Spokane AP-The Pirates split another double-header today, this time
with Duluth. Spokane took the three game seres though, as
they were victorious yesterday. Jack McDowell proved, once
again, why he deserved the number one spot in the rotation,
as he pitched seven innings of scoreless baseball, allowing
just two hits, two walks and striking out six. Armstrong and
Agilera then worked the last two innings. They gave up two
runs. Since the formation of the league,
two runs rarely beats Spokane. Today was no different as the
Pirates scored in six different innings to take the game 9-2.
Once again the Pirates used the long ball to accumulate runs.
Five different players homered, including Anderson who hit two into
the bleachers, his seventh and eight on the young year. McGwire,
after a slow start, seems to have found his stroke and connected
for his fifth this year.
The second game was a different story, in his second sub-par
appearance of the year, high priced David Cone was chased out
of the game after giving up five runs in four innings. Cone
complained of a pulled biceps and is listed as day to day.
Duluth managed an offensive display of its own, scoring seven
times, and taking the game 7-2.
Stephens had some comments after the game:
"I am of course pleased with the way our offense is doing most
of the time. All of our star hitters have come out of their slumps and
began to contribute, except Stedronsky. But we have enough power,
that if one of our guys struggles, we can more than make up for it.
Trouble is, its the same as last year. No Home run, No Win. We have
got to come up with a way to change that. We have to find other ways
to score. Or we just have to hit homers every day! I will admit, having
our own Bash Brothers [McGwire and Anderson] will be nice. I can see
them both hitting 50+ this year, and that should help us a lot."
"Now on the subject of pitching, I'm going to give Cone some time
rest his arm. The last thing I want is to have him on the DL. And my
threat to Sele stands. He will be pitching tomorrow, if he doesn't give us
a win, or at best a quality start, he's done."
Tomorrow the Pirates play a double header with Sacramento. A team
with only three wins this year, but two of those came against Spokane.
Inside the Clubhouse:
The Bash Bros. have a combined for the following stat line:
.329 average 9 2B 13 HR's and 33 RBI's
just to let you know, 13 home runs is better than 22 TEAMS in the
league thus far, and 33 RBI's are greater than or equal to seven other
teams. Now if those Pirates could only Pitch....
