Tag: No hits but a win

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 1 REDS 0

WHY THE PIRATES WON: AN HISTORIC WIN INDEED, AS THE PIRATES WERE NO HIT BY THE REDS BUT WON THE GAME. THE PIRATES BECAME JUST THE 6TH TEAM SINCE 1901 TO WIN A GAME WHERE THEY WERE HELD WITHOUT A HIT. WHAT GOT LOST IN THE SHUFFLE WAS JUST HOW WELL THE PIRATES PITCHED. THE REDS ONLY HAD 4 HITS AND JUST GOT 2 MEN TO SECOND BASE AND 1 MAN TO THIRD FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. AFTER WRITING YESTERDAY THAT I DID NOT THINK WE WOULD EVER SEE A PIRATE PITCHER PITCH INTO THE 7TH, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT QUINTANA DID. HE PITCHED 7 INNINNGS OF SHUTOUT BALL.

THE KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THE PIRATES HAD THE BASES LOADED, ALL ON WALKS, IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 8TH, WITH ONE OUT. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE REDS DID NOT COMMIT TO HAVING THE INFIELD PLAY UP. ON A WEAKLY HIT GROUND BALL TOWARD 2ND, THE REDS TRIED TO TURN THE DOUBLE PLAY, RATHER THAN GO HOME TO CUT OFF THE RUN. KE’BRYAN HAYES WAS THE BATTER AND WITH HIS SPEED, HE EASILY BEAT THE THROW TO FIRST, WHICH ENABLED THE PIRATES TO SCORE THE GO AHEAD RUN. IT’S NICE TO SEE THE OTHER TEAM DO THE BONEHEAD PLAY, ONCE IN AWHILE.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, CUBS IN CHICAGO. IT IS A QUICK TRAVEL DAY FOR THE PIRATES WHICH DOESN’T LEAVE DEREK SHELTON MUCH TIME TO THINK OF AN INFERIOR LINE UP, OR WHAT INFIELDER TO PUT IN RIGHT FIELD.