Final Score: Pirates 2 Giants 5
Why The Pirates Lost: The Pirates’ offense continues to have problems. In the last 5 games, they have scored 8 runs, with 4 in one game. In this game, they got five hits and eight walks but could only score 2 runs. Of course, they started 5 players who had OPSs of .600 or less. The league average is .712. The group went 2 for 15, with Marcell Ozuna getting both hits, including a home run in the 2nd inning. You could almost say they did better than expected. Carmen Mlodzinski pitched one of his better games, going 6 innings, giving up 2 runs on 7 hits, walking none, and striking out one. Even though he had thrown only 73 pitches, the Pirate “brain” trust decided to take him out. It is May 8th. If an effective starter cannot throw 90 pitches or more by then, when can he? If Mlodzinski had gotten into trouble, then you could take him out. The bullpen is supposedly taxed, and you take your starter out after 73 pitches. One thing for sure, he could not have done worse than Justin Lawrence. In 10 pitches, the Giants scored a run on 3 hits to take a 3-1 lead. The Pirates waited until he hit a batter to load the bases before taking him out. The Giants added 2 more runs on a one-out single to make the score 5-1. The Pirates go to 2-2 on the road trip.
Key Moments Of The Game: Besides starting a pathetic lineup and not allowing Mlodzinski to throw more than 73 pitches, there were some actual key moments during the game. I should say more bad decisions were made during the game. Marcell Ozuna led off the 2nd with a home run to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. Oneil Cruz singled on a 109 MPH line drive to left. On the very first pitch, with Cruz breaking on the pitch, Konnor Griffin ripped a 102 MPH line drive to left for another single. Even though he broke on the pitch, the ball was lined hard to left field. Then the ball got a nice big hop, so the left fielder was in a good position to make the throw. Cruz had the play right in front of him. He elected to go to third and was thrown out by 6 feet. Instead of having Robbie Ray on the ropes, the Pirates had a runner on 1st with one out. Joey Bart and Nick Yorke both failed to make any contact with the ball, so it might not have made any difference, but we will never know.
Next Game: Tonight, Giants in San Francisco, 9:05. It’s a little easier to follow the game tonight with a start a little over an hour earlier. Braxton Ashcraft is going for the Pirates tonight, coming off one of his best starts. The Pirates’ offense will need to perk up soon. Maybe Ozuna will finally go on a prolonged streak. Perhaps the Pirates will finally realize that Jared Triolo only hits in meaningless games and won’t start him anymore. Even though it is early, you feel that the Pirates are in a critical part of the season. They are teetering on the edge of really going on a hot streak or hitting a prolonged slump. If management does not get them some help, which is most likely, there are some players that are going to have to step up their game. We will see where we are by June 1st.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 