Final Score: Pirates 11 Mariners 1
Why the Pirates Won: The Pirates were held hitless for the first 3 innings and trailed 1-0. Bryan Reynolds opened the 4th with a single. One out later, Ryan O’Hearn got a lucky double that seemed to open the floodgates. The Pirates got 4 hits over the next 5 batters, including a double and a triple putting a big 5 spot on the board. They added 4 in the 7th and 2 in the 8th to break open the game and win going away. All told, they scored 11 runs on 15 hits, 3 walks, and one Mariner error. They were an incredible 9 for 14 with runners in scoring position. After a shaky start, Braxton Ashcraft pitched a very good 6 innings. In his last 5 innings, he gave up 2 hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out 10. Carmen Mlodzinski pitched the last 3 innings, giving up no runs on 2 hits, striking out 3 and issuing no walks. After a slow start on both sides of the ball, the Pirates broke it open for an easy win to set up the rubber match today.
Key Moments of the Game: It is hard to say if these two plays would have changed the outcome of the game since it eventually became a blowout. Both plays involved Randy Arozarena. Ashcraft started the game by giving up three straight singles, and the Mariners quickly got out in front 1-0. Josh Naylor struck out. Arozarena lifted a high, deep fly ball down the right field line that went over the yellow line but was foul by about six inches. It was so close that they went to a video review, but it was a foul ball. If it had been fair, the score would have been 4-0 Mariners. Ashcraft went on to strike out Arozarena and eventually got out of the inning with no further damage. After that, he was pretty much invincible. In the bottom of the fourth, with one out and a runner on first, Ryan O’Hearn lifted a high, short 239-foot flyball down the left field line. Arozarena, who is coming off a hamstring injury, seemed to have some trouble getting over to the ball. It landed fair by about a foot and bounced high into the stands for a ground rule double. I think this game would have been much more interesting if those two fly balls had gone the other way—something we will never know.
Next Game: This afternoon, the Mariners in Pittsburgh. Bubba Chandler will go and try to win the series today, carrying with him the momentum built over his last three starts, where he has shown remarkable improvement. He has pitched 17 innings, giving up only six earned runs for a commendable 3.18 ERA. Each outing has showcased his growing confidence and ability to adapt on the mound, which is essential as he prepares for today’s game. He will need to have another good outing because I am sure the Pirates will follow their asinine policy of not letting a catcher start a day game after a night game. As a result, Henry (.136 batting average) Davis will probably start the game. I do not want to think about today’s starting lineup, especially given the unconventional decisions that have often left fans scratching their heads. However, perhaps against the odds and despite the lineup challenges, they will be able to win anyway.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 