PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – In the 17 games prior to playing the Pirates, the Oakland A’s had scored more than three runs in a game twice. The run differential was -211 heading into the series. To clarify, they had been outscored by 211 runs in 61 games. They took it out on the Pirates, crushing the Bucs arms for 25 runs in three games, including a 9-4 win Wednesday afternoon.
“Obviously not the result we are looking for out there as a team,” said Pirates infielder Rodolfo Castro who homered and drove in three runs. “We continue to play hard and its part of baseball. We go out there every day and do our best. I guess Oakland played some good baseball here.
Pirates starter Roansy Contreras drilled for seven runs on six hits and two walks in a third of an inning. He threw 38 pitches to get ONE out. Reliever Rob Zastryzny didn’t help, walking home a pair of runs in relief.
“For some reason today, it was hard for me to get into a rhythm,” Contreras said. “I felt like my body wasn’t connected to my arm and it was hard for me to make pitches.”
“We gave up seven in the first, so that makes it tough,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “We climbed back into it. We brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth. We had a situation in the seventh where we had the bases loaded with one out.”
While the Pirates would attempt a couple of rallies, double plays and a lack of a big hit again slowed the offense (nine left on base) against the team that has allowed nearly 100 more runs than any other club in Major League Baseball this year.
“They kept playing,” Shelton said. “I give them credit for that. We played well defensively. Connor Joe made a heck of a throw. We got out of some jams when we were on defense. There were a couple double plays. We couldn’t get the big hit to get right back to it.”
Pirates pitching was even worse than the score when you consider nine was probably the fewest runs Oakland would have scored, A’s left 15 on base Wednesday afternoon.
Contreras Future
The 23-year-old right-hander was moved to the bullpen briefly to work on some issues, but the decision was made to quickly put him back in the rotation. Could Contreras go back to the pen after giving up 12 runs in his last 4.1 innings? Shelton, and the Pirates staff, is considering it, but they have a stretch coming up with few off days. Luis Ortiz is working on the same number of days rest as is 2019 first-round pick Quinn Priester at AAA.
“I don’t know,” Shelton said of the next move. “Learning experience here. We have to sit down and talk about it. We go 0-2 to the first hitter, we walk him. We don’t execute with two strikes. He didn’t execute the breaking ball today.”
Contreras said it’s been tough to ‘find himself’ on the mound, but he will continue to work. He admits this is difficult to go through at this point in his career, but he will face the tough moments head on. Could time in the bullpen be a good thing?
“It’s just a matter of continuing to make adjustments with the stuff that I’m working on and continue to work,” Contreras said. “That’s the key and I’ll be in a good spot.”
Cutch update
Andrew McCutchen got his 1,998th career hit with a single in the seventh inning. He hasn’t had a lot of hits, but has spent a lot of time on base in the series, walking seven times. Now three consecutive games for McCutchen to record multiple walks in the same game. The longest streak since Jory Mercer in May of 2017. McCutchen is now tied for 113th place on the MLB all-time bases on balls list with Rod Carew and Enos Slaughter with 1,018.
AAA catchers
2021 first-round pick Henry Davis got his first AAA hit, an RBI triple in his second game at that level. Davis started in right field after catching on Tuesday. Endy Rodriguez behind the plate and had two hits including an RBI double. Cal Mitchell continues his hot hitting with three RBI. Priester started giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks over five innings. The ERA up to 4.63 as he struck out four and allowed just his third home run of the year.
Up Next
Thursday is an off day with the Mets in town on Friday night. LHP Rich Hill (5-5, 4.41 ERA) starts for the Bucs as New York goes with RHP Tylor Megill (5-3, 4.40 ERA). North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show with Dan Zangrilli at 6p with first pitch on 93.7 The Fan at 7:05p.