Pirates Homestand Highlights Tuesday, June 19 thru Sunday, June 24, 2012

The Pittsburgh Pirates return to PNC Park for a six-game homestand as they play host to the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers. The sixth homestand of the season is highlighted by the opening of the new Bucs Social Media Suite on Tuesday, June 19, a Free Shirt Friday and Block Party on Friday, June 22 and Kids Day on Sunday, June 24.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012—Pirates vs. Minnesota Twins (7:05 p.m.)
 • Bucs Social Suite: Tonight the Pirates will host the Grand Opening of the Bucs Social Media Suite in Suite 62 at PNC Park. New for the 2012 season the Pirates introduced the Bucs Social Media Suite, a luxury suite at PNC Park dedicated specifically for the team’s social media followers and offered for select games the remainder of the season. Six followers (plus one guest each) will be chosen for each game through a variety of ways- free of chargethrough the team’s Facebook (Facebook.com/Pirates) and Twitter (@Pirates) accounts. For complete information visit pirates.com/bucsocial.
 • Pirates Charities Fantasy Baseball World Series: Winners of the 2012 Fantasy Baseball World Series Tournament will be recognized during a special pre-game ceremony before tonight’s game. Since January, 13 Boys and Girls Clubs sites and five schools within the Diocese of Pittsburgh have been teaching math using baseball statistics through the Fantasy Baseball Math Program, presented by Pirates Charities and supported by Neal and Becca Huntington. On Saturday, June 9, the winning teams were invited to participate in a “World Series” at PNC Park’s Hall of Fame Club. That day, 30 students in grades 4-8 from the Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western PA competed to be named the champions at the Pittsburgh Regional Fantasy Baseball World Series! The winning team of Josh Gilmore and Sirzyon Edwords-Cox, from the LaRosa Boys and Girls Club in McKeesport, will participate in an honorary first pitch.
 • Cutch’s Crew: Andrew McCutchen will host 20 student athletes from the Oliver and Perry High School baseball teams as part of his partnership with The Pittsburgh Promise and Pittsburgh Public Schools. The Pittsburgh Promise is essentially three promises in one. The group provides Pittsburgh Public School students with scholarship funds to pursue higher education, they reform Pittsburgh urban public schools, and they develop urban neighborhoods. McCutchen will work with the same group of student athletes throughout the summer to help them prepare for the transition into one team at the same school at the start of the fall semester. Oliver and Perry have been traditionally rival schools on the Northside and will be merging in August.
 • Home Run Challenge: Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, teamed up for the 16th annual Prostate Cancer Foundation “Home Run Challenge” to raise funds for research and increase awareness of prostate cancer. During the “Home Run Challenge”, from June 7-17, fans made a monetary pledge for each home run hit during 75 select MLB games, including all games played on Father’s Day. Since its inception, the “Home Run Challenge” has raised nearly $40 million for prostate cancer research. Prostate Cancer Foundation representatives for the Pirates are Clint Hurdle, Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker. The Pirates will honor, recognize and salute Mario Suley during tonight’s pregame ceremonies. Mario is Pittsburgh’s local top fundraiser for “Movember” – a charity in partnership with PCF that has guys growing moustaches during the month of November to raise funds and awareness for cancers that affect men.
 • Pups in the Park with Celebrity Pups: Fans can bring their pooch to the park as the Pirates and Dad’s Pet Care presents Pup Nights at PNC Park. Each ticket package (1 person & 1 dog) costs just $25 with additional human tickets available for $25 each. A portion of the proceeds benefit local animal shelters and seats are limited and subject to availability. Tonight, members of the Pirates Wives Organization will be in attendance at Pup Night with their “celebrity” pups as well has hosting a raffle of autographed photos of their husbands with their own pets. Proceeds will benefit Animal Friends. For complete information, a schedule of nights and to order tickets fans can visit pirates.com/pups.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012—Pirates vs. Minnesota Twins (7:05 p.m.)
 • Lady Bucs Club Party: Tonight is the second Lady Bucs Club Party of 2012. Members will enjoy a pre-game party in the Pirates Picnic Park complete with giveaways and prizes as well as watch the game from the Lady Bucs Club section at PNC Park. Join the Lady Bucs Club today and receive great benefits including one ticket to two special party nights, a membership card and lanyard, access to the remaining Lady Bucs Club pre-game parties throughout the season and a complimentary t-shirt. For complete information and to become a member, visit pirates.com/ladybucs.
 • VIP Night: The Pirates and Pirates Charities will host a VIP Party for the Sarah Heinz House, a Boys & Girls Club. VIP (Very Important Pirate) Parties are monthly parties held during the season at PNC Park that will provide deserving children with a night at the ballpark in true VIP-style - complete with a private meet and greet with Pirates players & coaches, a Pirates replica jersey and VIP goodie bag for each child. There will also be an opportunity to participate in a pregame ceremony, a seat to watch the game in our exclusive Luxury Suites, great menu items provided by Levy Restaurants, entertainment and much more. The Sarah Heinz House’s goal is to promote healthy lifestyles and offer an environment that is welcoming, nurturing and challenging as they seek to “build good citizens.”

