Final Score: Pirates 4 White Sox 1
Why The Pirates Won: Marco Gonzalez, doing his best Colin Holderman impression, scattered 7 hits over the first 4 innings only giving up 1 run. His friend was the double play ball as he induced the White Sox to ground into 2 of them to help get him out of jams. The bullpen took over in the 6th and shut the White Sox down, with the exception of Colin Holderman doing his best Colin Holderman impression, by allowing the first two batters to reach base in the bottom of the 8th. Again, the double play ball came to his rescue, and he got out of the inning with no runs scoring. The offense was able to put 2 good innings together so the Pirates could win the opening game of the series against the pathetic White Sox.
Key Moments Of The Game: Going into the top of 5th the Pirates had gotten just one hit. In the top of the 5th the bottom half of the order, be still my beating heart, manufactured 2 runs. Ke’Bryan Hayes singled to start the inning. Then Joey Bart got one of the most missed strike calls of the year. On a ball that was well inside the strike zone but was called a ball, that was completely lost in the action, because Hayes tried to steal 2nd on the 3-2 pitch. The ball was thrown into centerfield and Hayes advanced to third. Now Hayes would have scored on the Triolo (Another miracle) single, but the Michael Taylor sacrifice fly should have been the 3rd out of the inning. I guess this is what happens to you, when you are one of the worst teams in baseball. The Pirates added 2 more runs in the top of the 6th and the umpires didn’t help at all this time. In typical Pirate fashion they only got 2 hits in the last 3 innings. They still have a shot at the sweep.
Next Game: This afternoon, White Sox in Chicago. Rumor has it that Greg Brown was late getting to the radio booth because he went to Wrigley Field first but I can not confirm that. Luis Ortiz is taking the mound today for the Pirates and the poor bastard is pitching on only 5 days rest. I hope he will be able to hold up against such an elite lineup. I know the Pirate “brain trust” will be keeping a close eye on him in the early innings to see if he is showing signs of fatigue. The pressure is unbearable.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 