Category: sports

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The Pirates 30 Games In

It is always nice to look at the season in about 30 game chunks. While we are not technically through 20% of the season, we are 1/5 of the way to the 150-game mark. When you get to the 150th game of season, let’s face it, the remaining 12 games are either meaningless, which is most likely in the Pirate’s case, or they are the 12 most important games of the season. At this point in the season the Pirates stand at 13 wins and 17 losses, just coming off a series win over the mighty Dodgers. It is pretty amazing that they are this good, considering the way they have been managed. Baseball teams are easy to analyze. You look at the way they hit, pitch, field, and how they are managed. So, lets begin.

Hitting: Despite all the data out there hitting boils down to three things. The ability to get on base, the ability to slug the ball, and to score runs. On base percentage (OBP), the ability to get on base, the Pirates rank 17th out of 30 teams. OPS+ is a statistic of hitting and slugging with many factors taken into consideration, like ballparks, and competition. It is expressed as a number with 100 being the league average. The Pirates number is 97, which is a little below league average, which ranks them 19th. The most important thing a team needs to do with all of that, is to score runs. The Pirates so far are averaging 3.77 runs per game, that is 23rd in the Majors. As you can see, the best thing the Pirates do is to get on base, but they have a hard time hitting for power, and converting all of this into runs. None of this is surprising but overall, the hitters have not done too bad, and they have had a recent resurgence of the long ball, which really helped carry them to a series win against the Dodgers.

Pitching: We have to give the pitchers a little slack here, because their stats are a little skewed, due to the fact, they game up 21 runs in one game, Pitching, like hitting comes down to three stats. Run prevention per game, ERA+, another comparison stat that takes ballparks into consideration with a league average being 100, and Fielding Independent Pitching, a stat that tells how well a pitching staff does at controlling what they can control, strikeouts, walks, and home runs. The Pirates have allowed 5.4 runs per game which is 29th in baseball. Their ERA+ is 86 which is 27th in the baseball. FIP for the Pirates is 4.19 that is 25th in baseball. The bottom line is the pitching does not look very good on paper, but they have done well at protecting leads. Considering nobody really knows what their role is on the staff, they have done ok. Without the one bad game the pitchers would be just about on par with the hitters, or even a little better.

Fielding: Fielding stats can be very hard to decipher. I go with one team stat that is on baseball reference, that is called Defensive Efficiency or shortened to DefEff. I think it is the best of all the defensive rating systems and takes into consideration the most factors that involves the defense. The Pirates have always been on the low end of scale, usually ranking in the lower 10, just about every year. This year is no exception where the Pirates rank 26th. Despite all the praise you hear from the booth about this team’s defense, in reality they really stink out in the field. Some of this has not been all their fault, because infielders have been playing the outfield for no apparent reason, other than to make them look bad. That is not to say there have not been bright spots and the potential to get better is certainly there.

Management: I am not just writing about the Manager of the Pirates Derek (Only the Shadow Knows) Shelton but the entire management team. There used to be an old radio show that was a mystery, called The Shadow. In the show as the mystery would begin to unfold, the narrator would always say who knows, only the Shadow knows. This is how I feel about the Pirates starting line ups and the thought processing that go into them. Who knows why they had Vogelbach leading off? Who knows why they played Cole Tucker so much in right field? Who knows why they tried other infielders in the outfield? Who knows why they only let starting pitchers go 4 to 5 innings? Who knows why there is a revolving door about who pitches in the 9th inning, when it is clear who should? I can tell you, only the Shelton knows. I do know this. This management team does not want to win this year, even if it was possible. The players right now are making tanking a little tough, because they are performing above expectations, doing much better in tight ball games. New blood hopefully will be coming up soon, which should make this team better. About this time last year, the team took a big swoon that pretty much lasted into September. We will see if that happens again. Management is certainly praying for it. We will revisit the Pirates after game 60 and get into more individual performances. I was kind to the individual players this time, because they may not be around after game 60.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 5 DODGERS 3

