Final Score: Pirates 1 Reds 7
Why The Pirates Lost: It would not have made much of a difference, but it was another bullpen implosion. Namely the Bobbsey Twins, Holderman and Bednar. Bednar came in the 8th and gave up 2 runs on 3 hits. He struck out 2 and walked none in 2/3 innings of work. This raised his ERA to 5.40. Holderman came in the 8th and got the final out. He came back out for the 9th and got blasted. He gave up 3 runs on 3 hits. He walked 2 and struck out 1 because the umpire felt sorry for him. He left the field with a sparkling ERA of 9.00. It was not a coincidence that the Pirate bullpen had their best run when Bednar was in AAA and Holderman was on the IL. I had so much hope for Holderman but not anymore. The Pirates need to do what they have to do and get them off the team. Of course, they won’t. I wrote at the outset that it really did not make any difference because the Pirate offense is horrific. They are in the process of rewriting the record books—all in a negative way. This pathetic effort saw them get 1 run on 5 hits. They were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and left 5 men on base. For the 2nd consecutive game, they got worse as the game went on. In the last 5 innings, they sent the minimum number of batters to the plate. Their only hit was erased immediately by a double play ball. They only sent 3 balls to the outfield. They were able to keep their strikeouts to single digits at 8. They have now lost 4 in a row.
Key Moment Of The Game; It was simply when the Reds scored their 4th run. You knew right then that the game was over. The Pirates have not scored over 4 runs all month. In their last 24 games, they have scored 4 runs 6 times, 3 runs 7 times, 2 runs 3 times, 1 run 4 times, and they have been shut out 4 times. The Pirates do nothing about it. No one is held accountable for such an awful performance. Other than the manager, the coaches are the same, and the players are the same. We have played 30% of the season. If the Pirates continue at this pace, their record would be 50-112. Who would have thunk it?
Next Game: Does anybody really care? It’s tonight against the Reds, a matchup that, on the surface, seems less than thrilling. Fans are left wondering if any changes will be made to the lineup or strategy, but I doubt it. The hitless wonders will just continue their dismal performance, dragging on and on without any signs of improvement. It’s truly disappointing to witness such a team struggle so deeply, leading to an utterly deplorable situation that has fans shaking their heads in disbelief. The air is thick with frustration and uncertainty as we anticipate yet another lackluster effort on the field. This is setting up to be the worst season in Pirate history. The Pittsburgh Pirates have been playing baseball since 1891. They have had 10 one hundred loss seasons. Five of them have been since 1985. Four of them this century. The worst team in Pirate history during the modern era was the 1952 Pirates. The won only 42 out of 154 games and finished 54 and 1/2 games out of first place. This team can do it. It would be the true Bob Nutting legacy.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 