Thursday, June 21, 2012—Pirates vs. Minnesota Twins (7:05 p.m.)
 • 65 Roses Club: The Pirates, along with broadcasters Greg Brown and Steve Blass, will host the first of two 65 Roses Club nights at PNC Park prior to tonight’s game. The club is a group of Pirates fans who have joined together to raise funds to fight cystic fibrosis. By making a pledge to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for every home run the Pirates hit, fans have the opportunity to meet Pirates players at private pre-game receptions. To find out how to support the 65 Roses Club and for complete information contact the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at (412) 321-4422.

Friday, June 22, 2012—Pirates vs. Detroit Tigers (7:05 p.m.)
 • Free Shirt Friday: Tonight is a Free Shirt Friday! All fans with paid admission will receive a free Pirates T-shirt, compliments of Central Blood Bank.
 • Friday Block Party: Don’t miss tonight’s Friday Block Party on Federal Street. Fans will enjoy a free concert while they party on the street as food & beer sales will be available. Tonight’s featured musical guest is local country band the Bryan Cole Band.
 • National Kidney Foundation Awareness Night: Tonight more than 250 guests have raised over $650 for the National Kidney Foundation by purchasing special tickets for tonight’s game with a portion of the proceeds going to the NKF. The Pirates will recognize several members of the community on the field in a special pregame ceremony as part of National Kidney Foundation awareness Night.
 • Pirates Celebrity Bartenders: Tonight’s celebrity bartender, former Pirates outfielder Bill Virdon, will serve cocktails in the Hall of Fame Club beginning in the 7th inning and staying thru 30 minutes after the game.  • Check Card Game: As part of the many fan-friendly values at PNC Park, tonight is a PNC Bank Check Card game. Fans can save up to $10 on tickets for select games throughout the season simply by using a PNC Bank Check Card. For complete details, visit pirates.com/pnccheckcard.

Saturday, June 23, 2012—Pirates vs. Detroit Tigers (4:05 p.m.)
 • Pirates Cap: Today all fans, with paid admission, receive a free Pirates cap courtesy of ROOT Sports.
 • Pitch, Hit and Run: Today, the Pirates will host the MLB Team Championships of the Aquafina Pitch, Hit & Run competition beginning at 8 a.m. at PNC Park. Held in all 30 MLB ballparks, participants must place first in their age group to be eligible to advance to the Team Championship. The top 3 scores in each age and gender group out of all 30 MLB Team Championships will advance to the National Finals that will take place during MLB All-Star Week in Kansas City, Mo. National Finalists will receive an all-expense paid trip to the All-Star Game and will participate in an array of festivities upon arrival, including a PHR Welcome Reception, MLB Brunch and All-Star FanFest. The National competition will take place on-field prior to the finalists shagging fly balls during the Home Run Derby and attending the All- Star Game.
 • Saturday Raffles: The Pirates Charities Saturday Raffles will be held in-ballpark throughout the 2012 season. The raffle location is outside of the main Guest Relations office behind section 117. Fans can purchase raffle tickets to win prizes including Pirates memorabilia, original artwork, gift certificates and more. Tickets are one for $2 or three for $5 with all proceeds benefitting Pirates Charities. The prize drawing takes place at the end of the 7th inning.
 • Scratch and Win: All fans, with paid admission, will receive a scratch and win ticket, compliments of Eat’n Park.

