Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 9 CARDS 4

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THE PIRATES JUST REALIZED THAT THESE GAMES COUNT. THEY STARTED MICHAEL CHAVIS AT FIRST, DIEGO CASTILLO AT 2OND, PUT A RIGHT FIELDER INTO THE GAME, AND BATTED HAYES IN THE LEAD OFF SPOT, INSTEAD OF THE TURTLE. BRYSE WILSON AFTER A SHAKY START, PITCHED WELL FOR 4 INNINGS AND THE BULLPEN WAS SUBERB, ONLY GIVING UP 1 RUN AND 2 HITS IN 5 INNINGS. WITH A FULL COMPLIMENT OF 8 PLAYERS IN THE FIELD, THE DEFENSE WAS MUCH BETTER, SINCE RIGHT FIELD HAD A PLAYER THERE. THE BATS CAME ALIVE WITH 15 HITS AND THE PIRATES ADDED ONTO THE LEAD IN THE 7TH AND 8TH INNING, JUST LIKE A MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM SHOULD. WE WILL SEE IF CHAVIS CONTINUES TO BE THE FIRST BASEMAN AND CASTILLO CONTINUES TO PLAY SECOND. I BET THE PIRATE BRAIN TRUST WERE UP ALL NIGHT MAKING THIS TOUGH DECISION.

KEY PLAYS OF THE GAME: IN ORDER FOR THE PIRATES TO WIN THERE HAS TO BE MORE THAN ONE. IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 2ND THE CARDINALS HAD 1ST AND 3RD WITH ONE OUT AND PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT UP AT THE PLATE, WITH CARDINALS ALREADY LEADING 3-0. GOLDSCHMIDT GROUNDED INTO A WELL EXECUTED 5-4-3 DOUBLE PLAY WITH A GREAT SCOOP BY CHAVIS AT 1ST BASE. THEN IN THE TOP OF THE THIRD THE PIRATES LOADED THE BASES WITH ONE OUT AND CHAVIS THEN HIT A GRAND SLAM TO SEND THE PIRATES AHEAD BY A 4-3 SCORE. THEY ADDED ANOTHER RUN AFTER 2 WERE OUT TO LEAD 5-3 GOING INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE THIRD AND NEVER LOOKED BACK. MUCH BETTER THAN LOADING THE BASES WITH NO OUTS AND SCORING JUST ONE RUN.

NEXT GAME: MONDAY IN ST. LOUIS. CAN THE PIRATES HAVE A .500 ROAD TRIP. IT WILL JUST DEPEND ON THE OVERNIGHT MEETING.