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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 8 BREWERS 12

WHY THE PIRATES LOSS: ANOTHER DREADFUL STARTING PITCHER PERFORMANCE AND A RARE BULLPEN MELTDOWN, ALTHOUGH YOU COULD SAY IT WAS THE B SQUAD. AMONG THE FIVE STARTERS, ONLY JOSE QUINTANA HAS AN ERA OF UNDER 6. MITCH KELLER LAST NIGHT, IN 4 AND 2/3 INNINGS, GAVE UP FIVE HITS, FOUR RUNS, WALKED TW O, AND THREW SEVENTY FIVE PITCHES, ONLY STRIKING OUT ONE, WHEW. THE PIRATES BATS WERE HOT, BUT THEY COULD NOT OVERCOME THIS BAD OF PITCHING AND SOME SHODDY DEFENSE.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE WIILY ADAMES THREE RUN HOMER IN THE TOP OF THE SIXTH WITH TWO OUTS,TO CAP A SIX RUN INNING. THIS GAVE THE BREWERS A 10-4 LEAD, RIGHT AFTER THE PIRATES BATTLED BACK FROM A 4-1 DEFICIT TO TIE THE GAME. THIS PRETTY MUCH WRAPPED UP THE GAME.

NEXT GAME: BREWERS TONIGHT IN PITTSBURGH. WITH PLAYERS HAVING COVID SHELTON WILL HAVE FREE REIGN TO MAKE THE MOST ABSURD STARTING LINE UP AND IN GAME MOVES YET. THE CONTRAST WAS OBVIOUS LAST NIGHT. ONE TEAM TRYING TO WIN, THE OTHER TEAM NOT SO MUCH. THE BREWERS BROUGHT JOSH HADER IN TO FACE ONE BATTER TO MAKE SURE THEY DID NOT BLOW A FOUR RUN LEAD.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 4 CUBS 3

WHY THE PIRATES WON: SAME OLD STORY, ANOTHER OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY THE BULLPEN, ALTHOUGH THIS TIME THEY MADE IT INTERESTING. IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 7TH THE CUBS HAD FIRST AND THIRD WITH NO ONE OUT AND FAILED TO SCORE. IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH THEY HAD SECOND AND THIRD AND ONE OUT AND AGAIN COULD NOT PUSH THE TYING RUN ACROSS. THE PIRATES WON THE GAME DESPITE BEING OUT HIT 10 TO 6 , ALTHOUGH THEY OUT WALKED THE CUBS 7 TO 4. THE PIRATES SCORED 3 OF THEIR 4 RUNS AFTER 2 WERE OUT. THE CUBS MADE A COSTLY ERROR IN THE TOP OF THE FOURTH WHICH GAVE THE PIRATES THEIR 4TH AND DECIDING RUN. IN THE THREE WINS IN CHICAGO, THE PIRATES GRABBED THEIR FINAL LEAD IN THE 4TH AND 5TH INNINGS, AND HELD ON TO IT FOR ALL 3 GAMES. THE PIRATES WON THEIR SECOND SERIES OF THE YEAR, WHICH IS TWO MORE THAN LAST YEAR. THE PIRATES DID THIS WITH BRYAN REYNOLDS MIRED IN A BAD SLUMP.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE FINAL 2 STRIKE OUTS BY DAVID BEDNAR IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH WITH THE TYING RUN ON THIRD AND THE WINNING RUN ON SECOND. YOU JUST GOT THE FEELING THAT THIS MIGHT BE A WALK OFF WIN FOR THE CUBS, BUT IT WAS NOT TO BE.

