Final Score: Pirates 5 Angels 8
Why The Pirates Lost: Each team hit 4 home runs, but thanks to walks and a strikeout on a wild pitch, the Angels’ home runs drove in 7 runs, compared to 5 for the Pirates. The Pirates did not get a hit with runners in scoring position. Oviedo pitched well for 3 innings but then his old nemesis, the walk and home run ball contributed to his undoing. Out of 75 pitches he only threw 23 fastballs. One of them did get hit out of the park for the 5th run, but other than that they did not get a hit off his fastball. I really do not know why he does not throw it more. He did seem to lack some velocity last night with only one pitch topping 96 MPH. The bullpen gave up the other 3 runs, all on home runs. Henry Davis hit a couple of home runs and raised his average to .295. Another bad pitching day for the Pirates as two big innings were enough to give the Angels the win while only getting 6 hits. Pirate staff did issue 6 walks which really came back to haunt them.
Key Moment Of The Game: The Pirates had hit 2 home runs in the top of the 4th inning to take a 2-0 lead. Oviedo had not given up a hit in the first 3 innings with one walk. Then boom, walk, double, walk and 3 run home run, and before you knew it the Angels were ahead 4-2. Two outs later, another home run and it was 5-2. In the bottom of the 5th, Jose Hernandez just coming off the IL, got lit up for 2 more home runs making the score 8-4 and the game was over.
Next Game: Tonight, Angels in Anaheim. The Pirate offense showed some pop last night hitting those 4 home runs, but it was to no avail. The pitching was bad last night, which it has been for about a month now. The Angels seem to be getting hot right now which does not bode well for the Pirates. Maybe .500 road trip was too much to expect. Time will tell.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 