WHY THE PIRATES WON: FROM A DODGER PERSPECTIVE IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS. THE DODGERS HIT A LOT OF HARD BALLS RIGHT AT THE PIRATES AND COULD NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PIRATES GIFTS. DILLON PETERS AND MAX KRANICK PITCHED A SUPERB 6 INNINGS ALTHOUGH BOTH BENEFITTED FROM THOSE AT’EM BALLS. THE PIRATES WENT YARD 3 TIMES AND SCORED AN INSURANCE RUN WITH SOME DARING BASE RUNNING.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: BY FAR, IT WAS THE TOP OF THE SEVENTH. THE PIRATES DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO GIVE THE GAME TO THE DODGERS IN THAT INNING. THEY WALKED 4 BATTERS, COMMITTED AN ERROR, AND THREW A WILD PITCH WITH THE BASES LOADED, THAT HIT OFF THE BACK WALL AND CAME RIGHT BACK TO THE CATHCER. THE DODGERS COULD NOT SCORE TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT PLAY. THEN WILL SMITH SMASHED A HARD LINE DRIVE THAT CASTILLO WENT UP THE LADDER TO GET. MAX MUNCY LOOKED LIKE A PIRATE AND TOOK A CALLED THIRD STRIKE TO END THE INNING.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, REDS AT PITTSBURGH. THE MAN I WANTED RESTED THE TURTLE HIT THE GO-AHEAD HOME RUN IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 7TH, TO TAKE A 4-3 LEAD. ONE THING ABOUT THE TURTLE HE IS HUSTLING ALL THE TIME. EVEN ON HOME RUNS HE IS RUNNING FULL THROTTLE. YOU HAVE TO GIVE HIM CREDIT, WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. THE NEXT 4 GAMES ARE AGAINST THE REDS LET’S HOPE THE PIRATES CAN GET SOME PAY BACK HERE AND APPROACH .500 BALL. VAN METER HAD HIS BEST GAME OF THE YEAR YESTERDAY, HE SHOULD NEED AT LEAST A 2 GAME REST. ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 1 DODGERS 11

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: THE DODGERS WERE DETERMINED NOT TO LOSE 2 IN A ROW TO THE LOWLY PIRATES. THEY HIT AND FIELDED THEIR WAY TO AN EASY WIN. THE PIRATES COULD ONLY GET 4 HITS AND WERE NEVER REALLY IN THE GAME. IT WAS A DEFINITE HO HUMMER.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: NOT KNOWING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE SUCH A BLOW OUT, THE FIRST INNING SUMMED UP WHAT WAS ABOUT TO COME. THE DODGERS SCORED 2 RUNS IN THE TOP OF THE 1ST WITH THE HELP OF 2 SUN CAMOUFLAGED FLY BALLS THAT BEN GAMEL COULD NOT CORRAL. IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 1ST THE PIRATES HAD 2ND AND 3RD WITH NO ONE OUT, WHEN HAYES HIT A MEDIUM FLY TO MOOKY BETTS AND FOR WHATEVER REASON THE PIRATES DECIDED TO TEST MOOKY’S ARM AND HE EASILY GUNNED DOWN BEN GAMEL AT THE PLATE. ESSENTIALLY THE GAME WAS OVER, EVEN THOUGH THE PIRATES DID NOT KNOW IT AT THE TIME.

NEXT GAME: TODAY, DODGERS AT PITTSBURGH. THIS IS A SURPRISING RUBBER MATCH. LET’S HOPE THAT THE PIRATES AT LEAST TRY AND WIN THIS GAME AND NOT START COLE (WHY IS HE ON THE TEAM LET ALONE STARTING) TUCKER. IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO GIVE THE TURTLE A REST. MAYBE THE PIRATES DID HAVE SOMETHING LEADING HIM OFF. AT LEAST YOU CAN NOT START THE GAME BY HITTING INTO A DOUBLE PLAY. HE IS PROBABLY EXHAUSTED FROM HAVING TO RUN ON THE PITCH ABOUT THREE TIMES ON A 3-2 COUNT WITH 2 OUT. TOMORROW WILL BE THE PIRATES 30TH GAME. I WILL TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THEY HAVE DONE THE FIRST 30 GAMES.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 5 DODGERS 1

WHY THE PIRATES WON: GREAT STARTING PITCHING BY JOSE QUINTANA TO RACK UP THE FIRST WIN BY A PIRATE STARTER THIS SEASON. APPARENTLY, QUINTANA HAS A HISTORY OF GIVING THE DODGERS FITS AND IT HELD TRUE AGAIN LAST NIGHT. HE HAD SOME CONTROL ISSUES BUT HAD SOFT CONTACT THROUGH MOST OF THE GAME. EVEN WHEN THE DODGERS HIT IT HARD THE PIRATE OUTFIELD MADE SOME FANTASTIC PLAYS. THE BULLPEN CARRIED IT THE REST OF THE WAY, BUT THE BATTERS DID A NICE JOB OF ADDING ON WITH HOME RUNS BY MICHAEL PEREZ AND JAKE SUWINSKI.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THERE WERE TWO BIG MOMENTS. IN THE TOP OF THE FIFTH QUINTANA GOT TWO QUICK OUTS AND THEN WALKED FREEMAN AND TREA TURNER THEN SINGLED TO PUT RUNNERS ON FIRST AND SECOND. JUSTIN TURNER THEN HIT A FLY BALL DOWN THE LEFT FIELD LINE THAT WAS JUST FOUL BY ABOUT A FOOT. HE THEN GROUNDED OUT TO END THE INNING. IN THE TOP OF THE SEVENTH THE DODGERS HAD FIRST AND SECOND WITH ONE OUT, AND FREEMAN AND TURNER FAILED TO DO ANY DAMAGE. UP TO THIS POINT, THE GAME HAD A FEEL THAT THE PIRATES MAY BE GIVING IT AWAY, BECAUSE THEY HAD 10 HITS BUT COULD ONLY MUSTER ONE RUN. THE LONG BALL TOOK CARE OF THAT IN THE NEXT TWO INNINGS AND THE PIRATES GOT A VERY NICE WIN AGAINST ONE OF THE BEST TEAMS IN BASEBALL. WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK IT?

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, DODGERS IN PITTSBURGH AT LEAST THE PIRATES ARE NOT GOING TO GET SWEPT. SHELTON AND THE BRASS MUST BE IN A STATE OF SHOCK, PARTICULARLY AFTER THIS PAST WEEKENDS PLAY.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 3 REDS 7

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: THEY THOUGHT THEIR BEST PLAYER NEEDED A REST. THEY ONLY GOT 3 HITS, ALTHOUGH 2 OF THEM WERE HOME RUNS, AND THE BULLPEN COMPLETELY IMPLODED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH INNING. YOU HAVE TO QUESTION WHETHER THE BULLPEN WAS EVEN NECESSARY IN THE SIXTH. IN A RARE GOOD OUTING FOR ZACH THOMPSON, HE WENT 5 INNINGS STRIKING OUT 6, WALKING 0 AND GIVING UP ONLY 2 HITS. HE HAD THROWN ONLY 79 PITCHES, YET THE SHADOW DECIDED TO GO TO THE BULLPEN IN THE 6TH WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE DISASTEROUS. DILLON PETERS GAVE UP A LITTLE BLOOP HIT TO START THE 6TH, BUT THEN COULD NOT FIND THE STRIKE ZONE, AND WALKED THE NEXT 3 BATTERS TO MAKE IT 2 TO 1. THEN THE SHADOW DECIDES TO BRING IN DOUBLE H AND HIS STERLING 6+ ERA. AFTER GETTING ONE OUT, DOUBLE H GAVE UP A GRAND SLAM TO FORMER PIRATE, COLIN (AM I EVEN ALIVE) MORAN FOR THE REDS TO JUMP OUT TO A 5-2 LEAD. COMATOSE COLIN HIT ANOTHER HOMER IN THE 8TH TO GIVE THE REDS A 7-3 CUSHION GOING INTO THE NINTH. BY FAR, THE MOST EMBARRASSING SERIES OF THE YEAR.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THE MORAN GRAND SLAM, WHICH WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SHADOW’S OBSESSION WITH NOT ALLOWING A STARTER TO THROW 90 OR MORE PITCHES. I GUESS THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE GOING TO GET STRETCHED OUT IF YOU ARE A PIRATE PITCHER IS TO BE SENT DOWN TO THE MINORS. WE’VE JUST FINISHED THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY AND THE BULLPEN LOOKS TIRED ALREADY. EXPECT TO SEE A LOT MORE PITCHING BY POSITION PLAYERS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, DODGERS IN PITTSBURGH. THIS COULD GET PRETTY UGLY. IT REALLY DOES NOT MATTER WHO THE PIRATES START IN THIS SERIES, SO PLEASE SHELTON, MAKE TUCKER, VAN METER, AND TSUTSUGO PLAY ALL THREE GAMES, AND TAKE THE BEATING. THE PIRATES COULD START 5 PLAYERS WITH BATTING AVERAGES UNDER .200. THAT COULD BE A MAJOR LEAGUE RECORD. COME ON SHELTON, I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT, BUT REMEMBER ONLY THE SHADOW KNOWS.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE GAME 1: PIRATES 2 REDS 9

