Final Score: Pirates 1 Padres 2
Why The Pirates Lost: It was an offensive failure this time. The Pirates did get 7 hits and 3 walks but could only muster one run. They were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. They had only one inning where they were retired in order. All of this offensive incompetence wasted a fine pitching performance by Jake (If I Didn’t Have Bad Luck I Wouldn’t Have Any Luck At All) Woodford. He gave up 3 hits, did not walk anybody in 6+ innings of work while throwing only 74 pitches. The run he was charged with scored while he was sitting in the dugout. The Padres added a run in the bottom of the 8th thanks to the combined efforts of Jalen (I Don’t Know Why They Are Using Me So Much) Beeks and Dennis (I Told You Not To Put Me In Close Games) Santana. They needed that run, since the Pirates finally scored in the top of the 9th. The game ended on a great diving catch by Padre rookie sensation Jackson Merrill to send the Pirates to their 8th straight loss.
The Key Moment Of The Game: The Pirates best chance to score came in the tip of the 6th inning. With one out Oneil Cruz singled to right field. He stole second and later went to 3rd on a wild pitch with Joey Bart at the plate. Bart walked to put runners on 1st and 3rd with one out. Up steps Rawhide Rowdy (If They Sign Me Again Next Year Then They’re Dumber Than I Think They Are) Tellez. He gets ahead of the count 2-1. Maybe he did not know what the count was because he swung at a pitch that you could have excused if the count was 1-2. The pitch was low and inside and he weakly popped it up to the first basemen for the second out. Isiah (No Relation To Ralph) Kiner-Falefa grounded out to end the inning. The Pirates had other chances. Oneil Cruz led off the 8th with a double but the Pirates could do nothing with that either. It was an artistic loss if you like Greek tragedies.
Next Game: Tonight, Padres in San Diego. Luis Ortiz goes tonight for the Pirates, and he has not looked good. In his last 16 and 1/3 innings of work, he has given up 13 runs on 15 hits walking 7. What is amazing the Pirates have been able to come back and tie or take the lead in every one of those games, so he has not been charged with any losses. If Paul Skenes had gotten that kind of support, he would be 10-0. Will it end tonight? Who knows? Only The Shadow knows.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 