Tag: Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE GAME 1: PIRATES 2 TIGERS 3

WHY THE PIRATES LOSS: THE LINE UP CARD, AS SHELTON CONTINUES TO PLAY INFERIOR PLAYERS. THE PIRATES CAN TALK ALL THEY WANT ABOUT PLAYER DEVELOPEMENT BUT YOU CAN NOT IMPROVE YOUR GAME IF YOU DON’T PLAY. SHODDY DEFENSE SPOILED SOME GREAT PITCHING FROM DILLON PETERS AND BRYCE WILSON AND THE INABILITY OF THE PIRATE BATTERS TO GET A RUNNER HOME FROM THIRD WITH ONE OUT IN THE FIFTH PROVED COSTLY. FROM THAT POINT ON THE PIRATE’S BATS WENT COMPLETELY DEAD.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: WITH 2 OUT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH, THE TIGERS HAD RUNNERS ON 2ND AND 3RD, WHEN A GROUND BALL TO KE’BRYAN HAYES WAS PLAYED SO BADLY, THAT HE MANAGED TO THROW THE BALL BACKWARDS INTO LEFT FIELD WHICH ALLOWED BOTH RUNNERS TO SCORE AND THE TIGERS TOOK THE LEAD 3-2. THE PIRATES NEVER GOT A RUNNER ON BASE IN THE NEXT 4 INNINGS.

FINAL SCORE GAME 2: PIRATES 7 TIGERS 2

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THIS TIME THE A TEAM PLAYED AND THE PIRATES WON THE GAME RATHER HANDILY. THE HOME RUN BALL APPEARED AND THE PIRATES ADDED ON IN THE 8TH TO SEAL THE DEAL. EVEN THOUGH HE ONLY WENT 5 INNINGS, JOSE QUINTANA HAD ANOTHER SOLID PITCHING PERFORMANCE. QUINTANA, BY FAR, HAS BEEN THE MOST CONSISTANT PIRATE STARTER. THEY WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME SOME MORE BAD DEFENSIVE PLAY.

THE KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: IN THE TOP OF THE 7TH BRYAN REYNOLDS GOT A BLOOP DOUBLE AFTER A BEN GAMEL WALK, TO PUT RUNNERS ON SECOND AND THIRD WITH NO ONE OUT. FROM THAT POINT, THE PIRATES WERE ABLE TO SCORE BOTH RUNS WITHOUT GETTING A HIT. A WILD PITCH SCORED GAMEL AND MOVED REYNOLDS TO THIRD. A SACRIFICE FLY BY THE TURTLE SCORED REYNOLDS AND THE PIRATES HAD A 4-2 LEAD.

NEXT GAME: FRIDAY, REDS IN CINCINNATI THE REDS HAVE ONLY WON 3 OUT OF 24 GAMES THIS YEAR. THEY HAVE TAKEN TANKING TO A NEW LEVEL AND HAVE CAUGHT THE PIRATES TOTALLY OFF GUARD IN THEIR QUEST FOR THE NO. 1 PICK NEXT YEAR. THE PIRATES COULD PUT THE B TEAM OUT THERE FOR ALL THREE GAMES TO HELP THE REDS OUT, ONLY THE SHELTON KNOWS.

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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: 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 2 NATIONALS 7

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: DEREK SHELTON MADE UP ANOTHER GOOFY LINE UP WITH ONLY 2 OUTFIELDERS AND PLAYING PARK OVER NEWMAN. ANOTHER POOR PERFORMANCE BY MITCH KELLER SEALED THE DEAL. HE FACED 21 BATTERS WITH 10 GETTING ON BASE AND GIVING UP 4 RUNS, THROWING 84 PITCHES IN JUST 3 AND 2/3 INNINGS. YET I WAKE UP THIS MORNING READING THAT HE IS ON THE VERGE. ON THE VERGE OF WHAT I DON’T KNOW, CERTAINLY NOT GETTING COMMAND OF HIS PITCHES. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF THE 5 STARTERS HE IS THE WORSE. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SPRING TRAINING PERFORMANCE BEING MEANINGLESS. YOU WANT ANOTHER EXAMPLE, THE LEADING HOME RUN TEAM IN SPRING TRAINING IS NOW 27TH IN HOME RUNS AND NOT LIKELY TO MOVE UP.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: KELLER THROWING THE FIRST PITCH OF THE GAME. THE FIRST FOUR PLAYERS GOT SINGLES AND IT WAS 2-0 BEFORE YOU COULD SAY ON THE VERGE.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, NATIONALS AT PITTSBURGH. I AM SURE THAT HAYES AND REYNOLDS WILL NEED TO BE RESTED TONIGHT, OR SUNDAY AT THE LATEST. MAYBE PARK OR TUCKER CAN GO BEHIND THE PLATE. MAYBE THE PIRATES WON’T USE A DH. WHO KNOWS WHAT CRAZY LINE UP WILL BE OUT THERE TONIGHT? IT IS THE ONE THING THAT KEEPS THE PIRATES INTERESTING, AT LEAST.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 9 NATIONALS 4

WHY THE PIRATES WON: THE PIRATES DID NOT HAVE A RIGHT FIELDER AGAIN FOR THE FOURTH TIME THIS SEASON. THIS HELPED THE NATIONALS TO SCORE 3 FIRST INNING RUNS. THE PIRATE’S BATS MORE THAN MADE UP FOR IT, BY SCOURGING THE BALL FOR 9 RUNS. IT WAS THE HARDEST THEY HIT THE BALL THIS SEASON. THE TURTLE STARTED THE BALL ROLLING WITH A LEAD OFF HOME RUN AND HIT FOR THE TURTLE CYCLE BECAUSE HE WILL NEVER GET A TRIPLE. THE PITCHING SHUT DOWN ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE GAME, JUAN SOTO, HANGING AN 0 FOR 4 COLLAR ON HIM. THE BULLPEN WAS OUTSTANDING AGAIN, WITH ROANSY CONTRERAS PITCHING A SUBERB THREE INNINGS TO GET HIS FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE WIN. THE BULLPEN REMAINS THE SURPRISE OF THE SEASON, SO FAR.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: AGAIN, IT WAS A MAGICAL TOP OF THE FIFTH FOR THE PIRATES. THE NATIONALS LOADED THE BASES ON A WALK AND TWO SINGLES WITH ONE OUT AND COULD ONLY SCORE ONE RUN, ON A SACRIFICE FLY. THAT GOT THEM WITHIN ONE RUN OF THE LEAD. THE PIRATES GOT THAT RUN BACK IN THE BOTTOM OF THE INNING AND SCORED ONE IN 6TH, AND 2 IN THE 7TH TO WRAP THE GAME UP.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, NATIONALS IN PITTSBURGH PLEASE HAVE 3 OUTFIELDERS TONIGHT, PLEASE.

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Pirates Morning Report

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 6 CUBS 2

WHY THE PIRATES WON: FIRST OFF, WHEN I SAW THAT STARTING LINE UP, I THOUGHT THE PIRATES DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE. FORTUNATELY, THE PLAYERS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE FIELD OR IN THE LINE UP HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WIN. THE PIRATES HAD 2 OUT LIGHTENING WHICH WON THE GAME. ALL THEIR RUNS CAME WHEN THERE WERE 2 OUTS. IN FACT, IN THE FIRST, THEY HAD 2 OUT AND NOBODY ON AND EVENTUALLY GOT 3 RUNS WITH GAMEL’S HOMER. THE BULLPEN WAS OUTSTANDING AGAIN. MAYBE WILL CROWE WILL BE ONE OF THOSE GUYS YOU READ ABOUT ALL THE TIME, WHO IS A MEDIOCRE STARTER, BUT BECOMES A TOP BULLPEN GUY. I KNOW ITS EARLY BUT THAT WOULD BE A NICE AND NEEDED SURPRISE.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: IN THE TOP OF THE FIFTH THE CUBS HAD 1ST AND 2ND WITH NOBODY OUT, WHEN DILLON PETERS ENTERED THE GAME. DEPITE SOME WILDNESS, THAT I SUSPECT WAS FROM LACK OF WORK, HE GOT THE FIRST OUT. THEN HE WALKED A BATTER TO LOAD THE BASES BUT GOT WILLSON CONTREAS TO GROUND INTO A DOUBLE PLAY TO END THE THREAT. THAT WAS WHEN THE CUBS COULD HAVE GOTTEN BACK IN THE GAME. THEY NEVER THREATENED AGAIN.

NEXT GAME: THE NATIONALS TONIGHT AT HOME. SHELTON WILL HAVE TO DO BETTER WITH THAT STARTING LINE UP IF WANTS THE PIRATES TO GET THE 1ST PICK NEXT YEAR. PUT THE TURTLE OUT ON THE FIELD, I DARE YOU.