This is getting old. Pirates rally twice just to lose to the Cardinals in a 9-6 wild affair in 10 innings. This makes the Pirates losing streak four games and drops them to 0-5 versus the Cardinals this season. Mitch Keller was pulled with two outs in the 6th inning at 83 pitches and Evan Sisk immediately served up the go-ahead home run to Nolan Gorman. The Pirates fall to .500 now with a 24-24 record. DiNardo and Doug break this one down on the NS9 Postgame Show powered by Primanti’s Bros. You can watch/listen here:
Here’s my three takeaways from this loss…
Pirates Bats Rallied Twice and Did Show Fight
I tweeted this out before first pitch: “Let’s see how much fight this team has.” And despite the loss, I will give them credit that they battled back twice. After being lifeless against Matthew Liberatore through four innings, they got to him in the 5th inning for four runs and chased him from the game which was so satisfying to see. And then after the bullpen blew it again, the Pirates lineup came through again to score two runs in the 9th inning to tie the game and force extras. The overall result was still a loss, but I do like how they showed fight and the offense did produce and bounce back after being shutout the past two games against the Phillies.
The bats outhit the Cardinals 12 hits to 9, but the difference was the Cardinals hit four home runs and the Pirates hit none. In fact, they only had one extra-base hit—Bryan Reynolds big two-RBI double in the 5th inning to tie the game for the Pirates. That was a huge hit, but the Pirates needed one more to come through in this one.
Questionable Decisions from Don Kelly
Don Kelly had a couple questionable decisions in this loss. The first one was in the bottom of the 6th inning when Mitch Keller got Jordan Walker to pop out for the second out and one on, Kelly decided to pull Keller at 83 pitches. He went with the lefty lefty matchup and called on Evan Sisk to face Nolan Gorman. Well, Gorman took him deep of course. Last week, Kelly stayed with his starter and it burned him and naturally he makes the move Tuesday night and it doesn’t work out either. That’s the kind of stuff that just happens against the Cardinals. I won’t crucify him for this decision as much, but you know me…my starting pitcher is only at 83 pitches and has been pitching fine since early in the game, he’s not laboring and my bullpen has shown that aren’t very good in high leverage lately…I’m going to just stick with my starter to get through the inning. Kelly thought differently and Sisk let him down with the go-ahead home run to Gorman.
Then there’s the 9th inning. Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien is melting down. Nick Gonzales leads off with a single, then O’Brien hits Konnor Griffin and Bryan Reynolds with the pitch to load the bases with no outs. Marcell Ozuna is up. Ozuna hasn’t been good all season. He was 0-for-2 to this point. Why not pinch hit for him here and bring Spencer Horwitz to bat? Instead, Kelly doesn’t make the move and Ozuna grounds into a double play. A run scores but now there’s two outs. Oneil Cruz works a walk on a great at-bat and then Kelly bring Horwitz off the bench to pinch hit for Jhostynxon Garcia. Horwitz comes through with an RBI single to tie it, but just think it he singles with the bases loaded and still no outs. The Pirates would have had a real chance of taking the lead and winning the game.
Then in the top of the 10th inning with the ghost runner on second, Kelly brings Jake Mangum to pinch hit for Jared Triolo. Triolo had three hits in the game, but he came up favoring his leg after diving to first earlier in the game so I believe he came out due to injury. But with Mangum up, runner on second, why not bunt him to third? No bunt happens and you can easily predict that Mangum strikes out. Endy Rodriguez flies out and Nicky G grounds out and you don’t score in extras and lose five minutes later.
I get it, it was one of those games but I wouldn’t put this game on Don Kelly’s managerial resume any time soon.
Someone Send Help to the Bullpen Please
Fixing a bullpen in May is near impossible, but can we please get Wilber Dotel or someone up here? The pen gave up five runs in this one (four earned) as their struggles continue. Sisk served up a two-run blast where one run was charged to Keller. Brandan Bidois gave up a run on the home run to Alec Burleson and then Mason Montgomery went single and mammoth HR given up to finish the game in the 10th inning for the loss. Only Gregory Soto looked solid when he struck out the side on 13 pitches in the 9th inning to send the game to extras.
This pen is in a bad place right now. You don’t feel comfortable with any of them besides Soto at this point. Carmen Mlodzinski starts Wednesday and if he only goes five or less, look out…it could be another long, frustrating night for the Pirates in St. Louis.
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