WHY THE PIRATES LOSS: THE PIRATE BATTERS REFUSED TO SWING AT STRIKES WHEN IT COUNTED AND THE PIRATE PITCHERS REFUSED TO THROW STRIKES WHEN IT COUNTED. WILL CROWE HIT THE FIRST BATTER HE FACED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH, WALKED TWO MORE, BEFORE GIVING UP A CATCHABLE DOUBLE TO START THE ONSLAUGHT OF A 7 RUN INNING FOR THE HAPLESS REDS. THE PIRATE DEFENSE CONTINUED TO BE VERY BAD. THIS WAS A GIFT-WRAPPED WIN FOR THE REDS.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THE PIRATES HAD THE BASES LOADED AND NOBODY OUT IN THE TOP OF THE EIGHTH, WITH THE 3,4,5 HITTERS COMING TO PLATE. KE’BRYAN HAYES TOOK TWO STRIKES BEFORE STRIKING OUT ON A BALL. THE TURTLE TOOK TWO STRIKES BEFORE STRIKING OUT ON A BALL. MICHAEL CHAVIS TOOK 2 STRIKES, BUT AT LEAST THE PITCH HE SWUNG AND MISSED, WAS IN THE STRIKE ZONE. THE PIRATE BATTERS DID NOT SWING AT SIX PITCHES IN THE STRIKE ZONE WITH THE BASES LOADED. THEY DESERVED THE CATASTOPHIC BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH.

FINAL SCORE GAME 2: PIRATES 8 REDS 5

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THEY SAVED THEMSELVES FROM THE EMBARRASSMENT OF LOSING A DOUBLE HEADER TO THE REDS BY BRINGING OUT THE LONG BALL. THEY HIT 3 HOME RUNS IN THE FIRST INNING TO SCORE 4 RUNS AND YOU COULD SAY THEY NEVER LOOKED BACK. MITCH KELLER COULD NOT PUT TWO GOOD STARTS TOGETHER AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO SO SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2021. BEN GAMEL ADDED A 2 RUN HOMER TO HIGHLIGHT A 3 RUN FIFTH BUT THE REDS CAME BACK WITH 3 IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH TO MAKE THE SCORE 7-5 AT THAT POINT. THE BULLPEN CAME THROUGH, THE PIRATES ADDED ANOTHE RUN IN THE TOP OF THE SEVENTH FOR A RELAVTIVELY STRESS FREE WIN.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THIS WAS NOT REALLY THE KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME, BUT IT WAS THE BEST MOMENT. WITH TWO OUT IN THE TOP OF THE SEVENTH AND THE TURTLE ON FIRST BASE, JACK SUWINSKI HIT A LINE SHOT DOUBLE DOWN THE LEFT FIELD LINE. WITH THE TURTLE HUFFING AND PUFFING LIKE A STEAM ENGINE JUST ABOUT TO RUN OUT OF WATER, HE SCORED ALL THE WAY FROM FIRST FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN HIS CAREER. HIS SLIDE INTO HOME WAS PRICELESS, JUST COMING UP SHORT, BUT HIS MOMEMTUM CARRIED HIM ONTO THE PLATE, TO SCORE THE EIGHTH PIRATE RUN. IT WAS A CLASSIC.

