Final Score: Pirates 3 Royals 8
Why The Pirates Lost: Luis Ortiz threw 45 pitches in the 2nd inning, with most of them getting hit and threw the ball away on a pretty routine play which helped the Royals score 6 runs. The Royals had 8 hits for the game and got 4 of them in the 2nd inning including a 2 run home run by Salvador Perez to make the score 6-0. This was more than enough to win the game with the way the Pirate offense floundered around. For the first 5 innings the Pirates got 3hits, a miracle, and struck out 10 times. They wound up striking out 14 times for the game. They managed 9 hits and 3 walks but left 10 men on base. They got 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th off their old buddy Chirs Stratton who probably felt sorry for them. The Pirates are the definition of mediocrity. They are able to beat the bad teams but lose regularly to the good teams. It looks like we are in for another year of this, since apparently Derek (We All Need To Get Better) Shelton will be back to fall asleep on the bench for 2025.
The Key Moment Of The Game: Luis (I Was Taught To Throw By Pedro Alvarez) Ortiz shot himself in the foot to start the top of the second. After one out, he walked Robbie Grossman a .226 hitter on 4 pitches. Adam Frazier hit a little dribbler about halfway out to mound and Ortiz threw the ball way offline down the right field line to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. The Royals took advantage by getting 3 straight hits to make the score 4-0. Essentially the Pirates never threatened to make a game of it and the mediocre winning streak was over at 4.
Next Game: This afternoon, the Royals in Pittsburgh. Mitch (I’m Not A Top Of The Rotation Guy) Keller starts today for the Pirates. His last 7 games he is 1-4 with an ERA of 5.86. Trade bait anyone? Will he snap out of it today? He better, because Shelton has already told him he is not coming out of the game until he gives up 14 runs, the bullpen needs a rest. I can’t wait for 2025.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 