PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Can’t say the series with the Giants didn’t lack drama. After scoring four in the ninth to tie and winning it on the 10th on Tuesday, the Pirates blew a 5-0 lead on Wednesday and a 5-1 lead on Thursday as the Giants take game three 7-6.
San Francisco pounded Hunter Stratton for a home run in the seventh and then a single, single, homer, double single and then Aroldis Chapman came in and gave up the game-winning hit, all in the eighth inning.
“Too many fastballs in the middle of the plate,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “I mean, that's the commonality with our bullpen right now, too many fastballs in the middle of the plate. Can't do it. We tried to go up to Chapman yesterday and hit the homer. We tried to go up again today and he hit the homer.”
“Our bullpen's gotta be better. We have, what? 5-1 lead yesterday 6-2 lead today? We have to be better. Our bullpen has to be better. We have to win games like that.”
Pirates built a four-run lead on a third grand slam by the team this month. Joey Bart did it with two outs in the fourth inning and it appeared Paul Skenes was heading for a first home win before the bullpen gave it away.
Even though there was traffic on the bases, Skenes allowed only one run on Thursday afternoon in front of 23,162. The 21-year-old pitched six innings, six hits, a run, a walk and three strikeouts. Skenes threw 93 pitches, 62 for strikes.
“I thought he did a good job,” Shelton said. “He had to grind through the sixth a little bit. I think he only had three punchouts so that shows you how tough of a lineup. He's had two really tough lineups in the Cubs and the Giants that make you throw strikes. They make you put the ball on the plate. They put the ball in play and I thought he pitched really well.”
“Didn’t have the best stuff but made do. That’s their game, what they did today. They’re not going to punch out a whole lot and put the ball in play. Overall, pretty happy with it.”
As for going six innings in his third career MLB start?
“I wish it were a little bit more,” Skenes said. “Had a couple long innings, but there’s going to be those games.”
“I thought I made do and put the team in the best position to win. That’s the game within the game a little bit with pitching.”
After winning five of six, the Bucs have lost two straight and host the pennant threatening Braves for three games this weekend.
Notes
· 7th time since 1900 Pirates hit grand slams on back-to-back days
· 1st time since 2000 that the Pirates hit a grand slam on back-to-back days (Pat Mears, John Vander Wal)
· 1st grand slam by a Pirates catcher since the Jacob Stallings walk-off against the Mets in 2021
· 13th time in his career that Bryan Reynolds homered in back-to-back games, Reynolds hit a solo home run to right center in the seventh
· Andrew McCutchen led off the game with a solo homer for the third time this season and 25th time in his career
· Pirates were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position
Up Next
Braves come to PNC Park on Friday night for the final three games of the homestand. LHP Bailey Falter (2-2, 3.53 ERA) against an Atlanta pitcher to be announced on Friday night at 6:40. RHP Mitch Keller (5-3, 3.84 ERA) against RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-1, 1.54 ERA) Saturday at 4:05 and Sunday LHP Martin Perez (1-3, 4.80 ERA) against LHP Chris Sale (7-1, 2.22 ERA) at 1:35. All games on 93.7 The Fan and Sunday includes the Ben Cherington Show at 12:35p.