Final Score: Pirates 4 Brewers 2
How The 2023 Pirates Did: For the 2nd time this year, there were 9 out 10 2023 Pirates in the starting lineup. For the 2nd time they won, with the group playing an excellent game against another playoff contender. They got all the hits and drove in all the runs. Oneil Cruz went 2 for 4 with a walk, driving in 2 runs and scoring another. He drove in the big insurance run in the 9th. Michael Chavis came out of his funk with 2 hits including a home run that tied the game. Bryan Reynolds had 2 hits and Rudolfo Castro got a hit and an RBI by walking with the bases loaded. The rest of the bats unfortunately were silent. Mitch Keller had a great comeback start striking out 10 in 6 innings and hopefully his arm fatigue is fine, since the Pirates allowed him to throw 105 pitches. The left hand relievers stretched their scoreless streak to 8 innings, be still my beating heart. But the game ending scintillating double play pulled off by Castro and Cruz said it all. Not only was it a great way to end a great win, but do you think the opening day 2b-SS combo of Kevin Newman and Hoy Park would have pulled that off. Only one guess allowed. Here is my guess. NOT A CHANCE IN HELL.
Key Moment of The Game: It was the aforementioned magnificent double play. It was not a hard-hit ball, but Castro made a great throw to 2nd and Cruz’s bullet like throw to first made the play not even that close, leading to my first fist pump of 2022. Go Bucs Go!
Next Game: This afternoon, Brewers in Milwaukee. It is unlikely we will see 9 of the 2023 team this afternoon but you never know. Delay probably won’t catch being a day game after a night game. The other 29-30 year old slugs shouldn’t play but probably will. There has to be at least 7 in the starting 9 for me to consider it a 2023 game. Right now, the 2023 team is 2-0. I can hardly wait for the 3rd win opportunity.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 