Owner supportive of Pirates' Huntington, Hurdle -- for now

The Pittsburgh Pirates have collapsed during the final two months for the second straight season. Though owner Bob Nutting says he isn't happy about it, he also doesn't seem inclined to do anything rash.

"We're all frustrated by and upset with the performance and seriously looking at what do we need to do both to finish the year appropriately and make sure this isn't something we ever see again," Nutting told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Despite beating the Cubs 3-0 on Monday night at Chicago, the Pirates are 15-28 since Aug. 1. They have missed a chance to take control of the race for the second National League wild card by going 4-11 in September.

The Pirates and Milwaukee are both 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis in the wild card standings and 1 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Pirates and Brewers open a three-game series Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates are 33-65 in August and September over the last two seasons.

Though the Pirates have nosedived each of the last two years, Nutting would not say if the jobs of general manager Neil Huntington and manager Clint Hurdle might be in jeopardy. Huntington is under contract through 2014, and Hurdle is signed through next season.

"I don't think it's ever fair to speculate on people's jobs," he said. "My approach has always been to fully support the team we have in place, and when it's time to make a change, we make a change."