Tag: Failing bullpen and bats

Final Score: Pirates 2 Marlins 4

Why The Pirates Lost: The bullpen could not keep the game close and the offense failed to hit in the clutch going 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and leaving 11 men on base. The top 2 and bottom 2 batters in the order went 1 for 17 with 9 strike outs. Paul Skenes had one bad inning where he gave up 2 solo home runs. He went 6 innings giving up the two runs on 4 hits walking one and striking out 10 over 6 innings. The bullpen gave up 2 in the 8th which proved to be the margin of difference. The Pirates are back to .500.

Key Moments Of The Game: The score was 2-1 Marlins going into the bottom of the 5th. The Pirates had scored 1 run in the bottom of the 4th but could have scored more. With one out in the 5th Bryan Reynolds walked. Ryan O’ Hearn struck out. Nick Gonzales singled and Tyler Callihan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jake Mangum took the first pitch and lined it into right center field. Jakob Marsee made a spectacular diving back hand catch. If the ball is just another yard or two toward right field it would have cleared the bases. The score was still 2-1 going into the top of the 8th. The Pirates brought in Brandon Bidois to pitch. He struck out the first batter. On the next 3 pitches the Marlins got 2 singles to put runners on 1st and 2nd. This should have been the time the Pirates got the bullpen up and started stalling for time. The Pirates should have had someone throwing when the inning started. As we all know this is not the Pirates way to be prepared for a pitcher failing. On the very next pitch was another single scoring the 3rd run of the game. Even the 4th straight single did not move the Pirate bench. It was too late by then anyway. Bidois got a fly ball out. Then he hit a batter and was finally taken out of the game. Bryan Reynolds who had a good day at the plate hit a home run in the bottom of the 9th to make the final 4-2

Next Game: Tonight, the A’s, wherever they play. The Pirates will have to win tonight to keep from dropping below .500. The A’s record is 35-36. Another team in the Pirate weight class that has been playing better lately, even though they lost yesterday 23-9 to the Rockies who the Pirates will be playing next. Can the Pirates do it one more time and not fall below .500?