First number, last word

By Tom Singer

August 25, 2013

23-to-8: Pirates' edge in homers hit vs. homers allowed across the 29 games prior to Sunday's series finale in AT&T Park. The Pittsburgh staff went into the game having giving up an MLB-low 86 homers for the season.

"He reminded me of a hockey goalie. He spent the night in the dirt all over." -- Hurdle, on Sanchez's adventures behind the plate Saturday night, most of which he spent diving for breaking balls thrown in the dirt by his batterymates.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer.