Final Score: Pirates 4 Reds 3 in 11 innings
Why The Pirates Won: The Reds continue to take the pipe. The Pirates did everything they could to see the Reds through this game. They ran the bases like Helen Keller. They struck out 12 times. They took out the star of the game. They replaced him with a pinch runner who should not even be in the Major Leagues. He immediately got doubled off second on a line drive. Despite all of this, the Reds could not win the game. They struck out 14 times. They were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. They left 13 men on base. For his last start of 2025, Paul Skenes was great as usual. He went 6 innings giving up no runs on 4 hits. He struck out 6 and walked none, throwing only 85 pitches. He lowered his ERA for the season to 1.97. He is a lock to win the Cy Young Award. Thanks to the putrid Pirates, he will be the first pitcher in history to win the award with a .500 record. The AAA boys had their ups and downs. They went 1 for 10 with 3 strikeouts. Jack Suwinski had the big hit in the top of the 10th to drive in the 3rd run of the game. They made the baserunning blunder in the top of the 11th. Of course, they would not have had a chance to make the blunder if Don Kelly had not made the bonehead move to take Spencer Horwitz out of the game. He was having his best game of the year. He was 3 for 5, driving in 3 of the 4 runs. It is a good thing the Reds are choking their guts out down the stretch, or the Pirates would have certainly lost this one.
Key Moment Of Game: It all boiled down to the bottom of the 11th inning. Yohan (What The Hell Am I Doing Out Here) Ramirez got the last out of the 10th inning and came out for the 11th. He struck out Tyler Stephenson, getting him to chase 2 balls out of the strike zone. He walked Will Benson. Matt McLain fouled out to Bryan Reynolds on a ball that barely stayed in play. He walked T.J. Friedl to load the bases with 2 outs. This brought up Noelvi Marte, who was 2 for 5 with an inside-the-park home run. The count went to 3 balls and 1 strike. Ramirez threw a fastball pretty much right down the middle. Marte rolled it over right to Triolo, who stepped on 3rd to end the game. In the inning, Ramirez had thrown 27 pitches. He only threw 10 pitches that were in the strike zone. Somehow, the Reds did not score with a runner on second and no outs. Fortunately for the Reds, the Diamondbacks and the Mets lost. Four games are left. I would not bet on the Reds.
Next Game: This afternoon, the Reds in Cincinnati. This is the last meaningful game the Pirates will play this year. Will the Reds be able to beat the Pirates once? It is satisfying to watch the Pirates put a damper on the Reds’ postseason chances. It would be so nice to see the sweep. Braxton Ashcraft will go for the Pirates. He is an easy pitcher to evaluate. If he can throw strikes, the Reds will not have a chance. Ashcraft only gets into trouble if he starts to walk people. I will enjoy watching this team choke away another victory. Of course, you can never tell about these Pirates. They might just try harder to see that the Reds salvage one game of the series.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 