What you need to know about Pittsburgh Pirates 2019 home opener

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates play their first home game of 2019 on Monday. The team is hosting the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park.

What time you need to be there

The gates will open at 11 a.m., with the pregame ceremony starting at 12:30 p.m.

The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 1:07 p.m.

Where you should park

The Roberto Clemente Bridge will close to drivers starting at 8 a.m. Monday.

All lots around the North Shore will open at 9 a.m.

The Pirates have teamed up with Waze, a traffic and navigation app that will show users available parking lots, event day traffic patterns and street closures.

There's also this map of available cash parking lots around PNC Park:

Where you can find other transportation

“T” service is free from four Golden Triangle stations, as well as the Allegheny Station outside Heinz Field, to the North Side Station just outside of PNC Park’s Peoples Home Plate Gate.

Commuters and fans who can are encouraged to ride public transit on game days, then walk across the Roberto Clemente Bridge.

To take riders to and from the game, there will rush-hour level rail service with two-car trains and extra service throughout the day. There will be no extra bus service, according to a Port Authority spokesperson.

What you can and can't take into PNC Park

Each guest is allowed to take one 16x16x8-inch or smaller bag inside. Those bags are subject to search. Soft-sided coolers, soft-sided briefcases, hard-sided coolers and briefcases, ice packs and cooler inserts are all not permitted.

Guests are permitted to bring bottled water and food that may fit into a 16x16x8-inch soft-sided bag into the ballpark. Water bottles should not exceed 24 ounces in size and must be clear, plastic, sealed and disposable. Children's juice boxes and items necessary for medical purposes are permitted. Alcoholic beverages, carbonated beverages, sports drinks, cans, glass bottles and thermoses are not allowed.

When approaching the walk-through metal detectors, you'll be asked to remove cellphones, cameras, tablets, laptops and other large metal objects. Please do not remove any jackets, belts, coins, keys, wallets, watches or other objects of similar size.

If you're not bringing anything in, you can use the express lanes at any gate.

What to expect in the upcoming season

The team had a winning record last season, but they're hoping to improve this year and make a run at the playoffs once again.

Channel put together 11 things to look for in the 2019 season, which you can READ HERE.

What you can eat inside the park

• Cinnamon Chipotle Topped Tots – Tater tots, cinnamon chipotle spiced pulled pork, green & red onions and chipotle maple syrup.
• Pittsburgh Cone – Kielbasa, pierogi, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing, in a waffle cone.
• Shipwreck Sundae – Jumbo marshmallows, coated with chocolate and a dusting of graham crackers, and ice cream in a souvenir helmet sundae bowl.

What's happening before the first pitch

The Pirates will open their first home game with several tributes to those affected by the deadly mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill in October.

Fans are encouraged to be in their seats before the 12:30 p.m. pregame ceremony begins.

Other opening day deals around town

If you're not planning to go to PNC Park but still want to show your Pittsburgh Pirates pride, Eat'n Park is offering a free cookie in all local restaurants for those wearing Pirates attire.

Cox Media Group