NEXT GAME: REDS TODAY IN CINCINNATI HOPEFULLY THE PIRATES CAN WIN THE SERIES AGAINST THIS PATHETIC TEAM. LET’S HOPE THE STARTING LINE UP IS NOT WORSE THAN USUAL. ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS. WE DO SEEM TO BE PLAYING OUTFIELDERS NOW.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE GAME 1: PIRATES 2 TIGERS 3

WHY THE PIRATES LOSS: THE LINE UP CARD, AS SHELTON CONTINUES TO PLAY INFERIOR PLAYERS. THE PIRATES CAN TALK ALL THEY WANT ABOUT PLAYER DEVELOPEMENT BUT YOU CAN NOT IMPROVE YOUR GAME IF YOU DON’T PLAY. SHODDY DEFENSE SPOILED SOME GREAT PITCHING FROM DILLON PETERS AND BRYCE WILSON AND THE INABILITY OF THE PIRATE BATTERS TO GET A RUNNER HOME FROM THIRD WITH ONE OUT IN THE FIFTH PROVED COSTLY. FROM THAT POINT ON THE PIRATE’S BATS WENT COMPLETELY DEAD.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: WITH 2 OUT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH, THE TIGERS HAD RUNNERS ON 2ND AND 3RD, WHEN A GROUND BALL TO KE’BRYAN HAYES WAS PLAYED SO BADLY, THAT HE MANAGED TO THROW THE BALL BACKWARDS INTO LEFT FIELD WHICH ALLOWED BOTH RUNNERS TO SCORE AND THE TIGERS TOOK THE LEAD 3-2. THE PIRATES NEVER GOT A RUNNER ON BASE IN THE NEXT 4 INNINGS.

FINAL SCORE GAME 2: PIRATES 7 TIGERS 2

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THIS TIME THE A TEAM PLAYED AND THE PIRATES WON THE GAME RATHER HANDILY. THE HOME RUN BALL APPEARED AND THE PIRATES ADDED ON IN THE 8TH TO SEAL THE DEAL. EVEN THOUGH HE ONLY WENT 5 INNINGS, JOSE QUINTANA HAD ANOTHER SOLID PITCHING PERFORMANCE. QUINTANA, BY FAR, HAS BEEN THE MOST CONSISTANT PIRATE STARTER. THEY WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME SOME MORE BAD DEFENSIVE PLAY.

THE KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: IN THE TOP OF THE 7TH BRYAN REYNOLDS GOT A BLOOP DOUBLE AFTER A BEN GAMEL WALK, TO PUT RUNNERS ON SECOND AND THIRD WITH NO ONE OUT. FROM THAT POINT, THE PIRATES WERE ABLE TO SCORE BOTH RUNS WITHOUT GETTING A HIT. A WILD PITCH SCORED GAMEL AND MOVED REYNOLDS TO THIRD. A SACRIFICE FLY BY THE TURTLE SCORED REYNOLDS AND THE PIRATES HAD A 4-2 LEAD.

NEXT GAME: FRIDAY, REDS IN CINCINNATI THE REDS HAVE ONLY WON 3 OUT OF 24 GAMES THIS YEAR. THEY HAVE TAKEN TANKING TO A NEW LEVEL AND HAVE CAUGHT THE PIRATES TOTALLY OFF GUARD IN THEIR QUEST FOR THE NO. 1 PICK NEXT YEAR. THE PIRATES COULD PUT THE B TEAM OUT THERE FOR ALL THREE GAMES TO HELP THE REDS OUT, ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 2 PADRES 5

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: IT BEGAN WITH THE LINE UP CARD AND WENT DOWN HILL FROM THERE. THIS TEAM DID NOT FIELD WELL, HAD VERY POOR BASE RUNNING AND THE BULLPEN DID NOT PERFORM WELL, PARTICULARLY IN THE NINTH INNING. A SOLID PERFORMANCE BY MITCH KELLER WAS WASTED, AS SHELTON CHOSE NOT TO PLAY CHAVIS AND CASTILLO. THIS TEAM IS BEGINNING TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE NO BASEBALL SENSE, EVEN FROM THEIR BETTER PLAYERS.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE PIRATES LOADED THE BASES WITH NOBODY OUT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH. FINALLY, MICHAEL CHAVIS GOT INTO THE GAME, AND HIT A SACRIFICE FLY, TO BRING THE PIRATES WITHIN ONE RUN. HOWEVER, WHEN THE THROW CAME ALL THE WAY TO THE PLATE, NEITHER OF THE TWO PIRATE RUNNERS ADVAN CED TO THIRD AND SECOND, WHICH THEY COULD OF DONE EASILY. DIEGO CASTILLO PINCH HIT NEXT AND HIT INTO AN INNING ENDING DOUBLE PLAY, WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE, IF THE RUNNERS HAD MOVED UP. IF THE PADRES HAD PLAYED THE INFIELD IN, IT MAY HAVE GONE FOR A HIT AND PUT THE PIRATES IN THE LEAD

