Final Score: Pirates 2 Giants 1 in 10 innings
Why The Pirates Won: Obviously, it was the pitching again. I always write all is forgiven when you win. This offensive performance may be the exception. Ten of the first 12 outs of the game were strikeouts. They were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position. They left 13 men on base. They had 7 hits plus 7 walks and could score just 1 run. They wound up striking out 14 times for the game. Even with the pitching you had to wonder how in the hell did they win. Of course the Giants did help. The pitching was brilliant. Mike Burrows looks better every time he pitches. He went 6 innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits. He struck out 7 and walked 1. He threw 91 pitches. Carmen Mlodzinski pitched 2 innings giving up just a hit. Isaac Mattson pitched the last 2 innings giving up 2 hits. He had an amazing 10th inning.
Key Moments Of The Game: The Giants got a run in the bottom of the 4th. They had all 3 of their hits in the inning to score. The Pirates broke right back in the top of the 5th with an IKF single and a Spencer Horwitz double to start the inning. One out later, the Pirates had two walks to load the bases. Nick (The Supposed RBI Machine) Gonzales grounded into a double play to end the inning. The 10th inning both teams tried to give it away. The Giants refused to take it. The Pirates had 1st and 3rd with one out. Henry Davis hit it right back to the pitcher. Instead of going home he tried to get the double play by throwing to second. One problem. Suwinski broke on the pitch and beat the throw to second. Davis was still thrown out but the Pirates had a 2-1 lead. The bottom of the 10th opened with a big pop up to left field. Jack (I Think I Need Glasses) Suwinski lost the ball in the sky and it fell to earth. A sacrifice put runners on 2nd and 3rd. That’s when Mattson took over. He struck out the last two batters throwing 9 straight fastballs to end the game. Who needs pitch sequencing. The Pirates have won 8 out of 9.
Next Game: Tomorrow night, Rockies in Colorado. Hopefully the Pirates will be able to continue the momentum against the Rockies. No matter what happens they will be doing it without Ke’Bryan Hayes. One of my must trade players is gone. I will reserve comment until the trade deadline has past. If the Pirates do something really good I may be posting tonight. Most likely I will just be doing my usual Morning Report. I known, the Pirates doing something really good. Look every blog needs a little humor.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 