Jung Ho Kang out for season after takeout slide

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jung Ho Kang, bottom center, is tended to by a team trainer after injuring his left leg turning a double play in the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept….

Dejan Kovacevic of DKPittsburghSports.com (via USA Today’s Bob Nightengale) first reported the severity of the injury, and Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune reported Kang would undergo surgery Thursday night.

Anthony Rizzo’s two-run home run, his 30th of the season, started a six-run fifth inning as the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 9-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday afternoon to take three of four games in the series between National League contenders.

The 28-year-old Kang is hitting.287 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs in 126 games. Every morning at 9 AM, one of us will give you our random thoughts on the goings-on around the Pirates’ organization, and we’ll throw out a few links to some good Pirates-related items your way from around the web as well. “Les-ter!”, the pitcher struck out the pinch-hitting Kang, with Ross pumping his fist in celebration.

“(Coghlan) went after him”, the source said. Though his left leg reached the base, Coghlan’s slide was angled away from the bag with the intent of making contact and preventing the completion of the play.

The Pirates now go into Los Angeles to face a Dodgers team that has gone 17-5 in its last 22 games-one of the best in the majors since August . 25.

Snider hit a solo homer in the second, his fourth of the season and first since the Pirates re-signed him last month after he was released by Baltimore.

At the risk of opening a can of worms that already includes the so-called “neighborhood play”, it’s time for the league and the union to consider more stringent rules regarding collisions elsewhere. “I’m just happy the Cubs gave me an opportunity, and I’m enjoying it”.

Jordy Mercer grabbed a piece of gum from a bucket of Dubble Bubble on top of the bench in the dugout and his glove then ran up the stairs to the field, passed Kang as he was helped to the dugout and took over at shortstop.

In addition, catcher Francisco Cervelli has hit.256 in September and first baseman Pedro Alvarez is hitting.245 this season.

“It was a rough day all over the place – for all of us”, Hurdle said. “That’s just a hard play, and it’s unfortunate that he got injured”.

Rookie right fielder Jorge Soler has been activated by the Chicago Cubs from the 15-day disabled list. He is the Pirates’ best defensive shortstop. In 12 postseason starts, Lester is 6-4 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.071 WHIP in 84 innings.

While the split with the lowly Phillies hurt the team’s momentum coming out of a successful trip to St. Louis, a strong stretch against their NL Central foes would put them right back on track.