extending his streak to 16 games (that’s every game this year, I believe) with a homer in the 8th.

The two play again today with Tom Gorzelanny pitching against Jason Marquis at 1:05pm EDT.

We’re back from our spring break trip to the city of Houston. Can you believe it’s only been more than two weeks since our last podcast? This season already has the old familiar feeling.

This week on the podcast, we talk about how all the teams are doing so far. You definitely won’t want to miss our newest feature, the Inaccurate Reenactment, where Jonny does a horrible Dusty Baker impression, and I do an even worse Bronson Arroyo one. I like to think that we’re expressing an inner character rather than thinking that we’re just horrible voice actors.

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Boxscore

Along the same lines as the advice of “never start a land war in Asia” is the lesser known “Never spot Brad Penny a 4 run lead”. The Pirates (7-8) succeeded in not doing the former, but failed at the latter. And for good measure, they let the Dodgers (7-8) add on two more in the second.

Brad Penny (2-2) got the win, with Paul Maholm (0-2) getting shelled in the loss. The lone bright spot for the Pirates might have been that Nate McLouth got another hit, extending his hitting streak to 15 games.

The Pirates take Thursday off to travel to Chicago where they’ll face the Cubs on Friday at 2:20pm CDT. Ian Snell will go against Rich Hill.