Tag: Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Pirates Morning Report: Turning Losing Into An Art Form

Final Score: Pirates 1 Padres 2

Why The Pirates Lost: It was an offensive failure this time. The Pirates did get 7 hits and 3 walks but could only muster one run. They were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. They had only one inning where they were retired in order. All of this offensive incompetence wasted a fine pitching performance by Jake (If I Didn’t Have Bad Luck I Wouldn’t Have Any Luck At All) Woodford. He gave up 3 hits, did not walk anybody in 6+ innings of work while throwing only 74 pitches. The run he was charged with scored while he was sitting in the dugout. The Padres added a run in the bottom of the 8th thanks to the combined efforts of Jalen (I Don’t Know Why They Are Using Me So Much) Beeks and Dennis (I Told You Not To Put Me In Close Games) Santana. They needed that run, since the Pirates finally scored in the top of the 9th. The game ended on a great diving catch by Padre rookie sensation Jackson Merrill to send the Pirates to their 8th straight loss.

The Key Moment Of The Game: The Pirates best chance to score came in the tip of the 6th inning. With one out Oneil Cruz singled to right field. He stole second and later went to 3rd on a wild pitch with Joey Bart at the plate. Bart walked to put runners on 1st and 3rd with one out. Up steps Rawhide Rowdy (If They Sign Me Again Next Year Then They’re Dumber Than I Think They Are) Tellez. He gets ahead of the count 2-1. Maybe he did not know what the count was because he swung at a pitch that you could have excused if the count was 1-2. The pitch was low and inside and he weakly popped it up to the first basemen for the second out. Isiah (No Relation To Ralph) Kiner-Falefa grounded out to end the inning. The Pirates had other chances. Oneil Cruz led off the 8th with a double but the Pirates could do nothing with that either. It was an artistic loss if you like Greek tragedies.

Next Game: Tonight, Padres in San Diego. Luis Ortiz goes tonight for the Pirates, and he has not looked good. In his last 16 and 1/3 innings of work, he has given up 13 runs on 15 hits walking 7. What is amazing the Pirates have been able to come back and tie or take the lead in every one of those games, so he has not been charged with any losses. If Paul Skenes had gotten that kind of support, he would be 10-0. Will it end tonight? Who knows? Only The Shadow knows.

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Pirates Morning Report: Losing Streak At 7

Final Score: Pirates 5 Dodgers 6 in 10 innings

Why The Pirates Lost: For the third time in the losing streak, the Pirates could not hold the lead going into the last inning. David Bednar was the pitcher for all 3 times. It is time to look for another closer. Another mismanaged game by The Shadow, in more ways than one. Kyle Nicholas threw 3 pitches in the bottom of the 7th. He should have come out for the 8th inning but did not. This would have moved everybody back an inning and Bedar would not have had to pitch 2 innings. Andrew McCutchen had a big game hitting 2 home runs and driving in 4 runs. Unfortunately, in the top of the 10 with the ghost runner on 2nd base he took all 6 pitches he saw to strike out without swinging at one pitch. The Pirates have finally made it. They are in last place in the Central Division. They are 10-17 against the National League West with 3 games coming up against the Padres. Four of the seven games, they have lost by 1 run and 6 or their last 9 losses have been by 1 run.

Key Moments Of The Game: The Dodgers, with the exception of the ghost runner scoring in the bottom of the 10th, scored all of their runs after 2 outs. In the first inning they had 2 outs nobody on when bam, double, double, single to jump out to a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the 2nd, they opened with a single and a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Barry (It’s Not My} Faulter got the next 2 Dodgers to ground out and hit a short fly ball to centerfield. Teoscar Hernandez lined a double to left to drive in both runs. The Dodgers tied the game immediately in the bottom of the 10 with a leadoff double by Enrique Hernandez. At this point Shelton fell asleep at the wheel again. Instead of intentionally walking the next batter, Andy Pages, whose run is meaningless, to set up a double play possibility, they pitch to him. This at bat turned into an 8 pitch tough at bat that ended on a pitch clock violation to walk him anyway. It would have been nice to save those 8 pitches. Bednar did get the next two outs on a strikeout and pop up. Teoscar (I Love Hitting Against The Pirates) Hernandez singled in the winning run to put the Pirates out of their misery.

Next Game: Tonight, the Padres in San Diego. The Pirates have not announced a pitcher yet to start tonight’s game. I have heard there are no volunteers. Will the Pirates make any hard decisions to help right the ship. Very unlikely, since they have not made any hard decisions all year.

