Final Score: Pirates 4 Braves 3
Why The Pirates Won: They did not give this one away, although they tried. On offense, they were just good enough. They got 4 runs on 10 hits and 4 walks. They were 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. They left 11 men on base. All is forgiven when you win. Carmen Mlodzinski pitched his best game of the year. He went 5 and 2/3 innings, giving up only 4 hits and 1 walk. He threw 83 pitches. The bullpen faltered in the 8th inning. Both Tanner Rainey and Joey Wentz combined to give up 3 runs in only 1/3 inning of work. Hopefully, both of them will be sent down soon. Another hero was Ryan Borucki, who pitched 2 innings, giving up only 1 hit. It looks like we have the manager. Now we need some players. Let’s hope Cherington will make some moves. I am not optimistic, but it needs to be done. Many people think this team is dead in the water. That 100 losses is a foregone conclusion. I know it is only 3 games. This team has a completely different vibe to it. There are players in AAA that could really help this team. A trade could really help this team. Come on, Cherington, get off your ass and do something. If they can win at least one game in New York and one in Philadelphia, then I see real hope for this season.
The Key Moments Of The Game: After the game on Saturday, the bottom of the 9th was the key to the victory. The Pirates were able to get runners on first and third with nobody out. Bryan Reynolds, who is mired in a horrible slump, grounded weakly to 2nd, moving the runner to second base but not scoring a run. Quite frankly, the Braves made a tactical error by walking Andrew McCutchen intentionally. He had not come through the day before. The Braves had his number. One thing is for sure: they did not have Joey Bart’s number. He went 4-4 the game before. He was 2 for 4 in this game. Bart hit a hard ground ball between short and third. The shortstop made a great stop but could not get the runner at the plate. At first, Bart was awarded a hit, but it was changed to a fielder’s choice, and I am not sure why. Regardless, the Pirates had their hard-earned win and are headed to New York with some momentum.
Next Game: Tonight, Mets in New York. The Mets have been floundering a bit, going 5-5 in their last 10 games. Paul Skenes is going for the Pirates. His luck is due to change. It all adds up to a Pirate victory tonight. It would be a great way to start this road trip. It would be so nice to see some changes in the Pirate roster this week. Under Don Kelly, we have seen some surprises. Matt Gorski and Alexander Canario have been given opportunities and have done okay. Not great, but better than the players they replaced. Hopefully, we can win 2 out of the next 6 games.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 