Pittsburgh Pirates Series review vs. Chicago Cubs

Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Game Three: A.J. Burnett (9-5, 3.15ERA) vs. Jake Arrieta (20-6, 1.88ERA)

Pirates lose 4-0

Winning Pitcher: Jake Arrieta (21-6, 1.82ERA)

Losing Pitcher: A.J. Burnett (9-6, 3.15ERA)

• What went right:
  • A.J. Burnett pitched very well and kept the Pirates in the game. He threw six innings, allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out five.
  • Gregory Polanco made sure the Pirates didn’t get no-hit for the second time in 2015. He also stole a base, which was the best threat the Pirates had all night.
  • Joe Blanton had another scoreless appearance as a Pirate.

• What went wrong:
  • Jake Arrieta went wrong…again. He completely dominated the Pirates and if not for a Gregory Polanco opposite field single, he could have had a perfect game. He had to settle for seven innings, zero runs on one hit and nine strikeouts. The prospect of him in a Wildcard game should make all Pirates fans very, very nervous. He also hit a solo home run, which was all the offense the Cubs would need with how well he pitched.
  • Kris Bryant went 2-4 with an RBI.
  • Starling Castro went 2-4 with two RBI and his double pretty much put the game away for the Cubs.
  • Miguel Montero went 2-4.

Next: Final Takeaways