Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 1 TIGERS 3

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: THE BATS REALLY FELL ASLEEP IN THIS GAME. HAYES AND REYNOLDS WERE PARTICULARLY BAD GOING 0 FOR 7 WITH 2 STRIKEOUTS EACH. THE FEEBLE OFFENSE COULD ONLY GET 4 HITS. MITCH KELLER PITCHED AN OK 6 INNINGS, CONSIDERING THE TIGERS ARE THE WORSE OFFENSIVE TEAM IN BASEBALL. THIS TIME THE BULLPEN DID NOT COME THROUGH GIVING UP RUNS IN THE 8TH AND 9TH INNINGS. THERE WAS SOME BAD LUCK INVOLVED AS THE TIGERS REALLY DID NOT PUT A LOT OF POWER TO THE BALL. IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN THE GAME.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: IT CAME EARLY IN THIS ONE. AFTER YU CHANG AND MICHAEL PEREZ GOT HITS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 3RD, THE PIRATES HAD 1ST AND 3RD WITH ONLY ONE OUT. YES, THAT IS NOT A MISPRINT, THEY GOT BACK-TO-BACK HITS. THIS WAS THE MOMENT FOR THE PIRATES TO TIE THE GAME OR TAKE THE LEAD WITH KE’BRYAN HAYES AND BRYAN REYNOLDS COMING TO BAT. THEY BOTH STRUCK OUT TO END THE THREAT. AT LEAST THEY SWUNG AT ALL THE STRIKES BUT ONE. THE PIRATES NEVER THREATENED AGAIN. JACK SUWINSKI DID TIE THE GAME IN THE 4TH WITH HIS 7TH HOME RUN OF THE SEASON. IT WAS SAFE TO SAY THE PIRATES WERE NOT GOING TO SCORE ANYMORE RUNS.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, BRAVES IN ATLANTA. THIS HAS THE FORBODING FEELING THAT THE PIRATES ARE GOING TO FINALLY REACH THEIR LEVEL OF INCOMPETENCE. THE BRAVES ARE STARTING TO GET HOT AND THEY HAVE A GREAT PITCHING STAFF. HAYES AND REYNOLDS LOOK LOST OUT THERE OFFENSIVELY. A BRAVE 4 GAME SWEEP SEEMS IMMINENT. THIS TEAM HAS FOOLED ME BEFORE. I AM HOPING THEY WILL AGAIN.