Final Score: Pirates 4 Yankees 9
Why The Pirates Lost: The Pirates could not hit, field, or pitch. They were terrible at every phase of the game. The offense did get 3 hits in one inning for the first time all season. It happened with the score 9-1. The offense struck out 11 times, but only 4 were called 3rd strikes, so some progress was made. The pitching was the worst part of the Pirate game yesterday. Mitch Keller had just about as bad of a start as you could have. In 3 and 2/3 innings, he gave up 7 runs on 8 hits. He walked 4, hit 2 batters, and struck out 4. It took him 97 pitches to get through this mess of an outing. The Yankees scored runs 3 through 7 after there were 2 outs and nobody on. Aaron Judge hit a 2-run homer in the top of the 7th. This made the score 9-1 at the time. It was another lackadaisical performance by the Pirates. The topper was IKF getting picked off first base with the score 7-1 Yankees. They did not cost the Pirates anything, but there were two booted balls in the outfield. The Pirates could not get past the 4-run barrier after 8 games. Tommy Pham left the game because of illness. The fans at the game knew exactly how he felt. Watching the Pirates play baseball really makes you want to puke.
The Key Moment Of The Game: In the 3rd inning, the first two Yankee batters were quickly retired. This also happened in the 4th inning. The Yankees scored 2 runs in the 3rd, 3 in the 4th, and boy was it ever ugly. In the 3rd, Keller hit the first batter. Then the next 3 hitters all singled. This drove in 2 runs. In the 4th, after two outs, it was even worse. Keller gave up a single, hit a batter, and allowed another single. After that, he issued another walk. The score was 5-1 with the bases loaded. Then Joey Wentz came in to put the icing on the cake. He hit the first batter he faced to force in a run. He walked the next batter to force in another run. This painstaking, grueling set of events put the Yankees ahead 7-1, and the game was over. The Pirates could not have looked worse in front of their home fans.
Next Massacre: This afternoon, Yankees in Pittsburgh. Barry Falter goes for the Pirates. It looks like a certainty that the Pirates will lose the next two games, as their performance has been dismal and uninspired. They looked so overmatched today against a Yankees team that appeared to be in mid-season form, showing confidence and skill at every position. There appears no end in sight to this terrible way the Pirates play baseball, and the frustration from fans is palpable. All of this just makes you wonder, what the hell did they do down in Florida for 6 weeks? Did they train or simply lounge under the sun? This team’s lack of baseball awareness is mind-boggling; fundamental mistakes are rampant, and mental errors seem to happen every inning. The only thing to look forward to is the goofy lineup the Pirates might come up with next. They might be experimenting with bizarre strategies that leave fans scratching their heads. Maybe the Pirates are going to start letting the pitcher bat. Their position players aren’t producing. The current state of the team is not just disappointing. It is also bewildering. Supporters are left to ponder the future of a franchise that once held such promise.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 