NEXT GAME: TUESDAY BREWERS IN PITTSBURGH. WITH A FULL 48 HOURS TO THINK ABOUT IT YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF STARTING LINE UP SHELTON WILL THINK UP, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THERE ARE ONLY 3 OUTFIELDERS ON THE TEAM. SOME HOW THE PIRATES ARE AT .500, AFTER 16 GAMES. HOW LONG CAN THIS GO ON? WHO KNOWS, ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PITTSBURGH 0 CHICAGO 21

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: THEY SHOWED UP BUT TOOK THE DAY OFF. IN A GAME LIKE THIS, THERE IS NO KEY PLAY OF THE GAME. HOWEVER, LEAVE IT TO THE PIRATE ANNOUNCERS, MAINLY GREG BROWN, TO BRING THE GAME DOWN TO AN EVEN LOWER LEVEL. WHEN MIGUEL YAJURE, WHO IS OFF TO A BAD START THIS YEAR, WAS GETTING PUMMELLED FOR 7 RUNS IN 2 AND 1/3, GREG BROWN DECIDED TO MENTION THAT THE PIRATES LIKE ALL MAJOR LEAGUE TEAMS WERE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT THE ROSTER TO 26 PLAYERS. HE THEN SAID THAT THE PIRATES WOULD BE SENDING DOWN ONE OF THEIR PITCHERS. TALK ABOUT KICKING SOMEONE WHEN THEY ARE DOWN. MY THOUGHT AT THAT TIME WAS, TOO BAD THE PIRATES ARE NOT CUTTING DOWN ON ANNOUNCERS ON MAY 2ND, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE GREG BROWN LEAVE THE BOOTH. THE BIGGEST SHILL THE PIRATES HAVE, JUST SAID I GUESS IT’S OBVIOUS WHO THEY SHOULD CUT, WITHOUT HAVING ENOUGH GUTS TO ACTUALLY SAY HIS NAME. WHAT A CHICKEN SHIT. THAT GOD FOR DVR SO I GET TO LISTEN TO THOSE GUYS AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.

THE NEXT GAME: TODAY CUBS IN CHICAGO. MAYBE WE WILL GET 3 OF THE FOUR OUTFIELDERS IN THE STARTING LINE UP. BEING A SUNDAY GAME, LET’S HOPE THAT THE PIRATES DON’T DEEM THIS ANOTHER DAY OF REST. DESPITE THE HORRIFIC LOSS, THEY CAN WIN THE SERIES.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 4 CUBS 2

WHY THE PIRATES WON: ROBERTO PEREZ WAS THE SURPRISE OFFENSIVE HERO WITH 3 RBI’S AND A HOME RUN. MICHAEL CHAVIS ALSO HOMERED TO GIVE THE PIRATES THEIR 4 RUNS. AGAIN, THE BULLPEN WAS FANTASTIC AND JOSE QUINTANA PITCHED A GRITTY 4 AND 2/3 INNINGS GIVING UP ONLY 2 RUNS, DESPITE HAVING SOME CONTROL PROBLEMS RESULTING IN 3 WALKS. THE BULLPEN WAS NOT QUITE AS DOMINANT AS THE GAME BEFORE, GIVING UP 4 HITS AND A WALK, BUT DID NOT ALLOW A RUN FOR 5 AND 1/3 INNINGS. THE PIRATES GRABBED THE LEAD ON THE CHAVIS HOME RUN IN THE 4TH AND ADDED THE FINAL RUN, ON PEREZ’S HOME RUN IN THE FIFTH. THE BULLPEN PROTECTED THE LEAD FOR THE SECOND NIGHT IN A ROW.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE DOUBLE STEAL BY VAN METER AND NEWMAN WITH 2 OUT IN THE 2ND FOLLOWED BY THE DOUBLE BY PEREZ THAT GOT THE PIRATES GOING. THE PIRATES FOUND THE LONG BALL WHICH WON THE GAME.

NEXT GAME: TODAY, CUBS IN CHICAGO. ONLY SHELTON KNOWS WHAT THE NEXT LINE UP FROM HELL WILL BE. THREE OUTFIELDERS TWO DAYS IN A ROW. NO WAY JOSE. IF THE PIRATES CAN GET A SPLIT THIS WEEKEND, A DISASTEROUS LOOKING ROADTRIP AT THE START, WILL TURN OUT TO BE MORE THAN ACCEPTABLE.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 4 CUBS 3

