North Shore Nine

The Pirates fell to the Padres 9-8 tonight, falling to 56-57 on the season. Two runs in the 10th inning was not enough to overcome yet another Colin Holderman disaster.

Marco Gonzales started the game and struggled, allowing 5 earned runs in 4.2 innings, including 2 home runs allowed. However, the bullpen was on its game tonight. Hunter Stratton and Jalen Beeks provided 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball. Then, Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless 8th inning, but David Bednar blew the save by allowing a solo home run to Jackson Merrill, his second of the game.

Offensively, the Pirates scored two runs in the 2nd inning to grab an early lead. However, the Padres’ offense would answer, taking the lead twice in the middle innings. Andrew McCutchen answered the bell in the 6th inning, driving a two-run single to left-center field.

After Merrill’s game-tying 9th inning bomb, the Pirates managed to load the bases with one out. However, they could not plate the winning run, as Ji Hwan Bae grounded into a fielder’s choice and Oneil Cruz grounded out.

In the 10th, Holderman posted another stinker of an outing, allowing three runs. In the bottom half, Tanner Scott spun his own disaster. He walked three straight batters, making it a 9-7 game with the bases loaded and no outs. Then, Adrian Morejon relieved him and threw a wild pitch, making it a one-run game. However, the Pirates were unable to capitalize on the game-tying tun at third base with no outs. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Connor Joe, and Yasmani Grandal are to blame for that.

McCutchen also pulled a solo shot to left field in the 4th inning. Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes had multi-hit games, tallying two singles each. Kiner-Falefa also had two hits, including a triple.

The Pirates will look to avoid a sweep tomorrow with Luis Ortiz on the bump. The Padres will start Randy Vasquez. The Pirates have fallen in the standings and need to go on a run soon if they want to be in the thick of the playoff race.