They must win their last nine games to avoid their 28th losing season in 32 years. The Pirates look like a team that can’t wait for the season to end. They have been playing listlessly through much of the last week.

When the Pittsburgh Pirates called up Billy Cook, it caused his family to scramble for flights in to make it to PNC Park in time to see his major league debut. Where that required a wing, his first home run came after a prayer.

It didn't take long for Billy Cook to make an immediate impact on a major-league field Sunday afternoon. Hours after arriving at PNC Park following a road trip from Toledo, Ohio, the newly-promoted Cook made his MLB debut over at first base and quickly put himself in the middle of the action.

Pittsburgh Pirates fans have been clamoring for weeks to see one, or multiple, hitting prospects make their big league debut during the final month of the season. They got their wish over the weekend.

All of the Pittsburgh Pirates wore No. 21 in celebration of MLB’s Roberto Clemente Day, but rookie Billy Cook paid tribute in ways that captured the essence of the late Hall of Fame right fielder’s style of play.

Billy Cook hit a clutch three-run shot for the first home run of his career but the P Pirates’ bullpen collapsed in the seventh inning.