As the Pirates take the field this afternoon for a series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers, they are 2 ½ games behind the first-place St. Louis Cardinals for the first time since the All-Star break. They lead the Chicago Cubs by three games for the top wild-card spot.
Asked Sunday morning whether it's irritating to hear of the ups and downs of a tight division race every day, manager Clint Hurdle raised his eyebrows and exclaimed, "No!"
"Absolutely not," he continued. "[Fans] are engaged. Five years ago, it was apathetic. It was all about 82. I can remember being told, 'Just finish .