When Stoppers Don’t Stop: Pittsburgh Pirates Lose Again
By Tom Smith
The frustration that is the Pittsburgh Pirates is starting to set in, if it hasn’t fully encompassed you already. All the little things are driving us over the edge.
Hell, even Jen Langosch got under our skin this evening. Yeah. Jen. Langosch. We know.
The losses keep adding up, and after losing 4-3 at a rain-soaked PNC Park, the Bucs are three games back in the wild card race.
It started off just like we wanted it to, with a 2-0 lead for the Pirates. It should have been more, but a lead is a lead. Jose Tabata, Travis Snider, and Andrew McCutchen all singled. Tabata scored on a Cutch rip through the middle.
Pedro Alvarez knocked a single to right, which loaded up the bags with one down. Josh Harrison hit a ball hard into the left field corner for a sacrifice fly.
But starter A.J. Burnett gave it right back. On. a. single. by. Kyle. Lohse.
No, let us say that again. Kyle fuc#in Lohse singled. What a month. God, we hate August. Our wrath was paid a token later in the inning when a great relay throw by Harrison nailed Lohse at the plate. It was just a great throw by Jay Hay.
An oppo taco by Matt Holliday on a 3-1 count gave the Cards the lead. Clint Barmes had an awful throw, allowing Allen Craig to move up to second base on an infield single. He would later score on a sacrifice fly. Craig came into the game hitting over .400 against the Bucs–keep an eye on him the next two games.
About this time, the really good craft beer came out. We couldn’t help ourselves. The defense is sending us to the cliff. The passed ball on Barajas was pathetic. Bad luck has us thinking really shitty thoughts again, and then the hallucinations started.
We thought we saw Jeff Clement pinch hitting in a key situation when a contact hitter would have been a great idea.
Clint Barmes was pinch hit for after having some productive at bats last evening. Gaby Sanchez is a career .171 pinch hitter.
Rod Barajas wasn’t pinch hit for, probably because Clint was looking for that big bomb.
We saw some graphic ROOT Sports put up for about five seconds. It showed Burnett’s ERA to be 16-something against the Cardinals. That 2.2 inning outing – when he allowed twelve earned runs while striking out two – still haunts the right hander.
Tonight, Burnett needed to protect the lead and failed. The Bucs ace lost command of his fastball. He’s not the stopper, in our eyes at least, until he proves he can do it again which will be against the Brew Crew.
We were going to do a photoshop or infographic on the Pirates bench, but we are depressed enough right now. We don’t know why the Pirates bench is so bad. We aren’t the GM, but certainly changes will be made even though Huntington is on record saying ‘we’ve probably made our big trade.’ Let’s focus on that ‘probably’ part, and get some help. No, we’re not a GM. We ain’t shit, except tired of losing just like you are.
Pirates three back of Atlanta and St. Louis now. Frustrating.