Pirates Drop Lid Lifter to World Champions: The Good, Bad, Ugly

The Good:

The Pirates had some positives in their 6-3 loss to the Yankees. The pitching staff (with a shot at making the club) sparkled.  The entire staff gave up no walks.

Paul Maholm got three ground ball outs.  Nine of his eleven pitches were strikes. He had a funky delivery change in a certain situation, did you see that?  Ross Ohlendorf struck out A Rod and forced two other ground outs. Maholm, Ohlendorf, Brian Bass, and the quick working D.J. Carrasco cruised through the Yankee lineup without giving up a hit. I don’t think a ball left the infield with those four on the mound.

Jack Taschner and Jean Machi each had two strikeouts against some of the lesser Yankee talent.  But Machi has some serious cheese.

The Bucs got on the board in the seventh inning when Delwyn Young was hit by a pitch.  Jose Tabata had a basehit and Erik Kratz doubled to center, scoring Young and a stumbling Tabata.  Kratz moved to third on a throwing error by Greg Golson.  Ryan Church grounded out, scoring Kratz.

The Bad:

Where was the Pirates offense?  Ugh.  That wasn’t the Yankees best pitching out there fellas.  Three hits?  One of those hits was an infield single by Andrew McCutchen who then took second on an errant pickoff attempt.  He was stranded.   Aki on a full count hit a tapper back to the mound, Garrett Jones flew out to shallow right center and Ryan Doumit grounded to first.

The Ugly:

Colin Curtis hit a one-out three-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth off Virgil Vasquez.

NOTES:

Shocking many Pirate fans, Jeff Clement did field a ground ball, catch a throw from an infielder, and didn’t get lost from the dugout to the first base bag.  Now….how about that hitting Jeff.  

Ohlie’s nasty hook that struck out ARod nearly burnt up my DVR.    Good thing Clement was a catcher, did you see Ohlie throw that 90 mile an hour heater on that play in the second inning?

Carrasco getting Mark Texiera with that low 90’s fastball was a beautiful thing.  Heh D.J.  have you met Kevin Hart?  Perhaps you could show him how to move the game along a little bit. 

Lastings Milledge just missed hitting one out.  Just missed. 

Steven Jackson.  Whew.

Bring on the Braves.  Jason who?

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