Tag: No big hit

Final Score: Pirates 2 Mets 4 in 11 innings

Why The Pirates Lost: The Pirates had 12 hits, 4 walks, plus a Met error, but could only manage 2 runs, and that was because of the ghost runner. They left 17 men on base and were 2 for 18 with runners in scoring position. WOW and DOUBLE WOW. In the first two innings, they went 6 up and 6 down. In other words, they left all those men on base in just 9 innings. Triple WOW. All of this hitting ineptness wasted a great performance by Mitch Keller. He went 6 innings, allowing no runs on 3 hits while striking out 3 and walking no one. The bullpen would not be so stingy. In 4+ innings of work, they walked 5. Hunter Barco came in the bottom of the 10th and promptly hit a batter, then gave up two singles, and the Mets had tied the game 1-1. Miraculously, he got out of the jam on two ground balls and a fly out. In the bottom of the 11th, he walked the leadoff hitter. Next Luis Robert Jr. golfed one out of the ballpark for a 4-2 Mets win. This is only the 2nd game, and I still think this team is going to be pretty good, but did this game ever remind you of 2025?

Key Moments Of The Game: This is really painful, but I’m doing it. Top of the 3rd, 1st and 2nd with one out, 0 runs. Top of the 4th, 1st and 2nd, 0 outs, 0 runs. Top of the 5th, bases loaded, 2 outs, 0 runs. Top of the 6th, 1st and 2nd, 1 out, 0 runs. Top of the 9th, runner on 2nd, 1 out, 0 runs. Top of the 10th, able to get the ghost runner in with a one-out single, but then had 1st and 2nd, 1 out, and bases loaded, 2 outs, no further runs scored. Top of the 11th, singled in the ghost runner with 2 outs, then had 1st and 3rd, but could not add any runs. Whew, I did it. I don’t feel all that bad either, certainly not as bad as the Pirates must feel. This was a game of missed opportunities for the beleaguered Pirates.

Next Game: Today, Mets in New York, 1:40. Carmen Mlodzinski will take the hill for the Pirates. We will see if he is better at getting through the lineup more than once. He has added pitches to his arsenal to make that more of a possibility. Hopefully, the Pirates can avoid the sweep. The Mets, who are not afraid to use young players, will send 24-year-old phenom Nolan McLean. It will be interesting to see who the centerfielder will be today. It should be Jake Mangum, and he should lead off. Even if the Pirates go with Cruz, he should not lead off. Of course, even Cruz is better than 2 for 10 Triolo leading off. Talk about crazy batting orders. Can the Pirates get out of New York with a win? Let’s hope so.