Pirates Morning Report:

THE FINAL SCORES: 1ST GAME: PIRATES 1 CARDINALS 3

2ND GAME: PIRATES 1 CARDINALS 9

WHY THE PIRATES LOST BOTH GAMES: I THINK THIS SUMS IT UP BEST. ON THE DAY THE PIRATES HAD 60 AT BATS, SCORED 2 RUNS, ON 8 HITS AND HAD 13 TOTAL BASES. PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT OF THE CARDINALS HAD 8 AT BATS, SCORED 4 RUNS, ON 6 HITS, AND HAD 15 TOTAL BASES. THE PIRATES HAD 4 ERRORS IN THE FIRST GAME, INCLUDING 3 THROWING ERRORS BY DIEGO CASTILLO. WOULDN’T YOU LIKE TO SEE HIM AND YU CHANG PLAY CATCH? SPEAKING OF YU CHANG, HE HIT A HOME RUN IN THE FIRST GAME FOR THE ONLY PIRATE RUN. IT WAS THE JAW DROPPING MOMENT OF THE GAME, POSSIBLY THE SEASON. IN THE 2ND GAME BRYCE WILSON SHOWED WHY HE IS THE LEADING CONTENDER FOR AAA PITCHER OF THE YEAR. HE SURE AS HELL CAN’T PITCH IN THE MAJORS.

THE KEY MOMENT OF THE GAMES: IN GAME 1, THE BIZARRE BALK CALL THAT EVENTUALLY ALLOWED THE CARDINALS TO SCORE A RUN, AND A 3-0 LEAD. IT DID GIVE THE CARDINALS A NICE CUSHION, THAT THEY DID NOT REALLY NEED. KEY MOMENT IN GAME 2, BRYCE WILSON TOOK THE MOUND.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, CARDINALS IN ST. LOUIS. CONTRERAS IS SCHEDULED TO PITCH, SO THE SHADOW WILL HAVE TO WORK EXTRA HARD TO COME UP WITH A LINE UP THAT IS BAD ENOUGH TO ENSURE THE 10TH LOSS IN A ROW. AFTER WATCHING HIM FOR ONE INNING, I AM SURE THE LINE UP WILL INCLUDE THE TURTLE PLAYING 1ST BASE TO START A GAME. YU CHANG WILL BE THERE TOO, TO MAKE SURE THE STREAK CONTINUES. THE PIRATES ARE BACK IN CONTENTION FOR ONE OF THE TOP 3 DRAFT PICKS FOR NEXT YEAR, ALTHOUGH THE CUBS ARE GOING DOWN WITHOUT TRYING ALSO. THE PIRATES ARE STILL IN 3RD PLACE IN THE DIVISION. COULD SHELTON GET MANAGER OF THE YEAR, ONLY THE SHADOW KNOWS.