WHY THE PIRATES WON: ANOTHER OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY THE PIRATE BULLPEN. THEY ONLY GAVE UP ONE HIT AND NO RUNS OVER THE LAST 6 INNINGS IN A VERY CLOSE HARD-FOUGHT GAME. EVERYBODY WAS VERY SOLID WITH BEDNAR COMING IN THE SEVENTH WITH A RUNNER ON AND SHUTTING IT DOWN FOR 1 AND 1/3 INNINGS. CHRIS STRATTON HAD A 3UP 3 DOWN BOTTOM OF THE NINTH, WHICH SHOULD GIVE HIM A CONFIDENCE BOOST. BRYCE WILSON HAD CONTROL PROBLEMS AND GAVE UP 3 RUNS IN 3 INNINGS. ONE OF THE RUNS SHOULD NOT HAVE SCORED, BUT BEN GAMEL MADE A HORRIBLE THROW FROM LEFT FIELD THAT ALLOWED THE SLOW-FOOTED WILLSON CONTRERAS TO SCORE ON A MEDIUM LENGTH FLY BALL. THE PIRATE ANNOUNCERS FAILED TO SAY HOW BAD THE THROW WAS, AS THE BALL TOOK TWO HOPS BEFORE ROLLING TO THE PLATE. TECHNICALLY THE BAD THROW STILL BEAT CONTRERAS TO THE PLATE. A GOOD THROW WOULD HAVE THROWN HIM OUT.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE 2 OUT DOUBLE BY YOSHI TSUTSUGO IN THE TOP OF THE FIFTH, WITH THE BASES LOADED TO GIVE THE PIRATES A 4-3 LEAD THAT THE CUBS COULD NOT OVERCOME IN 5 INNINGS OF AT BATS. SHELTON MADE ALL THE RIGHT MOVES IN THE BULLPEN TONIGHT, ALTHOUGH STRATTON ALWAYS MAKES ME A LITTLE NERVOUS. LAST NIGHT HE HAD GOOD CONTROL AND IT WAS A NO STRESS NINTH.

NEXT GAME: TODAY, CUBS IN CHICAGO. PROBABLY ANOTHER GAME WITHOUT 3 OUTFIELDERS BUT WE ARE MANAGING TO PULL OUT A FEW OF THESE GAMES. WAITING FOR THE STARTING LINE UP TO COME OUT HAS BEEN THE MOST INTERESTING ASPECT OF THIS TEAM SO FAR. WHO IS GOING TO START TODAY AND WHERE WILL THEY PLAY, ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 2 BREWERS 4

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: JUST A REPEAT OF YESTERDAY WHERE THE BREWER’S PITCHING WAS JUST TOO MUCH FOR THE PIRATES. THIS TIME THE PIRATES STRUCK OUT 13 TIMES BUT DID MANAGE TO PUT THE BALL IN PLAY 19 TIMES. MITCH KELLER HAD HIS BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLLOWED TO PITCH THE FULL 6 INNINGS. WITH HIS STARTER BREEZING ALONG WITH A 75 PITCH COUNT, SHELTON DECIDES TO HAVE A LEFT HANDER FACE CHRISTIAN YELICH. WITH THE BASES EMPTY. DID HE THINK THAT THIS WAS GOING TO MAKE UP FOR THE PREVIOUS GAME? ALL IT REALLY DID, WAS DRAW MORE ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT HE FELL ASLEEP AND LET YELICH FACE A STRUGGLING RIGHT HANDER WITH THE BASES LOADED. RESULT, GRAND SLAM BABY. THEN IN THE SEVENTH WITH SCORE 1-0 IN FAVOR OF THE BREWERS HE BRINGS IN THE LEAST EFFECTIVE RELIEVER THE PIRATES HAVE HAD THIS YEAR. HE HAD OTHER OPTIONS. CROWE HAD NOT PITCHED SINCE THE 17TH, AND THERE WERE OTHER CHOICES. IT SHOWS THAT THIS MANAGEMENT TEAM IS NOT TRYING TO WIN.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE 3-RUN HOMER BY KESTON HIURA IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 7TH THAT MADE THE SCORE 4-0, WHICH ESSENTIALLY ENDED THE GAME. THE PIRATES DID SCORE 2 IN THE TOP OF THE 8TH BUT WENT QUIETLY IN THE 9TH.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, THE CUBS IN CHICAGO. THE PIRATES GOT SWEPT IN MILWAUKEE BECAUSE OF SOME VERY GOOD PITCHING. LET’S HOPE THAT SHELTON CAN STAY AWAKE LONG ENOUGH, SO WE CAN GET OUT OF CHICAGO WITH A SPLIT. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHO WILL BE NEXT TO PLAY RIGHT FIELD. COULD IT POSSIBLY BE AN OUTFIELDER? MOST LIKELY, NO.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 2 BREWERS 5

