In Tampa, Roger Mooney notes Thursday's Rangers-Astros game "drew 3,385" to Tropicana Field and "brought the three-game total to 12,993." The crowds were "decidedly for the Astros, and fans held signs with messages such as 'Houston Strong'" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 9/1). ESPN.com's Bradford Doolittle wrote the relocated series "made for some odd scenery." Much of the Trop was "empty, though in many ways it was impressive that nearly 13,000 fans turned out for the three games" (ESPN.com, 8/31).
PIRATES' BOOTY: In Pittsburgh, Bill Brink notes the Pirates rank 25th in MLB attendance with an "average of 24,307 per game, down more than 3,000 per game from last year." The $600,000 the team saved Thursday after P Juan Nicasio was claimed off waivers by the Phillies is "pennies in the grand scheme of things but could be part of ownership's desire to offset the lost revenue from decreased attendance" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 9/1).
STAT LADY: In Boston, Peter Abraham writes Blue Jays official scorer Marie-Claude Pelland-Marcotte has been "doing some games" at Rogers Centre since '15 and based on her work in the recent series with the Red Sox, "does the job well." There "hasn't been a woman who was the scorer since Susan Fornoff did some Giants and Athletics games" from '90-92. MLB is "actively looking for women interested in becoming official scorers." Abraham: "Hopefully some women who were once in the media or have baseball experience will take them up on it" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/1).
