PITTSBURGH -- In discussing the freaky good relievers in his otherworldly bullpen, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle dropped an inadvertent malaprop the other day.
"I feel confident in them. They're convicted," Hurdle said.
He of course meant to say "committed," but the truth is that if holding up leads and holding down teams were crimes, the Bucs' Magnificent Seven would be featured on America's Most Wanted.
Four of them contributed a typical 3 2/3 one-hit shutout innings to Sunday night's 5-2 victory over the Giants. Their efforts stretched the bullpen's latest prolonged mastery to three earned runs allowed in 36 2/3 innings.