[rpriske]

April 30th, 1989

We are wrapping up April and wrapping up in Pittsburgh. The best we can finish the first month of the season is a game under .500

The Pirates are pitching Jose DeLeon (2-2, 3.41).

The Giants have Rick Sutcliffe (2-1, 3.06).

I have gone 8 for 28, or .286, against DeLeon.

I kicked thing off by grounding out to Ozzie Smith at short.

I returned the favour, catching a Smith pop for the 2nd out in the bottom half.

In the 2nd we turned a Thompson - Priske - Hernandez double play to get Ken Phelps and Brian Harper.

I came up with two out in the 3rd and took a walk.
I got no further.

I got the 1st out in the bottom of the 4th off a Dave Winfield grounder.
I did the same to Harper for out #3.

I kept it going in the 5th, getting the first guy, Lee Stevens.

I led off the 6th by striking out.

The Pirates were first to break the deadlock when Winfield hit a two out solo shot in the 6th.

Pirates lead 1-0

I came up in the 8th with two out, Luis Medina on 3rd, and Aaron Carlie pitching. I struck out.

Bobby Thigpen took over for us in the 8th.
I got the 3rd out for him, off a Phelps grounder.

We were never able to get on the board and lost, 1-0.

I went 0 for 3 with a walk.

Lousy day.

We finished April 11-14, 7 games behind the Dodgers.
Our rotation has been fairly solid, as had Mark Davis in the pen, but the rest of the relievers have kind of struggled.

As for the hitters, I am doing fairly well, as are Ruben Sierra and Jim Presley. Alan Cockrell, Keith Hernandez, and Rob Deer are putting in solid work. Robby Thompson has been a little cold.
Luis Medina has really struggled so far, as has the entire bench.

We are having depth issues and the fact that Luis was the replacement for Chili Davis tells you all you need to know.

After the game it was announced that Dave Miller was heading to Phoenix and Mike Antle was called up. He will meet us in San Francisco where we are facing the Cubs.