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Pirates Morning Report: Even Skenes Can’t Stop The Skid

Final Score: Pirates 1 Dodgers 4

Why The Pirates Lost: Against 7 of the Dodgers, Paul Skenes gave up 1 hit, struck out 8 and walked one over 6 innings. However, Gavin Lux and Teoscar Hernandez nailed Skenes for 4 runs on 5 hits with Lux getting 3 RBI’s and Hernandez hitting a home run to plate the Dodger’s 4th run. Not making excuses for the Pirates, but this was about as hard luck of a game you could possibly have. The first two Hernandez hits were a blooper and a swinging bunt. Neither hit traveled over 77 MPH and his double traveled only 219 feet, barely fair, before bouncing into the stands. For the second straight game the Pirates out hit the Dodgers but could only score 1 run, thanks to two line drive outs, a spectacular catch by Kevin Kiermaier, and Michael Taylor being picked off first where the Pirates had 3 hits in the inning but failed to score. This all led to the Pirates losing their 6th game in a row and falling further out of the playoff picture. The Pirates are 11 games behind the Brewers so you can forget the division.

Key Moments Of The Game: The Pirates had chances in the 2nd, 3rd, and the 6th and through a combination of bad luck and poor base running could not do it. In the top of the 2nd Joey Bart led off with a single but was doubled off first base when Rowdy Tellez lined out to the 2nd basemen. In the top of the 3rd with one out Michael Taylor singled but then got picked off first base. The Pirates followed that up with two more singles, but a ground out ended the inning. The Pirates started off the top of the 6th with a Bryan Reynolds single and a Oneil (I Did Not Make An Error Today) Cruz walk. Joey Bart smashed one down the left field line that the Dodger 3rd baseman Enrique Hernandez was able to leap up and grab, making a spectacular play. He was not able to double off anyone, but the great play saved some runs. The next two batters for the Pirates made outs and the inning and the game was over. In the 7th they did get two hits and had 1st and 2nd with 2 outs but Reynolds lined out sharply to left to end the inning. They did not mount any more threats and scored their only run on a Ke’Bryan Hayes home run in the top of the 9th.

Next Game: Late afternoon, Dodgers in L. A. Barry Falter again draws a big name as he goes up against Tyler Glasnow. He usually holds his own when he goes up against the big gun of the other team. Maybe the Pirates can get back on track today to just try and get some confidence back. Last night was a typical game when a team is going bad and nothing goes right. Can they stop the streak at 6? Only The Shadow Shelton knows.

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Pirates Morning Report: Keller Gets Rocked, Pirates Lose 5 In A Row.

I know this is mid-afternoon but with the late game and I had an early tee time not enough time to watch the game and give the report but here we go.

Final Score: Pirates 5 Dodgers 9

Why The Pirates Lost: Mitch Keller got rocked for 7 runs on 7 hits walking 2, striking out 5 in just 4 innings of work, while throwing 95 pitches. He gave up 2 home runs, and really got knocked around in the bottom of the third. He gave up 5 runs on a walk, a Shohei Ohtani 448 foot blast, another walk, a Freddie Freeman double, Will Smith single, a wild pitch, and finally a Miguel Rojas single to make the score 6-0. Not what you would call a stellar Keller outing. The Dodgers added another 2 run homer off Domingo German to complete their scoring. The Pirate offense outhit the Dodgers 11 to 8 and did put 5 runs up on the board. Oneil Cruz had a home run and drove in another run and Joey Bart hit a 3 run homer to cut the lead to 7-4 at the time. They did strike out a whopping 16 times. That’s quite a process you have going on there, Pirate offense. When the Pirates lost 13 out of 16 games in mid April it was the offense that fell flat by not scoring more than 2 runs in 13 of those games. This losing streak can be attributed to the pitching staff just falling apart. These last 5 games the Pirates have given up 6, 6, 9, 7, and 9 runs. That’s an average of 7 runs per game. It would be hard for the 1927 Yankees to overcome that.

Key Moment Of The Game: In the big 5 run third inning for the Dodgers it was Will Smith fighting off a high inside pitch, and blooping it 68 MPH down the right field line to drive in 2 runs to make the score 5-0, that really sealed the deal. A luck hit but there were no other lucky hits on some the line shots that were hit off Keller. Not a heart-breaking loss this time as the Pirates fall further out of the wild card picture.

Next Game: Tonight, Dodgers in L. A. Paul Skenes goes tonight for the Pirates and let’s hope that he can stop the slide. The game is on an hour earlier and I do not have to leave as early in the morning so the Morning Report will be back in the morning once again.