Sunday, June 24, 2012—Pirates vs. Detroit Tigers (1:35 p.m.)
 • Pitch for Hope: Today the Pirates will host the Pitch for Hope Women’s Baseball Clinic beginning at 8 a.m. on the field at PNC Park. The event is being sponsored by the Women’s Initiative at Eckert Seamans, Pittsburgh Brewing Company, ILORI and Rue 21. Women ages 14 and older are invited to take part in the clinic, where they will have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of pitching, hitting and fielding from Pirates players and coaches. The cost to participate in the event is $55 and it includes a ticket to the Pirates’ game this afternoon against the Detroit Tigers at 1:35 p.m. In addition, participants will receive a complimentary commemorative t-shirt as proceeds from the event will benefit A Glimmer of Hope and the AGH Breast Center. For more information about the event and to register, visit pirates.com/pitchforhope.
 • Kids Day: Come down early and join the fun as the #1 Cochran Family Fun Zone will be open on Federal Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lined up outside PNC Park will be inflatable rides, face painting, information about the #1 Cochran Bucaroos Kids Club and more.
 • Kids Pirates Braided Necklace: Today all kids ages 14 and younger, with paid admission, receive a free kids Pirates braided necklace, compliments of Trib Total Media.
 • Kids Run the Bases: Kids attending today’s game are invited to stick around after the game to run the bases on the field at PNC Park, courtesy of H.K. Anderson Pretzels.
 • Advantage Card Game: As part of the many fan-friendly values at PNC Park, today is a Giant Eagle Advantage Card game! Fans can save up to $10 on select tickets for every Sunday home game. For complete details, visit pirates.com/advantagecard.

Cruise for a Cure
On Monday, June 25, the Pirate Parrot will embark on his third annual bike ride across Pennsylvania, stopping that night in Altoona for the Curve’s 7 p.m. game at People’s Natural Gas Field. The Pirate Parrot will arrive in Philadelphia on Wednesday, June 27 in time to take part in pre-game ceremonies before the Pirates game at Citizen’s Bank Park. New this year, the ride will be round trip as the Parrot will retrace the more than 350 mile trek back across the Commonwealth and arrive in State College on Thursday, June 28 and back to PNC Park on Friday, June 29. The Charity bike ride is in partnership with Pirates Charities and Mosites Motorsports with all proceeds benefiting the Western Pennsylvania Prostate Cancer Foundation. For more information about the Cruise for a Cure and to find out how to donate, visit pirates.com/cruise.

Blood Drive at PNC
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Central Blood Bank will host the third of four Blood Drives of 2012 at PNC Park. The drive is scheduled for Tuesday, June 26 through Thursday, June 28 from noon to 6 p.m. inside the PNC Park press conference room.

Vote for Your Buccos
The MLB All Star game is just around the corner and to encourage fans to vote for their favorite Buccos, the Pirates are offering fans extra incentives to cast ballots, with two exciting offers: The Pirates All-Star Game Ballot Sweepstakes and a special Half-Price Ticket Offer. The Pirates want fans to vote early and vote often. Fans are able to vote a maximum of 25 times online with the 2012 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot. Online voting ends June 28 at 11:59 p.m. ET. To vote for your Pirates and for complete details, visit pirates.com.