NEXT GAME: TUESDAY IN DETROIT. ITS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT THE PIRATES ARE GOING TO PLAY FIVE GAMES ON THE ROAD AGAINST TEAMS WITH A WORSE RECORD THAN THEIRS. IT WILL TAKE ALL OF SHELTON’S IMAGINATION TO COME UP WITH LINE UPS THAT CAN LOSE TO THESE TEAMS, BUT I AM SURE HE WILL BE UP TO THE TASK. I CAN’T WAIT.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 7 PADRES 6 IN 10 INNINGS

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THE PIRATES BATS CAME ALIVE AND MICHAEL CHAVIS HIT A HOME RUN TO TIE THE GAME 5-5 IN THE EIGHTH. THE BULLPEN WAS LESS THAN STELLAR BUT THE PIRATES DID GET A FAIR START FROM J. T. BRUBAKER GOING FIVE INNINGS AND GIVING UP A THREE RUN HOMER TO ERIC HOSMER. THE PIRATES WINNING RUN SCORED, THANKS TO THE SAME HOSMER’S THREE BASE ERROR, WHICH ALLOWED KE’BRYAN HAYES TO SCORE FROM FIRST BASE.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE PIRATES TIED THE GAME 3-3 IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH WHEN BRYAN REYNOLD’S DOUBLE PLAY BALL WAS NOT TURNED BY THE PADRES, BECAUSE OF A BIZARRE SPIN MOVE, BY PADRE SHORTSTOP HA-SEONG KIM. IF THEY TURN THE DP, LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE, THE RUN DOES NOT SCORE AND THE GAME WOULD NOT HAVE GONE INTO EXTRA INNINGS. THE FINAL WOULD HAVE BEEN 5-4 PADRES.

NEXT GAME: TODAY PADRES AT PITTSBURGH. PIRATES WERE ABLE TO SNAP THE FOUR GAME LOSING STREAK THANKS TO SOME SHODDY PADRE DEFENSE. THE SUNDAY STARTING LINE UP MAY GUARANTEE THE START OF ANOTHER LOSING STREAK. ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 3 PADRES 7

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: BAD PITCHING THROUGHOUT THE GAME WAS THE MAIN REASON THE PIRATES LOST. ZACH THOMPSON,EVEN THOUGH HE GAVE UP ONLY THREE HITS, STILL SURRENDERED FOUR RUNS IN FOUR AND A THIRD INNINGS. RELIEVERS FLETCHER, HEMBREE AND SAM (I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I’M DOING) HOWARD, EACH GAVE UP A RUN, IN AN INNING OR LESS OF WORK. THE PIRATES COULD ONLY MUSTER THREE RUNS ON TEN HITS AND TWO WALKS. NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY WERE NOT VERY CLUTCH.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE KE’BRYAN HAYES HOT SHOT UP THE MIDDLE THAT BOUNCED OFF YU DARVISH SO HARD THAT MANNY MACHADO WAS ABLE TO THROW HAYES OUT AT FIRST BASE. EVEN THOUGH THE PIRATES DID SCORE THEIR THIRD RUN IN THAT INNING TO MAKE THE SCORE FOUR TO THREE, THIS PREVENTED THE PIRATES FROM POSSIBLY HAVING A BIG INNING.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT PADRES IN PITTSBURGH. THE PIRATES ARE ON A FOUR GAME SKID WHICH I AM SURE IS MAKING MANAGEMENT HAPPY RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE HEADING IN THE DIRECTION THEY WANT.