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Pirates Morning Report: This Is Getting Old

Final Score: Pirates 6 Padres 7

Why The Pirates Lost: Another bullpen failure with David Bednar blowing his 2nd consecutive save. The offense did it’s job for a change scoring 6 runs on 12 hits, walking 3 times while striking out only 7 times. They were 3 for 8 with runners in scoring position. There was no question Bednar had some tough luck with the swinging bunt single and the throwing error by Oneil Cruz to allow the go ahead run to score, on a ball he should have never thrown in the first place. Bednar was his own worst enemy by walking two batters. Could you have had a more up and down day than Cruz? He went 3 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI. But then, he tried to go to second on a ball that if he would have run out of the box right away, he would have been safe. He did not run right out of the box and was thrown out. The Pirates for some unknown reason challenged the play, and it was easily confirmed. Glasses, anyone? Maybe spend some money and get a better monitor. If things would have played out as they did, Cruz’s base running blunder cost the Pirates a run The throwing error in the 9th ended his day on the downside. Now they have Colin Holderman on the 15 IL with a wrist strain. When in the hell, did he do that. He was never taken out of any game for it. Has he been pitching with this wrist problem and is that the reason he has been getting banged around to the tune of an 11.37 ERA over his last 7 appearances. Did he not say anything, or did they know he was pitching with an injury? It does make you wonder.

The Key Moment Of The Game: The 9th inning again, as Bednar came in to protect the one run lead. Xander Bogaerts started the inning with a little dribbler down the 3rd base line for a single. A tough break. Bednar walks Jackson Merrill on 4 pitches all high and away. So much for a short memory. He strikes out David Peralta. Ha Seong Kim was the next batter. He is having a down year. Hitting in the .220’s, he is having a below league average offensive year. This is the guy you have to challenge. Instead, Bednar after getting a lucky called 1st strike, throws four straight pitches that do not even come close to the strike zone and walks the bases loaded. Kyle Higashioka hits a slow roller to 2nd and Cruz makes the throw he shouldn’t, and the Padres grab the lead for the 2nd straight game in the 9th inning. Bednar gives up a double to Luis Arraez to give the Padres an insurance run that it turned out they needed to win the game 7-6.

Next Game: Tonight, the Dodgers in LA. The 1-5 homestand just about puts a cap on this season. There is still a long way to go, and teams can turn things around. If the Pirates go 3-3 on this road trip it will be a miracle. Will the Pirates do anything to right the ship. There isn’t a lot they can do, now that the trade deadline is way gone. If nothing else, let’s hope that Ben Heller can lower his 49.50 ERA. Come on Ben we will be pulling for you. We need a feel-good story.

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Pirates Morning Report: Padres Played Their Worst Game Of The Season And Won

Final Score: Pirates 8 Padres 9 in 10 innings

Why The Pirates Lost: The Padres did everything they could to make sure that the Pirates won, but the Pirates would not take it. The pitching on both teams was awful. Marco Gonzales in 4 and 2/3 innings gave up 5 runs on 8 hits, walking 2, giving up 2 home runs. The bullpen did ok until the 9th and 10th innings. For the game the Pirate staff gave up 9 runs on 14 hits walking 5. The Padres not to be out done, gave up 8 runs on 11 hits walking 6. The batters were incompetent also. The Pirates left 13 men on base, were 5 for 19 with runners in scoring position, and struck out 15 times. The Padres left 14 men on base, were 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position, but only struck out 7 times. There were 4 players hit by a pitch, three Padres and one Pirate. The Padres committed 2 errors which led to 3 of the Pirate runs being unearned. The Pirates committed one error which led to an unearned run for the Padres. The bottom line in all of this mess is the Padres pulled out the win and the Pirates are 1-4 on this disastrous homestand to fall one game below .500.

Key Moments Of The Game: Even though the Pirates failed to take advantage of all the Padres walks in the bottom of the 10, it was the 9th inning that was the key to this game. The Pirates were ahead 6-5 in going into the 9th with David Bednar coming in to close the game. He got the first out of the inning. Jackson Merrill came to the plate. He had hit a home run in the second inning on a fastball right down the middle just above the belt. Bednar threw a fastball exactly in the same spot. David you are not pitching to the Pirates, who 90% of the time would take that pitch. Merrill blasted it 411 feet to tie the game 6-6. Bednar then hit a batter and walked a batter but was able to get out of the inning with no more runs scoring. In the bottom of the ninth, Isiah Kiner-Falefa opened with a single. Connor Joe reached on an error to put runners on 1st and 2nd with no one out. A sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk loaded the bases for Ji Hwan Bae. Then there was the pitch clock controversy. It’s not worth going into but what it did do as an argument ensued, was make Bae stand around and think about it a lot. Who really cares if the count is 1-0, 0-1, or 0-0. In his great wisdom Derek Shelton prolonged the argument. On the second pitch Bae hit a ball below the knees weakly to second and the force out was made at the plate. Oneil Cruz grounded out and an opportunity to win the game was lost.