WHY THE PIRATES LOSS: IT’S AN EASY ONE THIS TIME. SUPERIOR PITCHING SHUT DOWN INFERIOR HITTING. THE PIRATES STRUCK OUT 12 TIMES AND DID HIT 2 HOME RUNS, WHICH MEANT THEY ONLY PUT 17 BALLS IN PLAY FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. WELCOME TO BASEBALL 2022. J. T. BRUBAKER DID NOT PITCH A BAD GAME. HE SEEMED TO HAVE CONTROL PROBLEMS BUT ONLY WALKED 2 AND GAVE UP ONLY 2 EARNED RUNS IN 5 INNINGS.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE UNNECCESARILY RUSHED THOWING ERROR BY KEVIN NEWMAN THAT EXTENDED THE FOURTH INNING. BRUBAKER WALKED THE NEXT BATTER. THEN KOLTON WONG DUMPED A SOFT LOW BLOOPER DOWN THE RIGHT FIELD LINE THAT SHORTSTOP COLE TUCKER TOOK FOREVER TO GET TO, THAT SCORED THE 2 RUNNERS. YES, THE PIRATES PUT SHORTSTOPS IN RIGHT FIELD TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AT THE POSITION IN REAL GAMES. IT LOOKS TO ME, THAT IT WILL TAKE ABOUT 100 GAMES FOR COLE TO LEARN THE POSITION. THE BREWERS ONLY GOT TWO HITS THAT INNING BUT SCORED 4 RUNS. LET’S FACE IT, WHEN YOU PLAY THE PIRATES, YOU GOT A FRIEND.

NEXT GAME: THIS AFTERNOON, BREWERS IN MILWAUKEE. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THIS STARTING LINE UP, WITH A DAY GAME FOLLOWING A NIGHT GAME. BRANDON WOODRUFF THE BREWERS EXCELLENT STARTING PITCHER HAS GOTTEN OFF TO A SLOW START. LET’S HOPE HE HAS ONE MORE BAD GAME AND WE CAN AFFOID THE SWEEP.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 1 BREWERS 6

WHY THE PIRATES LOSS: THIS TIME NOT HAVING A RIGHT FIELDER COST THE PIRATES DEARLY, BUT ALTOGETHER IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT. THE PIRATES COULD NOT HIT, FIELD, PITCH OR MANAGE. ZACH THOMPSON STRUGGLED BUT FOUGHT HARD FOR 3 AND 2/3 INNINGS BUT GAVE UP THE BIG HOME RUN TO YELICH, A BATTER HE SHOULD NOT HAVE EVEN FACED. SHELTON FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND DID NOT HAVE THE LEFT HANDER DILLON PETERS READY IN TIME TO FACE YELICH. CONSIDERING THERE WAS A WALK, A SACRIFICE FLY AND ANOTHER WALK, HE HAD PLENTY OF TIME. THE FACT THAT THOMPSON WAS PROBABLY GETTING TO THE LIMIT OF HIS PITCH COUNT JUST MADE IT WORSE.

