Final Score: Pirates 3. Marlins 8.
Why The Pirates Lost: Braxton Ashcraft could only go 5 innings. He gave up 2 runs on 5 hits walking 2 and striking out 4. He threw 90 pitches. Wilber Dotel age 23 went 1 and 2/3 innings giving up 4 runs on 4 hits walking 3 and striking out 2. He was followed up by recent call up Antwone Kelly, age 22, who went 2 and 1/3 innings giving up 2 runs on 2 hits walking 1 and striking out 1. The question is why were they allowed to do this, especially Dotel. He opened the 7th by walking a batter on 6 pitches. No action in bullpen. Remember, the score is 2-2. First pitch bunt single. No action in the bullpen. Next we have A SEVEN PITCH WALK TO LOAD THE BASES. IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE WALK THAT THE BULLPEN GOT UP. It was Mason Montgomery. Kelly got up later. 4 runs and 2 outs later Dotel was taken out of the game. By then it was way too late. The Pirates’ bats did not do much against Sandy Alcantara. In 8 innings he gave up 3 runs on 5 hits. At the end of the game Greg Brown said that Ashcraft had taken the loss when of course Dotel took the loss. Does anybody know what’s going on. I think this is a fair question.
Key Moments Of The Game: Don Kelly being asleep at the wheel in the pivotal 7th inning. The Marlins got the big hits in the top of the 7th. After Dotel had loaded the bases, the Marlins scored their 3rd run on a sacrifice fly leaving runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. It was possible that the Marlins could be held to just the one run. Maybe now would be a good time for a pitching change. Don are you there? Wake up. No? Let’s stick with Dotel. Rocket no. 1. 103 MPH single making it 4-2. Now? No? Rocket No. 2 107 MPH double to make it 6-2 Marlins. Not even now? He strikes out the next batter. He takes him out now. What a manager.
Next Game: This afternoon, Marlins in Pittsburgh. For about the 6th time this year the Pirates are going into a game at the .500 mark. They have always been able to win the game to keep from falling below .500. They have not been below .500 since game 5 of the season. I hate to say it but this team seems to be folding up like an accordion. The pressure seems to be getting to them at every level. They have lost 6 out of 7 games. With the exception of the game they won they have only been close in one other game. In other words they are getting slaughtered. If this team is to turn it around the pitching is somehow going to have to get back to last year’s performance. It needs to start today.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 