Donnie Veal News

Phillies catching prospect Tuffy Gosewisch is putting together a positive close to his third stint in the Arizona Fall League.

The secret of Yonder Alonso's success comes from sticking with the basics. Alonso drove in two key runs for Peoria in the Saguaros' 6-3 victory over the Scottsdale Scorpions on Thursday afternoon.

Infielder Jemile Weeks of the A's organization and left-hander Donnie Veal of the Pirates were named Arizona Fall League hitter and pitcher of the week on Monday.

Pirates prospect Donnie Veal is aware of the Arizona Fall League's reputation as a hitter's paradise, but his numbers tell a different story.

In an effort to give the club another potential bullpen arm to look at for the 2010 season, the Pirates claimed left-hander Justin Thomas off waivers from the Mariners on Thursday.

Before we get into yesterday's action, I want to encourage everyone to go check out the first of what we hope to be many players detailing their experiences via blog and Twitter.

Scottsdale Scorpions 3, A Peoria Saguaros 1 A box Two runs in the top of the 10th inning gave the Scorpions a win over the Saguaros for the second day in a row.

25, 2009. The Pirates won 3-1, with Veal pitching two scoreless innings to get his first major league win.

The last time the Pirates won both ends of a twinbill, home or away, was Sept. 19, 2004, against the New York Mets at PNC Park.

Pitcher Zach Duke, left, is pulled from the game in the ninth inning with two outs and with a 10-run lead by manager John Russell, center, as catcher Ryan Doumit stands by.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Donnie Veal throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh Friday, Sept.

Karstens worked the first three innings of the 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Andy LaRoche homered twice, went 5 for 5 and had six RBIs, all career highs, in the Pirates' 11-1 rout of Los Angeles this afternoon at PNC Park, taking three of four from the Dodgers and again preventing them from clinching the National League's West Division title.

Even as the Pirates pick up speed in their sprint toward a 100-loss season, management is refraining from accusing the players of slacking off on the field.

Three unearned runs and a "bullpen game" enabled the Pirates to slip past the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-1, and snap a six-game losing skid.

A day after making his major-league debut, Eric Hacker was still excited. "It was something I had been waiting for forever," the right-hander said Wednesday night before the Pirates played the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park.

Already lacking in left-handed bullpen options, the Pirates may soon find themselves shaving the list in half.

Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf's season will end a couple of weeks before the Pirates wrap things up.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are officially out of the pennant race, but they still need reinforcements for October as they have stretch of 25 games in 26 days to end the season on Oct.

Karen Price can be reached via e-mail or at 412-320-7980. * Catcher Ryan Doumit did not start for the second time in two games and third in the past four, resting a tight lower back.