Pirates sweep dreams, Crowley pokes the Panther

Sweep Dreams

For the first time in half a decade, the Pittsburgh Pirates swept the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

Coming off one of their worst months in the past six decades of the franchise, but with the slight buoy of a series victory in San Francisco, the Bucs have reached a turning point with this nine-game, 10-day homestand. With a series against the lowly Oakland A's bookended by a Wild Card positioning battle with the New York Mets at the back end and a visit from the boogeyman Cards on the front end, expecting a 6-3 homestand, or even 7-2 as some had, seemed like it would solidify that the Pirates were legitimately in contention for at least a few more weeks and that perhaps May was a nasty, stinky mirage.

The month of May now feels like it may have been an out-of-body experience. Or a hallucination.

The Pirates beat the Cardinals just about any way you’d like. Friday night was an epic comeback from 5-0 down punctuated by a Ke’Bryan Hayes three-run go-ahead home run in the seventh. Saturday was, much like Tuesday's win in San Francsico, a bullpen gem. A rain delay and eight pitchers combined to limit St. Louis to just three runs on six hits. Sunday was driven by an absolute gem of a start by Rich Hill, as he worked into the 7th inning while striking out six, allowing just four hits, and yielding just a single run.

Hayes continued his torrid pace, as well, as he's now 9-for his last-16 at the plate, including four extra base hits (two of them homers) with seven RBIs in his last four games.

As the Pirates have run their winning streak to five games now, the only downside may have been that Andrew McCutchen didn't get to celebrate his 2,000th hit against the dreaded Cardinals. Nonetheless, it looks hopeful he’ll get three more hits during this homestand and allow Pittsburghers to celebrate the landmark occasion at PNC Park.

Now, with three Ws secured, the Bucs can afford to perhaps drp one from the A's & Mets each and still come out of the homestand 7-2.

If they want to keep pace with the Brewers at the top of the NL Central, who’ve won five of their last seven, that may be necessary.

Did We Just Become Best Friends?

It's not quite the Catalina Wine Mixer, but it looks like the Steelers top two quarterbacks are

still getting along just fine.

Looks like Kenny Pickett and Hilary Trubisky, Mitch's wife, celebrated their birthdays w/ a joint party this weekendPickett turns 25 on 6/6Trubisky isn't just saying stuff when he says his relationship with Pickett factored into the decision to sign an extension in Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/782pa7m0W8

Running Up That Hill

There isn't any question, really, about which moment stole the show in Game One of the Stanley Cup Final.

Game Two is tonight, and as we’ve seen for each of these teams – the Florida Panthers with

veteran Sergei Bobrovsky, and the Golden Knights, who stumbled upon Hill's brilliance this

No wonder Kyle Dubas wants to focus on that first.

Mr. Crowley……what went on in your head?

Despite being the flagship home of the Pitt Panthers, it's well known that many of the air talent here at 93.7 The Fan went to school, and in some cases, still remain fans of, their alma maters to this day. A Syracuse Orangeman, a Northwestern Wildcat, a few Penn State Nittany Lions, at least a pair of Duquesne Dukes, and several Point Park Pioneers all count themselves among the on-air staff.

None of them quite rub Pitt Head Football Coach Pat Narduzzi the wrong way as much as the Fan Morning Show's resident Mountaineer, Adam Crowley.

During another one of Crowley's diatribes about West Virginia University and their primetime Backyard Brawl opportunity against the Panthers in Morgantown this fall, "Pat from Pittsburgh" had enough and called in to remind Crowley of how he's let down the esteemed lineage of Pitt alumni in his family.

A week before they host the Panthers, WVU will host the aforementioned Dukes, and a week before securing their only non-conference victory of the season, the ‘Eers will spend Labor Day weekend losing in Happy Valley.

Heating Up

Game Two of the NBA Finals Sunday night saw the Miami Heat even the series at 1-1, snapping the Denver Nuggets’ home winning streak at 11, with the last nine coming in the postseason.

Does this mean the Heat can find their way to upsetting the Nuggets in a series I told you would only go five games? No.

But for those that thought 4-0 was inevitable… you may have to settle for a gentlemen's sweep.