Dishing out grades for the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-4 road trip
The Pittsburgh Pirates latest road trip started with maybe the most embarrassing loss of the season. With injuries mounting, particularly to the starting pitching staff, and 10 games against winning teams ahead, this stretch looked like the beginning of the end for the local club. As it turned out, doomsday is far away.
With a legit MVP candidate playing at first base, a number five starter proving to be the heist of the offseason and a bullpen rising to the occasion, the Pirates went 7-3 the rest of the way, and are now four games above .500 with the chance to make some more noise coming back to Pittsburgh. Here is a “report card,” evaluating how Pittsburgh performed in the key areas of baseball over the 11 game stretch.