Final Score: Pirates 3 Diamondbacks 9
How The 2023 Pirates Did: J. T. Brubaker pitched almost a carbon copy of the previous Mitch Keller game giving up 2 runs, on 3 hits, 2 walks, while striking out 6 and throwing 92 pitches, in just 5 innings. Not a great performance but adequate. Then the bullpen took over. Chase Dejong and Yerry De Los Santos, then gave up 7 runs on 5 hits, 3 walks, while striking out no one, in 1.1 innings. Relief pitchers are a volatile group. From one year to the next they can go from being great to being cut. Dejong and Santos have been good in the past but last night they got bombed. Both I think will contribute next year, but not if they pitch like that. It was not a good game for the 2023 position players either. Only Ke’Bryan Hayes had a decent game, collecting 2 hits and scoring a run. The other 2023 Pirates collected only 1 hit between them and stuck out 9 times. The Pirates continue to put out players that have no business being in the major leagues and hopefully they will not be on the team next year. When you are behind 9-3, is it really necessary to bat righties against left-handed pitching? Will the lefties that we have ever learn to hit left hand pitching if you limit their opportunities. The Pirates take them out when facing a left hander late in the game and then 2 days later will start them against a lefty. Maybe Shelton didn’t know what the score was.
Key Moment of The Game: When the Pirate bullpen took over the game. We did learn one thing yesterday. Dwayne Underwood Junior is very comfortable pitching when the Pirates trail by 6 runs. I am sure the Shadow put that in his little notebook.
Next Game: Tonight, Giants in San Francisco. Back to two date baseball again, as the game will start around 10pm. I would love to see the 2023 infield start one game this year. That would be Hayes, Cruz, Mercano/Castro, and Madris/Chavis. This is what Pirate fans do. They don’t hope for wins, they hope to see Major League players.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 