Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE GAME 1: PIRATES 2 TIGERS 3

WHY THE PIRATES LOSS: THE LINE UP CARD, AS SHELTON CONTINUES TO PLAY INFERIOR PLAYERS. THE PIRATES CAN TALK ALL THEY WANT ABOUT PLAYER DEVELOPEMENT BUT YOU CAN NOT IMPROVE YOUR GAME IF YOU DON’T PLAY. SHODDY DEFENSE SPOILED SOME GREAT PITCHING FROM DILLON PETERS AND BRYCE WILSON AND THE INABILITY OF THE PIRATE BATTERS TO GET A RUNNER HOME FROM THIRD WITH ONE OUT IN THE FIFTH PROVED COSTLY. FROM THAT POINT ON THE PIRATE’S BATS WENT COMPLETELY DEAD.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: WITH 2 OUT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH, THE TIGERS HAD RUNNERS ON 2ND AND 3RD, WHEN A GROUND BALL TO KE’BRYAN HAYES WAS PLAYED SO BADLY, THAT HE MANAGED TO THROW THE BALL BACKWARDS INTO LEFT FIELD WHICH ALLOWED BOTH RUNNERS TO SCORE AND THE TIGERS TOOK THE LEAD 3-2. THE PIRATES NEVER GOT A RUNNER ON BASE IN THE NEXT 4 INNINGS.

FINAL SCORE GAME 2: PIRATES 7 TIGERS 2

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THIS TIME THE A TEAM PLAYED AND THE PIRATES WON THE GAME RATHER HANDILY. THE HOME RUN BALL APPEARED AND THE PIRATES ADDED ON IN THE 8TH TO SEAL THE DEAL. EVEN THOUGH HE ONLY WENT 5 INNINGS, JOSE QUINTANA HAD ANOTHER SOLID PITCHING PERFORMANCE. QUINTANA, BY FAR, HAS BEEN THE MOST CONSISTANT PIRATE STARTER. THEY WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME SOME MORE BAD DEFENSIVE PLAY.

THE KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: IN THE TOP OF THE 7TH BRYAN REYNOLDS GOT A BLOOP DOUBLE AFTER A BEN GAMEL WALK, TO PUT RUNNERS ON SECOND AND THIRD WITH NO ONE OUT. FROM THAT POINT, THE PIRATES WERE ABLE TO SCORE BOTH RUNS WITHOUT GETTING A HIT. A WILD PITCH SCORED GAMEL AND MOVED REYNOLDS TO THIRD. A SACRIFICE FLY BY THE TURTLE SCORED REYNOLDS AND THE PIRATES HAD A 4-2 LEAD.

NEXT GAME: FRIDAY, REDS IN CINCINNATI THE REDS HAVE ONLY WON 3 OUT OF 24 GAMES THIS YEAR. THEY HAVE TAKEN TANKING TO A NEW LEVEL AND HAVE CAUGHT THE PIRATES TOTALLY OFF GUARD IN THEIR QUEST FOR THE NO. 1 PICK NEXT YEAR. THE PIRATES COULD PUT THE B TEAM OUT THERE FOR ALL THREE GAMES TO HELP THE REDS OUT, ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS.