The Pittsburgh Pirates opened their series in Baltimore with yet another gut-punch loss, falling to the Orioles in extra innings on a crew chief review that overturned Tommy Pham’s diving attempt down the left field line. The result? A walk-off single and another notch in what has become a long string of losing seasons for the Bucs.
For much of the night, the game moved quickly. Mike Burrows turned in one of his most impressive outings since returning from injury, working four strong innings with six strikeouts and a devastating mix of sliders and changeups. Braxton Ashcraft followed in the piggyback role, showing flashes of top-of-the-rotation potential despite command issues. In relief, Isaac Mattson authored a Houdini act against his former club, throwing 15 straight fastballs to escape a bases-loaded jam in the 10th. Kyle Nicolas continued his resurgence with another scoreless frame, extending his run of dominance since being recalled.
But as has been the case all year, the offense never showed up. The Pirates managed just five hits, went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, and once again demonstrated a glaring lack of power—Brian Reynolds remains the only regular with a slugging percentage north of .400. Tommy Pham’s ninth-inning homer provided brief hope, but that was about it.
It all adds up to a familiar story: solid pitching wasted by a lineup that can’t score. The Pirates have now clinched their seventh straight losing season, leaving fans frustrated and already looking ahead to an offseason full of questions.
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