Top of the 8th

The warmer weather has kept Joker Marchant Stadium pretty packed. Even though the uniform numbers of Detriot battery of pitcher Preston Larrison and catcher Dane "Hold The" Sardinha equal 130, the stands are still full of bodies.

A couple of Pittsburgh beat writer seated next to me check the Steel City's 10-day forecast, and see nothing but snow showers.

That's what they will be returning to in a few weeks.

"It's only March," says one, almost pleading for a reprieve.

"Yeah," says the other. "Where's Al Gore when you need him?"

I'll remember this when it's 55 degrees and I'm complaining about the "cold."

On the field, Pittsburgh's speedy pair - Nyjer Morgan and Andrew McCutchen - single, and Xavier Nady scores Morgan with a single himself.

Steve Pearce, however, bounces out to end the inning. Too bad - his vocal fan club is still at full scream, and it would have been funny to hear them let loose.

Pirates trail 6-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth.