Pittsburgh Pirates series takeaways vs. Kansas City Royals

Jul 20, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates first basemen Travis Ishikawa (30) doubles against the Kansas City Royals during the eighth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Game One: A.J. Burnett (7-3, 2.11 ERA) vs. Yordano Ventura (4-6, 4.73 ERA)

Result: Pirates win 10-7

Winning Pitcher: A.J. Burnett (8-3, 2.44 ERA)

Losing Pitcher: Yordano Ventura (4-7, 5.19 ERA)

Save: Mark Melancon (30, 1.43 ERA)

• What went right:
  • Travis Ishikawa had his best game as a Pirate, going 3-5 with a home run and four RBIs.
  • Starling Marte collected three hits of his own, going 3-5 with two runs scored.
  • Gregory Polanco continued his improved play from the lead-off spot, going 2-5 with two runs scored.
  • Neil Walker drove in two runs, going 1-5 with two RBIs.

• What went wrong:
  • A.J. Burnett did not have a particularly strong start, going six innings, giving up six runs on 11 hits and striking out two.
  • Eric Hosmer had a big game, going 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
  • Kendrys Morales went 1-5 with a home run and three RBIs.
  • Antonio Bastardo did not have an effective appearance, giving up one run on one hit in just one-third of an inning.

Next: Game One - Gerrit vs. Jason Vargas