Social Media Night
Join us for a party on the deck! On Friday, July 20 the Pirates will host their second Social Media Night of 2012 at PNC Park. For $20 fans will receive a seat on the Pirates Left Field Deck PLUS $10 in loaded value on the game ticket to be redeemed at any PNC Park concession or merchandise stand. Participants will also receive a FREE @Pirates t-shirt and a special invite to the pre-game reception on the Left Field Deck starting at 5:30 p.m. The reception will include prizes and giveaways and appearances by Pirates broadcasters as the Pirates flagship station SPORTSRADIO 93.7 The Fan will broadcast their pre-game show LIVE from the event. For more information and to order tickets, visit pirates.com/socialmedia. For game day information, behind the scenes access, special prizes and sweepstakes follow the Pirates on Twitter at @Pirates and LIKE us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pirates.

Wins for kids
Join Clint Hurdle and his wife Karla, along with Pirates Charities and ROOT SPORTS, in the 2012 Wins for Kids campaign. The program is simple: make a monetary pledge to Pirates Charities for each Pirates win during the 2012 regular season. Over the course of the season, your donation will help Pirates Charities strengthen our community by supporting organizations and programs aimed at improving the lives of children and adults in the greater Pittsburgh area. All monies raised through our Wins for Kids program will benefit Pirates Charities and the Children's Institute of Pittsburgh's Prader- Willi Syndrome Program. Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare, complex genetic disorder that affects many parts of the body and the Children's Institute of Pittsburgh is the only hospital-based site in the world offering treatment for this population.

Anything that Floats
On Wednesday, July 4, the “Anything that Floats” race is back as part of the 35th Annual Pittsburgh Regatta and this year all proceeds from the race will go directly to support Pirates Charities. The race will start at 10 a.m. on Maz Quay on the North Shore River Walk and entries are encouraged to be as creative as possible as teams can push, pull, paddle, shimmy or sway their way to the finish line. Registration is $100 and for complete information and to sign up for the Anything that Floats race, contact Zach Verona at [email protected].

Where’s the Parrot?
The Pirate Parrot is active in and around the community as an ambassador of the Pirates organization. Below are a few of the upcoming events he will be attending in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.
 •  Alex’s Lemonade Stand at Fun Fore All in Cranberry Township on Saturday, June 23 from 11:30 to 12:30 a.m.
 •  People’s Natural Gas Park for the 7:05 p.m. Altoona Curve game on Monday, June 25 (Cruise for a Cure)
 • State College for an event at Mount Nittany Medical Center on Thursday, June 28 from 6 to 8:00 p.m. (Cruise for a Cure)
To schedule your visit by the Pirate Parrot, please call (412) 325-4730 or email [email protected].

Dynamic Pricing Section
New for 2012, the Pirates unveiled dynamic pricing system for the Bleacher General Admission section at PNC Park. Tickets for the 1,400 seat section, located in left field, will be placed on sale 10-days prior to each home game. The initial ticket price will then be adjusted- both lower and higher- in real time, based on demand. As of June 18, this homestand features $12 tickets for the 1:35 p.m. game on Sunday, June 24 vs. Detroit. For the complete list of games and to find the on-sale dates, visit pirates.com/dynamic.

Pirates Season Ticket Plans
Prorated Full Season (45 games), 20-game and 10-game season ticket plans are available for the 2012 season. Full and partial-season ticket plans feature exclusive benefits including guaranteed seats for the biggest games, discounted ticket prices, invitations to special season ticket holder events featuring Pirates players and executives, plus much more. For more information regarding purchasing a season ticket plan, call 1-800-BUY-BUCS or visit pirates.com/tickets.

2012 Fan Values
 • The Pirates are pleased to offer special ticket prices for all 81 home games for kids ages 14 and younger in select sections of PNC Park. Save up to $7 on kid’s single game tickets, visit pirates.com/tickets for more details.

• The Pepsi Max Pack returns for all Friday and Sunday games throughout the 2012 season. Each pack consists of one Outfield Box seat, one regular hot dog, one soft pretzel, and one regular Pepsi product, all for only $24. For more information on Pepsi Max Packs or to purchase tickets, visit pirates.com/pepsimax.

• The Pirates single game tickets are among the most affordable in MLB as they start as low as $10. To order tickets for games throughout the 2012 season, visit pirates.com/tickets. For a complete list of the 2012 Pirates promotions and special events, visit pirates.com/promotions.