Next Game: This afternoon, Padres in Pittsburgh. No matter what happens today the homestand has been awful. The Pirates are 1-4 with 3 of the losses being by 1 run and two by the exact score of 9-8. The bullpen has let the Pirates down big time and management has no one to blame but themselves. Maybe they can get back to .500 before they go on this very tough road trip.

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Pirates Morning Report: 6-0 Shellacking

Final Score: Pirates 0 Padres 6

Why The Pirates Lost: They simply got outhit, outpitched and overall outplayed by the Padres. This was a game of contrasts. Because of the long weather delay this became an impromptu bullpen game. The Padre bullpen shut down the Pirates giving up 0 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 11. The Pirate bullpen gave up 6 runs over that stretch, but you could argue it was not all their fault. The defense although not charged with any errors missed three consecutive balls in the top of the 5th that led to the Padres scoring 4 runs and breaking the game open. All three balls were in the glove but not held. The other contrast was you watched a manager continuing making moves depending on who was at bat or what he wanted to match up. On the other side of the coin, you saw a manager make moves for no rhyme or reason or made no moves in key situations. I hope I do not have tell you which manager was which. Regardless the Pirates continue to slide backward on this homestand.

Key Moment Of The Game: The Pirates had a chance to make a game of it in the bottom of the 7th. They loaded the bases with 2 outs and Jared (Why Am I Still In The Big Leagues) Triolo came to plate. Curiously manager Mike Shildt brought in left hander Tanner Scott to face the right hand hitting Triolo. Whatever the reason he knew what he wanted because Scott struck out Triolo on 4 pitches. Of course, Triolo helped by taking the first pitch almost down the middle. He took a ball but then swung at a ball around his ankles, the new Triolo strike zone. He did swing and miss at a ball in the strike zone to end the threat. The Pirates never threatened again and fell to .500

Next Game: Tonight Padres in Pittsburgh. The season is slipping away, and the Pirates seemed way undermanned when compared with the other playoff contenders. I guess all we can hope for is a Brewer collapse.

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Pirates Morning Report: Bullpen Glory Lasted One Day

Final Score: Pirates 5 Diamondbacks 6

Why The Pirates Lost: The Pirates lost 2 out of 3 to the Diamondbacks and the bullpen was responsible for all 3 results. Paul Skenes finally proved he was human, but it was not that bad of an outing. He was charged with 2 runs on 5 hits over 5 and 1/3 innings but needed 100 pitches to do it. The Pirate offense put up 17 runs in the series. The two games where they put up 8 and 5 runs, they lost. Colin Holderman continues to have his struggles, but it would be more correct to say that he just can’t get out of the messes he makes, unscathed anymore. He has appeared in 43 games and has had only 9 innings where he has set the team down 3 up and 3 down. This has been a pattern of his ever since he joined the Pirates. Most of time he has been able to get out of the inning with no runs scoring. In the last 3 games this has not been the case. Yesterday he came into the game with a 4-2 lead in the top of the 7th. He walked the 1st and 3rd batters he faced on 9 pitches. I will say this, the first two pitches of the Corbin Carroll at bat looked like strikes. On a 1-2 pitch, Joc Pederson took a 100 MPH fast ball that was belt high out over the plate and belted it 107 MPH and 410 feet to give the Diamondbacks the lead they never relinquished. The Pirate bullpen has been mediocre all year ranking anywhere from 22nd to 28th in baseball. The Pirates did nothing to bolster it at the trade deadline. It certainly looks like this is what is going to keep them from making the playoffs, not the offense.

The Key Moment Of The Game: The Diamondbacks added a run in the top of the 9th on a Ketel Marte homer to take a 6-4 lead. The Pirates tried to make a comeback scoring a run and having 1st and 3rd with one out when Oneil Cruz came to bat. The Diamondbacks brought in A. J. Puk the left hander to face Cruz. Many people might say that Cruz had a good 11 pitch at bat. In my view, it was a batter refusing to take a walk for the good of the team. Pitch 6, 9, and 10 were all well inside but Cruz swung, fouling them off. I know you have to protect the plate, but if it is that far inside you have to take it to load the bases. Instead, he struck out and Bryan De La Cruz made the last out on a little blooper that Corbin Carrol was ablet to track down.

Next Game: Tonight, Padres in Pittsburgh. Unless the Pirates can sweep the Padres then this season is over. After the Padres series, the Pirates go on the west coast to face them again and the Dodgers. It does not seem feasible that this team could win 7 out of 9 which is what they need to do to get back in the hunt. Every time it looks like this team is going to fade away, they do seem to manage to come back. Time will tell if they can do it one more time.

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Pirates Morning Report: A Game To Forget

Final Score: Pirates 8 Diamondbacks 9

Why The Pirates Lost: A complete and utter pitching failure. This could have been the game that you would have remembered if the Pirates wind up making the playoffs. Instead, it’s a game to forget. The first four batters of the game for the Diamondbacks all scored on a triple throwing error and then 3 straight home runs. They added another run and had a 5-0 lead after a half of an inning. The Pirates battled back and took a 7-6 lead after 6 innings. The Diamondbacks added single runs in the 7th, 8th, and 9th to take a 9-7 lead going into the bottom of the 9th. Oneil Cruz led off the inning with his 5th hit of the night going 5 for 5. He was able to score on a Rawhide Rowdy single, but the Pirates could not get another run. Not a good start to the homestand, but our big boys are going this weekend so we may be able to salvage the series.

Key Moments Of The Game; In the top of the 7th Aroldis Chapman mowed down the first two batters by striking them out. Josh Bell was behind in the count 0-2, Chapman threw a high outside 103 MPH fastball and Bell scorched it into the right field seats. A similar home run happened to Champman earlier this year on a high outside pitch that was hit into right field for a home run. Colin (I Wish That They Had Traded Me) Holderman pithed the top of the 8th and failed to dance through the raindrops. The man just can’t seem to throw a clean inning. He gave up a single to start the inning but got the next batter to pop out. The second batter lined out to Triolo. The runner stole second during the at bat. This brought Geraldo Perdomo to the plate. Holderman got ahead of him 0-2. The next pitch he fouled off of his knee. Perdomo was in some bad pain. After throwing a ball, Holderman pretty much grooved a sweeper out over the plate just above the knees. Perdomo laced a ball off the right field wall for a double to bring in the go ahead run. They added the deciding run in the 9th on their 5th home run of the night. It was an extremely rough night for the bullpen.

Next Game: Tonight, Diamondback in Pittsburgh. The Pirates will need to bounce back tonight. They can ill afford to lose a series to the Diamondbacks at home. The offense finally did something last night and yet the Pirates still lost. Not a good sign.

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Pirate Morning Report: The Defense Rests, In Fact It Falls Asleep

Final Score: Pirates 4 Astros 5

Why The Pirates Lost: The defense fell apart, mainly Oneil Cruz, who had 3 of the Pirates 4 errors, which led to 3 of the 5 Astros runs to be unearned. The Astros only had 4 hits to go along with 1 walk and a HBP to score their 5 runs. Making his Pirate debut was Jake Woodford who had to be thinking am I really in the major leagues. In 5 innings of work, he gave up only 2 hits and 1 walk but left the game with only a 4-3 lead. Colin (I Told You He Should Have Been Traded) Holderman gave up the big 2 run home run on his very first pitch to give the Astros a 5-4 lead that they never relinquished. It was his 97 MPH fastball, and I admit it was not in a bad location, but Mauricio Dubon must have been looking for it and hit it out of the ballpark. Having a 3-3 road trip was still very good. You just hate to see the Pirates give the Astros a gift win. Oneil Cruz will be glad to leave Houston.

The Key Moment Of The Game: The 2 run homer by Dubon was the big hit of the ballgame. Shelton made the right move but this time it did not work out. The Pirates had a chance in the top of the 8th but could not get the big 2 out hit this time. All in all, a very disappointing loss.

The Next Game: Tomorrow night, the Diamondbacks in Pittsburgh. The Pirates open up a 6 game home stand against the Diamondbacks and the Padres. If this team is going to contend for the wild card, then a 4-2 homestand is a must. The Pirates made some nice additions to the team and removed some deadwood. It is looking more and more like it is going to take about 88 to 90 wins to make the wild card. It is time to start August off with a bang.