Final Score: Pirates 4 Cardinals 6
Why The Pirates Lost: In the first game of the series the Cardinals started a AAA pitcher who really was not doing all that well, so the Pirates thought they would return the favor. Luis Ortiz was called up from AAA despite the fact that he had not really pitched all that well since being sent down in July. The Cardinals rocked him pretty good, and he did not help himself by walking 5 batters in 3 and 1/3 innings. In that time, he gave up 5 runs on 7 hits and was fortunate that it was not worse. His fastball never came close to 100 MPH which it did many times last year. After falling behind 5-0 the Pirates tried to fight back, getting the score to 5-2 with the 2nd run coming on a Ke’Bryan Hayes home run. Although the Pirate offense did score 4 runs, they were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men stranded. No big two out hits yesterday.
Key Moments Of The Game: Trailing 5-2 going into the bottom of the 6th the Pirates were able to load the bases with one out. Jason Delay hit a weak ground ball that was able to score one run and move the runners to 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. Up steps Ke’Bryan (I Pay Greg Brown 500 A Day To Say All Those Good Things About Me) Hayes to the plate. He gets ahead of the count 2-0 but can only hit a weak ground ball to second to end the inning. At least the pitch was a strike. In the top of the 9th the Cardinals were able to score a big insurance run without hitting a ball out of the infield. Jason Delays protective cup must weigh a ton. It is the only explanation I know of, that could explain on how slow he is to get out, and field a ball out in front of the plate. The Pirates were able to score a run in the bottom of the 9th, but that insurance run took a lot of pressure off the reliever.
Next Game: Tonight, the Cubs in Pittsburgh. The Pirates have lost all six games to the Cubs so far this season. It would be nice to see them turn that around. It will be interesting to see how a team that has a lot to play for performs against a team that is just playing out the string. Again, the Pirates do not know who the starting pitcher will be.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 