- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Hurdle: Nicasio needs to be aggressive early
- Updated: May 29, 2016
ARLINGTON — To Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, righty Juan Nicasio’s experience Saturday night against the Rangers was a textbook example of how a starter can win or lose a game in the first few minutes of his night, no matter what he does afterward.
In a 5-2 loss, Nicasio issued a leadoff single to Jurickson Profar, a double to Ian Desmond, an RBI groundout to Prince Fielder and a two-run homer to Adrian Beltre — the first four batters he faced.
Worse yet for Nicasio, he was facing Rangers star Yu Darvish in Darvish’s return from Tommy John surgery after 14 months of recovery — and unlike his counterpart, Darvish didn’t waste any time getting into a groove. Darvish allowed only two baserunners in the first four innings.
“The will gets imposed during the game — either you impose yours or they impose theirs,” Hurdle said. “It starts with the first pitch. And after the first inning, I think we could all feel who imposed his will off the mound.”
Still, after the …
continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com
