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Pittsburgh Pirates Need ‘Blackout’ To Provide Advantage In Wild Card Game

Charles LeClaire-USA Today Sports

Charles LeClaire-USA Today Sports

The San Francisco Giants will be greeted at PNC Park for tonight’s Wild Card game by a sea of black. The Pittsburgh Pirates have called for another “blackout,” where all fans will dress in their black Pirates gear and try to intimidate the opponent. Nearly 40,000 fans will be all in black, giving the stadium an eerie atmosphere. Last year’s Wild Card game made many people believe in a “10th man” in baseball.

The “blackout” worked to perfection last year, as the PNC Park crowd got to Cincinnati Reds‘ starter Johnny Cueto. It’s a moment that will never be forgotten by Pirates fans. In the second inning, after Marlon Byrd had homered, fans were hammering the Reds’ starter with a chant of “Cue-to,” “Cue-to,” Cue-to.” Cueto then proceeded to drop the ball while on the mound and it harmlessly rolled away. The very next pitch, Russell Martin drilled a home run to left center giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead, and the Bucs never looked back.

Andrew McCutchen tweeted out this week: “Three words….Black…It….Out.” When the team leader gives you an order, I guess you follow it. You can be sure that Pirates fans will be decked out in all black in hopes of providing the same magic they did last year in the Wild Card game. The biggest question for me about this year’s Wild Card game is what will Pirates fans chant for Madison Bumgarner? Bumgarner isn’t the easiest chant name around. My guess is that fans will pick “Maddie” or maybe “Mad-i-son.” Honestly, it doesn’t matter what they chant; I think any extra noise gives the Pirates an edge.

After Tuesday’s workout at PNC Park, manager Clint Hurdle reflected on the noisy crowd at PNC Park last year. “They took it to the extreme last year,” said Hurdle, “in my perspective they showed off, with the blackout mentality, the noise, the ferver, with the passion. As you get out in the city, it’s special and it’s significant, and now we get to go out and play and do everything we can to push this forward.” Hurdle says he expects the same hunger from fans on this year’s Wild Card game.

The Pirates thrive on being at home, going 51-30 this year at PNC Park. Edinson Volquez also pitches better at PNC Park, as 8 of his 13 wins have come at PNC Park and he’s posted a 3.06 ERA. The blackout will help fire up the Pirates and may even intimidate the Giants for a few innings. In the end,  I believe the Pirates’ talent will eventually reign supreme over the Giants in tonight’s Wild Card game.

Nate Vandergrift is a Pirates writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter@natevandergrift, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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