PLAY OF THE GAME: A REAL EASY ONE HERE, THE YELICH GRAND SLAM. SOME WOULD LOOK AT THIS AND SAY THE PIRATES ONLY SCORED ONE RUN ANYWAY, SO WHAT DIFFERENCE DID IT MAKE. BASEBALL IS A GAME OF HIGH LEVERAGE SITUATIONS AND PRESSURE. EVEN THOUGH THE PIRATES GOT SOME RUNNERS ON BASE IN THE LATER INNINGS, IT IS A HELL OF A LOT EASIER PITCHING IN THAT SITUATION WITH A 6-1 LEAD RATHER THAN JUST A ONE RUN LEAD.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, BREWERS IN MILWAUKEE. THE PIRATES ARE GOING UP AGAINST ONE OF THE BEST PITCHING STAFFS IN BASEBALL. WILL SEE IF THE BATS ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE. THEY DIDNT DO ALL THAT BAD, CONSIDERING MY PREVIOUS COMMENT, BUT THEY WERE JUST TOO FAR BEHIND TO PUT SOME REAL HEAT ON THE STAFF. COME ON, SHELTON THERE IS A GAME GOING ON OUT THERE, STAY AWAKE. SPEAK UP BENCH COACH.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 5 NATIONALS 3

WHY THE PIRATES WON: DESPITE ANOTHER BIZZAR STARTING LINE UP, THE PIRATES WON BECAUSE OF SOME TIMELY HITTING, A WIDE STRIKE ZONE BY THE HOME PLATE UMP AND ANOTHER SHUT DOWN PERFORMANCE BY THE BULLPEN. MICHAEL CHAVIS HAD ANOTHER GREAT GAME. THEY OVERCAME ANOTHER BASERUNNING BLUNDER AND IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SECOND THEY HAD 1ST AND 3RD AND NOBODY OUT AND FAILED TO SCORE. IT WAS NOT THE GREATEST PERFORMANCE BUT QUINTANA HUNG IN THERE THROUGH 4 INNINGS GIVING UP 3 RUNS WHEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.

KEY PLAYS OF THE GAME: YOU COULD SAY THE PIRATES WON THIS GAME BY A HALF STEP AND A HALF A HAND. THE HALF A HAND WAS HOW MUCH JOSH BELL WAS OUT AT HOME PLATE IN THE TOP OF THE 7TH, WHICH COST THE NATIONALS A RUN. THE HALF OF STEP WAS HOW MUCH YOSHI TSUTSUGO WAS SAFE AT FIRST WHICH ALLOWED THE PIRATES TO SCORE A RUN, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE GAME.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WIN: THIS WAS THE PIRATES FIRST SERIES WIN IN OVER A YEAR. LAST YEAR, THEY WERE THE FIRST TEAM IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY TO GO AN ENTRIRE SEASON AND NEVER WIN A SERIES. THEY ENDED THAT STREAK YESTERDAY.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, THE BREWERS IN MILWAUKEE. WILL WE SEE THE A TEAM? HIGHLY UNLIKELY BUT POSSIBLE, SINCE THE OLD MEN REYNOLDS AND HAYES ARE NICE AND RESTED.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 6 NATIONALS 4

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THE PIRATES HAD 3 OUTFIELDERS. THEY WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME A BASERUNNING BLUNDER. THEY GOT AWAY WITH GIVING UP SIX WALKS. THEY HAD OUTSTANDING DEFENSE AND A FEW LINE DRIVES THAT WERE HIT RIGHT AT SOMEONE. THEY HIT IN THE CLUTCH. THE BULLPEN WAS GOOD AGAIN DESPITE HAVING A SHAKY NINTH INNING. SHELTON HANDLED THE BULLPEN VERY WELL, BRINGING BEDNAR IN DURING A HIGH LEVERAGE SITUATION IN THE 7TH INNING.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: WITH THE PIRATES CLINGING TO A 3-2 LEAD IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 8TH, MICHAEL CHAVIS CAPPED OFF A GREAT GAME BY LEADING OFF THE INNING WITH WHAT LOOKED TO BE A ROUTINE DOUBLE AND TURNED IT INTO A TRIPLE, WHEN THE NATIONAL’S LEFT FIELDER MADE A LEISURLY TOSS TO THE SHORTSTOP. THIS BASE RUNNING GEM SET UP THE ENTIRE INNING THAT ENABLED THE PIRATES TO SCORE 3 INSURANCE RUNS, THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE MARGIN OF THE VICTORY.

NEXT GAME: TODAY, NATIONALS, AT PITTSBURGH. WITH PATRICK CORBIN PITCHING FOR THE NATIONALS, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THE PIRATES WILL HAVE 3 OUTFIELDERS AGAIN BUT DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH.