Tag: This is baseball?

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Pirates Morning Report: Seven Runs Not Enough

Final Score: Pirates 7 Tigers 8

Why The Pirates Lost: For the 9th time this year the Pirates scored 7 or more runs but lost the game. Last night the pitchers reverted back to their old selves. They gave up 10 hits and walked 7 for the game. It was a comedy of errors in the field as the Pirates could not catch pop ups, line drives, had ground balls go between their legs, and best of all, struck out a batter with 2 outs and the bases loaded that scored 2 runs when the ball got away from Flores. This was in the bottom of the 3rd when the Tigers scored 4 runs on 2 hits after there was 2 outs and nobody on base. No other way to say it, this game was a debacle.

Key Moment Of The Game: Bubba Chandler as usual could not find the strike zone. In 2 and 2/3 innings he walked 4 and was charged with 6 earned runs. Nice way to end a very disappointing season. This game could have been a lot worse if it were not for the Tigers going 2 for 17 with runners in scoring position and leaving 11 men on base. The Pirates made a game of it by scoring 5 runs in the 8th highlighted by Rafael Flores Jr. 3 run homer. The Pirates went out quietly in the 9th to put the fans out of their misery.

Next Game: This afternoon, Tigers in Detroit. This game is significant because Justin Verlander is making the final start of his Hall of Fame career. The Pirates will be trying to get their 82nd win so they can have a winning season. They did not look like they were that interested in doing that, the way they played last night. Maybe it was that exhausting trip to Detroit that did them in. Stay tuned.

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Pirates Morning Report:

THE FINAL SCORES: 1ST GAME: PIRATES 1 CARDINALS 3

2ND GAME: PIRATES 1 CARDINALS 9

WHY THE PIRATES LOST BOTH GAMES: I THINK THIS SUMS IT UP BEST. ON THE DAY THE PIRATES HAD 60 AT BATS, SCORED 2 RUNS, ON 8 HITS AND HAD 13 TOTAL BASES. PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT OF THE CARDINALS HAD 8 AT BATS, SCORED 4 RUNS, ON 6 HITS, AND HAD 15 TOTAL BASES. THE PIRATES HAD 4 ERRORS IN THE FIRST GAME, INCLUDING 3 THROWING ERRORS BY DIEGO CASTILLO. WOULDN’T YOU LIKE TO SEE HIM AND YU CHANG PLAY CATCH? SPEAKING OF YU CHANG, HE HIT A HOME RUN IN THE FIRST GAME FOR THE ONLY PIRATE RUN. IT WAS THE JAW DROPPING MOMENT OF THE GAME, POSSIBLY THE SEASON. IN THE 2ND GAME BRYCE WILSON SHOWED WHY HE IS THE LEADING CONTENDER FOR AAA PITCHER OF THE YEAR. HE SURE AS HELL CAN’T PITCH IN THE MAJORS.

THE KEY MOMENT OF THE GAMES: IN GAME 1, THE BIZARRE BALK CALL THAT EVENTUALLY ALLOWED THE CARDINALS TO SCORE A RUN, AND A 3-0 LEAD. IT DID GIVE THE CARDINALS A NICE CUSHION, THAT THEY DID NOT REALLY NEED. KEY MOMENT IN GAME 2, BRYCE WILSON TOOK THE MOUND.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, CARDINALS IN ST. LOUIS. CONTRERAS IS SCHEDULED TO PITCH, SO THE SHADOW WILL HAVE TO WORK EXTRA HARD TO COME UP WITH A LINE UP THAT IS BAD ENOUGH TO ENSURE THE 10TH LOSS IN A ROW. AFTER WATCHING HIM FOR ONE INNING, I AM SURE THE LINE UP WILL INCLUDE THE TURTLE PLAYING 1ST BASE TO START A GAME. YU CHANG WILL BE THERE TOO, TO MAKE SURE THE STREAK CONTINUES. THE PIRATES ARE BACK IN CONTENTION FOR ONE OF THE TOP 3 DRAFT PICKS FOR NEXT YEAR, ALTHOUGH THE CUBS ARE GOING DOWN WITHOUT TRYING ALSO. THE PIRATES ARE STILL IN 3RD PLACE IN THE DIVISION. COULD SHELTON GET MANAGER OF THE YEAR, ONLY THE SHADOW KNOWS.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 4 PADRES 2

