Liriano finally gets Opening Day win
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Francisco Liriano蘑菇视频 start on Sunday was his third straight for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day.
Prior to Sunday蘑菇视频 4-1 victory, Liriano had a no-decision in 2014, when Pittsburgh defeated the Chicago Cubs, 1-0, in 10 innings, and in 2015, when Cincinnati topped the Pirates, 5-2.
The lefty is the first Pirate pitcher to start three opening days in a row since Doug Drabek (1990-1992).
Liriano has revived his career since joining Pittsburgh in 2013, going 35-25 in 86 games started during his time with the Pirates. The lefty has an ERA of 3.26 with the Bucs and was the 2013 National League Comeback Player-of-the-Year.
鈥淲e have a good rotation here and I just do what I can to help us win ball games,鈥� Liriano said. 鈥淚 felt really good today with the location of my pitches and was able to use my fastball to jam guys.鈥�
Liriano tied the team record for strikeouts on Opening Day with 10 after a punchout of Randal Grichuk in the sixth inning.
Liriano also struck out 10 in 2014, and is joined on the list by Bob Veale (1965), John Candelaria (1983) and A.J. Burnett (2013). Liriano is the first Pirate to strike out 10 or more twice on Opening Day.
鈥淥bviously, the team goal is what蘑菇视频 most important,鈥� Liriano said. 鈥淚 really don鈥檛 think about individual accolades.鈥�
Liriano came into the game needing 11 strikeouts for 1,400 in his career but fell one short.
AND THE WINNER IS鈥�
The Pirates honored their award winners from the 2015 season prior to Sunday蘑菇视频 first pitch. Andrew McCutchen received his 2015 Louisville Silver Slugger Award as the league蘑菇视频 best hitter at his position. This was McCutchen蘑菇视频 fourth straight Silver Slugger award. The Bucs鈥� starting centerfielder is the first Pirate to win the award four times in a row.
Teammate Starling Marte was presented with his 2015 Rawlings Gold Glove Award as well as his Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for his excellence in left field.
Former Pirate pitchers Kent Tekulve and Elroy Face presented closer Mark Melancon with the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award. The Pirates were recognized by Baseball America as the 2015 Organization of the Year during the pregame festivities.
TOP TEAMS IN BASEBALL
The Pirates have been chasing the Cardinals the last three years for NL Central Division supremacy, but they are not that far off from their rivals in St. Louis based on records. Pittsburgh蘑菇视频 280 wins in the last three seasons is second in Major League Baseball behind the Cardinals鈥� 287. St. Louis has won the division the last three years, while the Pirates have finished second.
The Bucs have hosted the NL Wild Card Game the last three years. They defeated Cincinnati, 6-2, in 2013, before falling to the eventual World Series Champions, San Francisco (8-0), in 2014, and to the Chicago Cubs last season (4-0).
SOMETHING NEW
St. Louis鈥� Matt Holliday started at first base for the first time in his 13-year MLB career. He didn鈥檛 stay long at the position, as he had to move back to left field when teammate Tommy Pham had to leave the game due to a left oblique strain in the second inning. Holliday is the son of Uniontown native, Tom Holliday, who is Auburn蘑菇视频 associate head coach and pitching coach. Tom was the head coach of Oklahoma State University from 1997-2003.
CONNER THROWS OUT FIRST PITCH
Pitt running back James Conner threw the ceremonial first pitch. Conner was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma last year and is working to return to the football field.
FREESE LIKES TO ROCK
David Freese uses the hard rock band Tool for his walk-up music. The Pirates鈥� infielder, who started at third base, uses one of the band蘑菇视频 songs when he is introduced.
鈥淭ool is one of my favorite groups and I really love hard rock,鈥� Freese said. 鈥淚 just like the sound of the music and I use it as one of my walk-up songs. I also like to play 鈥楩orty-Six & 2.'鈥