PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Padres starter Joe Musgrove gave up his first hit since game one, his first extra-base hit of the season and first run of the season all in one Gregory Polanco swing in the second inning. It led to his first loss, 5-1 to the Pirates in his return to PNC Park.
Polanco was 2 for 2 with a homer in his career coming into the game against Musgrove. He would add another hit and stolen base off his old teammate.
“It means a lot because he’s our friend,” Polanco said. “He’s our guy. But when we are out there we are competing. This means a lot.”
Polanco said Musgrove missed his pitch on the home run. Polanco also told us he made an adjustment with his stance which helped him be on time.”.
“Really good at bats,” manager Derek Shelton said. “He was in the middle of all of our runs being scored. Getting on base there late to help us extend. Very quality at bats, nice night by Greg.”
Pirates did a good job of working at bats to drive Musgrove’s pitch count to 81 and he left after giving up that run over four innings.
“Coming off the no-hitter, my assumption was the fact that he would be a little shortened just because of the fact of pitching 9 innings this early in the year,” Shelton said. “We did a nice job. He had good stuff early on, executed pitches. We were able to foul pitches off, extend at bats. We weren’t able to score a ton of runs off him, but to be able to get him out of the game after the fourth was extremely important for us.”
Colin Moran would drive in Adam Frazier, who was 3-5, with a 2-out single in the fifth. Bucs got some breathing room in the 8th as Polanco walked, Dustin Fowler singled, hitless on the season, Michael Perez was hit by a pitch. Erik Gonzalez singled in Polanco and then Frazier drove in Fowler and Perez.
The bullpen of Duane Underwood, Jr, Sam Howard and Chris Stratton combined for 3.2 innings, 2 hits, no runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts.
“That’s a really good outing by our bullpen,” Shelton said. “Last night we talked about it being an ugly game. Tonight was a clean game, all the way around.”
Anderson impresses
After giving up three runs in each of his first two starts, Tyler Anderson lasted longer than Musgrove giving up a run on four hits over five and a third innings with a pair of walks and strikeouts.
The veteran lefty was able to give up only a run despite giving up a leadoff runner in five of the six innings he started.
“We did a good job of getting ground balls tonight,” Anderson said. “Just keeping the ball on the ground. I think for the most part that’s all about just trying to make quality pitches. I think that is what held tonight.”
“Ability to mix and match, he is a veteran guy who knows where he wants to go in the strike zone,” Shelton said. “I thought Mikey Perez did a really nice job with him tonight. The execution on the fastball to both sides of the plate. When he had to go in on right-handers, he went in and executed.”
Military Wednesdays
Today’s military Wednesday charity is The Mission Continues-their mission is for all veterans that desire to continue to serve to help transform communities nationwide.
“Military Wednesdays are very special, very cool,” Shelton said. “We get to wear the camo today, which I’m digging.”
Up Next
The end of the home stand with a 12:35 first pitch Thursday, Mitch Keller coming off a strong start makes his first ever appearance against San Diego. Righty Chris Paddack for the Padres.