WHY THE PIRATES WON: SIMPLY, THE SAN DIEGO PADRES GIFT WRAPPED THIS ONE. LET ME COUNT THE WAYS. THE PADRES COULD ONLY SCORE 2 RUNS ON 10 HITS WITH 7 WALKS AND LEFT 16 MEN ON BASE. WHILE CHARGED WITH ONLY 1 ERROR THEY MADE NUMEROUS MISPLAYS IN THE FIELD. WHEN TUCUPITA MARCANO WAS TRYING TO BUNT IN THE TOP OF THE NINTH, THEY WALKED HIM ON 4 STRAIGHT PITCHES. IT TOOK A DRAMATIC HOME RUN IN THE NINTH TO WIN THE GAME, BECAUSE THE PIRATES TRIED JUST AS HARD NOT TO WIN THE GAME. THEY HAD NUMEROUS FIELDING BLUNDERS AND LEFT 9 MEN ON BASE. THEY STRUCK OUT 15 TIMES. TUCUPITA MARCANO SHOWED HE IS THE PERFECT PIRATE, WHEN HE TOOK 2 STRIKES AND THEN STRUCK OUT ON A BALL OUT OF THE STRIKE ZONE, WITH A RUNNER ON THIRD AND ONE OUT. IT’S NICE TO SEE THE PIRATE BATTING PHILOSOPHY IS THROUGH OUT THE SYSTEM. THIS WAS TOPPED OFF BY ONE OF THE WORST HOME RUN CALLS IN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL BY GREG BROWN. AS KE’BRYAN HAYES WAS ROUNDING THE BASES IN THE TOP OF NINTH, HE FIRST SAID THE PIRATES HAD A 3-1 LEAD, THEN LED BY ONE RUN, 3-2, AND FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT BY SAYING THE SCORE WAS 4-2. I GUESS WE CAN BLAME IT ON JET LAG OR SHOCK ON THE PIRATES HITTING A HOME RUN IN THE 9TH TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THE GAME. THANK GOD THIS GAME ENDED AT 1:45 AM, WITH HOPEFULLY NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE WATCHING. THIS GAME SET BASEBALL BACK 50 YEARS.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: THERE WERE TOO MANY TO MENTION THEM ALL. OBVIOUSLY, HAYES’S HOME RUN WAS THE BIG HIT OF THE GAME. SHELTON BATTING FOR PEREZ IN THE 9TH MAY HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST MOMENT. IT IS INTERESTING THAT HE PINCH HIT FOR PEREZ IN THE 9TH THIS TIME, WHEN HE DID NOT A FEW GAMES BEFORE WITH THE WINNING RUN ON 3RD BASE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH.

NEXT GAME: THIS AFTERNOON, PADRES IN SAN DIEGO. COULD THE PIRATES TAKE THE SERIES? CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THE LINE UP CARD.

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Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 4 ST. LOUIS 18

WHY THE PIRATES LOST: SOMEBODY TOLD BRYCE WILSON THAT HE WOULD ONLY BE PITCHING BATTING PRACTICE TO THE CARDINALS TODAY AND HE BELIEVED THEM. THE GAME STARTED AT 11:30, WAY TO EARLY FOR THE PIRATES. EVEN THOUGH NOTHING MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN A GAME LIKE THIS, THE PIRATES CONTINUE TO PUT OUT THESE STRANGE LINE UPS. ANOTHER INFIELDER IN RIGHT FIELD AND HE COULD NOT THROW A RUNNER OUT AT THE PLATE FROM 170 FEET. KE’BRYAN HAYES MADE ANOTHER ERROR TODAY. I DON’T THINK ARENADO WILL HAVE TO BE WORRIED ABOUT HAYES STOPPING HIS GOLD GLOVE STREAK THIS YEAR, OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. FINALLY, THE PIRATES SENT A REQUEST TO THE LEAGUE OFFICE, THAT FROM NOW ON THEIR OPPONENTS HAVE TO HAVE A POSITION PLAYER PITCH AT LEAST ONE INNING, IN EVERY GAME. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THE PIRATES HAVE A CHANCE AT SCORING RUNS.

KEY MOMENT OF THE GAME: WHEN BRYCE WILSON THROUGH A PITCH.

NEXT GAME: TONIGHT, ROCKIES IN PITTSBURGH. THE PIRATES ARE 9-13 AT HOME AND THE ROCKIES ARE 5-10 ON THE ROAD. EXPECT SOME GREAT BASEBALL. I HEAR THAT SHELTON IS THINKING OF STARTING REYNOLDS, GAMEL, AND SUWINSKI IN THE INFIELD. HE IS PUTTING HAYES, CASTRO, AND CHAVIS, IN LEFT, CENTER, AND RIGHT. WHY NOT? I AM SURE THE PIRATE ANNOUNCERS WILL BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY THOSE MOVES.