Giants blanked by Pirates, add Byrd to mix - San Jose Mercury News
PITTSBURGH -- Much-needed offensive reinforcement Marlon Byrd will arrive at PNC Park on Friday to join the Giants. It was almost as if the Giants weren't here yet, either, in a 4-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday that had so little to offer that manager Bruce Bochy's postgame news conference lasted less than two minutes and a handful of questions. It was far cry from the Giants' last appearance at PNC, when they rolled to a National League wild-card game victory, 8-0 last Oct. Pirates starter Charlie Morton (8-4) shackled San Francisco on four hits over the first 6?2/3 innings, walking two and striking out eight, and Jared Hughes and Tony Watson finished the shutout, allowing two more Giants singles the rest of the way. There's another way to look at it. The Giants offense just hasn't been up to snuff since Hunter Pence strained his left oblique on Monday night. They have lost three of the first four games on this rough road trip against the National League's two best teams, the Cardinals and Pirates, and they've scored six runs in the four games. So the pitching staff will be happy to see any new bat walking through the clubhouse doors. The Giants acquired Byrd, 37, from Cincinnati for minor league pitcher Stephen Johnson. Jake Peavy started the opener of this four-game series and pitched valiantly, limiting Pittsburgh to just two runs through the first five innings until Neil Walker's. Source: www.mercurynews.com
