Final Score: Pirates 5 Brewers 7
Why The Pirates Lost: The pitching staff won the 2nd game of the series but lost this game handily. The pitchers did have some hard luck, but they dug themselves into a hole by walking 5 and they only had one 3 up and 3 down inning. Nobody seemed to have command of their pitches, especially Mitch Keller. He either threw the ball way out of the strike zone or right down the middle. He was not alone, with the staff giving up 7 runs on 12 hits including 2 home runs. The Pirate defense, although did not make an error, did not come up with plays they should have made. The offense put 5 runs on the board with 8 hits and even walked more than the Brewers, with 7. Joey Bart hit a 3-run homer in the first to get them off and winging. They had runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs in the 7th and a runner on 2nd with no outs in the 8th and could not score either time. They did score 2 runs in the bottom of the 5th after 2 were out, which had been their MO in the first 11 games of the season. This is the way things go for a team that is still in the down mode. They again stand at .500 with a record of 13-13. A disappointing end to a disappointing home stand.
Key Moments Of The Game: In the top of the 3rd with Pirates leading 3-1, Keller starts the inning by walking the first 2 batters. He strikes out the next batter but gives up a single to the .176 batting Jake Bauers to make the score 3-2. The Pirates have the runner trapped between 2nd and 3rd. Unfortunately, the cut off throw was caught by Rowdy Tellez. For some reason he hesitated was out of balance, made a weak throw to third and the runner was safe. Boo Tellez, Boo Boo Tellez, Boo Boo Boo Tellez. If he makes the play, even if Bryan Reynold does not make the play he should have made, the Brewers would have scored only 1 run instead of tying the game. Boo Boo Boo Boo Tellez. Then in the top of the 8th with the Pirates now leading 5-4. Aroldis Chapman came in and looked pretty good through the first 3 batters. He gave up a swinging bunt single down the third base line but got the next 2 batters on a ground out and strike out with the runner moving to 2nd base on a wild pitch. He had pinch hitter Gary Sanchez down 1 ball 2 strikes, when Chapman threw a high hard one 102 MPH. It was outside the strike zone, but Sanchez went with the pitch and parked it in the right field seats to give the Brewers a 6-5 lead. Contreras pitched the 9th and gave up a run just to round out a spectacular day for the pitching staff.
Next Game: Tonight, Giants in San Francisco. This will start a 6 game west coast road trip where the Pirates face the Giants and the A’s 3 games each. Both teams are under .500, the Giants 2 and the A’s 6. The offense did perk up in the last game. A winning road trip would wash out the bad taste of the last 10 games. Quinn Priester will start tonight. Let’s hope he turns things around, or this could be the second bad game in a row for the pitching staff.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 