Final Score: Pirates 2 Mariners 3
Why The Pirates Lost: The Pirates could only score 2 runs on 9 hits, 3 walks, and 3 Mariners errors. Most of this was condensed into the first 5 innings. In the last 4 innings, they could only get one hit, one walk and the Mariners committed their last error. The Pirates made a couple of outs on the base paths. They were 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position, which is not bad, but left 9 men on base. Mitch Keller pitched well for 6 innings. You could say he was the master of the deep fly ball. In the first 6 innings there 7 fly ball outs ranging from 334 to 377 feet. There were 3 other fly outs that were under 334 feet. Cal Raliegh’s home run went 393 feet. That was the only run Keller had given up in the first 6 innings. He had given up only 5 hits on 76 pitches walking no one. I was in complete agreement with him coming out for the 7th inning. In 8 pitches he gave up a double and a home run and the Mariners took the lead 3-2. He walked the next batter on 8 pitches and was gone. The bullpen even though shaky at time held the Mariners at bay for the rest of the game. The Pirates finally used Isaac Mattson as he pitched a clean 8th inning. The Pirates had a slight threat in the 8th inning but could not score. In the bottom of the ninth Andres Munoz struck out the side.
Key Moments Of The Game: In the bottom of the 3rd, with one out, the Pirates had 3 straight singles, and a Mariners throwing error making the score 2-0. This put runners on 1st and 3rd with one out. Ryan O’Hearn popped out. Endy Rodriguez struck out to end the inning. In the bottom of the 5th, Brandon Lowe doubled, and Bryan Reynolds walked, putting runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Nick Gonzales hit into a 6-4-3 double play. He hit the ball hard but right at the shortstop. Ironically, he hit two weak ground balls for infield singles in his 2 previous at bats. Ryan O’Hearn hit a soft liner that first baseman Josh Naylor was able to leap up, deflect in the air, and make the catch with his back almost facing home plate. Right there, you figured it might not be the Pirates’ day. In the bottom of the 8th, the Pirates managed to get runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs but could not score.
Next Game: Tonight, Mariners in Pittsburgh. Braxton Ashcraft goes for the Pirates tonight. Last night it was damned if you do and damned if you don’t when Mitch Keller went out for the 7th inning. The Pirates did start Ozuna, and he drove in a run; finally, his average is over .200. The Pirates still refuse to allow Jake Mangum to lead off. I guess they don’t want Mangum mayhem to start the game. Horwitz hasn’t done a bad job leading off, but I still do not understand why you have a guy who is hitting close to .300 with an on-base percentage of .345 who can steal bases batting 8th in the lineup. Does that really make any sense? Do the Pirates even use analytics?
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 