PITTSBURGH -- At some point, Wade LeBlanc turned to the other six men in the Pirates' bullpen and set a goal. "I want to get through this season with seven relievers," LeBlanc told them. "Whatever I can do to help make that happen, I'm game."
LeBlanc was joking, to a certain extent. No team can ever hope to make it through the season without an injury or a transaction in the bullpen. But the veteran left-hander put his words into action Monday night, saving the bullpen with a 5 1/3-inning performance in the Pirates' 7-1 loss to the Reds.