Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 5 CARDINALS 7

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: THE PIRATES BLEW A 5 RUN LEAD THANKS TO A BAD BULLPEN PERFORMANCE, AND ANOTHER QUESTIONABLE DECISION BY THE SHADOW. MITCH KELLER HAD PITCHED A GRITTY 5 INNINGS ON A HOT A HUMID NIGHT IN ST. LOUIS. HE GAVE UP 7 HITS AND WALK, BUT WAS ABLE TO WIGGLE OFF THE HOOK AND ALLOWED NO RUNS. HE HAD THROWN 91 PITCHES, AND SHOULD NOT HAVE COME OUT FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE 6TH INNING, BUT THE SHADOW KNOWS, IT WAS THE ONLY WAY THAT ST. LOUIS COULD GET BACK IN THE BALL GAME. IN JUST 6 MORE PITCHES THE CARDINALS GOT A DOUBLE, A LINE OUT AND ANOTHER SINGLE TO PUT RUNNERS ON 1ST AND THIRD WITH ONE OUT. HE THEN BRINGS IN ANTHONY ( I’M NOT A HIGH LEVERAGE GUY) BANDA TO TRY AND GET OUT OF THE JAM. THE PIRATES AGAIN WENT QUIETLY NOT GETTING A HIT AFTER THE 5TH INNING. YU CHANG IN A STATE OF SHOCK BECAUSE HE DID NOT STRIKE OUT AND GOT A HIT, LET A BALL THROWN RIGHT TO HIM GET PAST, WHICH ALLOWED THE 7TH RUN TO SCORE.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: BACK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE 6TH, AND BANDA ENTERS THE GAME TO TRY AND STOP THE CARDINALS. WHEN HE CAME IN THE SCORE WAS 5-0 AND WHEN HE LEFT WITH HIS NEW SPARKLING ERA OF 6.59, THE SCORE WAS TIED 5-5. HE GOT ONE OUT. HE GAVE UP 4 HITS, AND YES, ONE OF THEM WAS A LITTLE BLOOP DUNKER OVER FIRST, BUT THE OTHER THREE WERE 2 DOUBLES AND THE BIG 3 RUN HOMER BY DYLAN CARLSON TO KNOT IT ALL UP AT 5. CHALK UP 7 LOSSES IN A ROW.

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