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Death, taxes, the 2021 Pittsburgh Pirates failing to complete a series sweep
Thursday afternoon was the 14th time this season the Pirates have had the opportunity to sweep a series. The Pirates have now been defeated in all 14 of these games. Somehow, someway the Pirates are 0-14 when trying to complete a series sweep this season.
Many of these losses have been frustrating ones. Thursday’s loss, however, was one of the most frustrating yet. The Pirates lost 1-0. Any 1-0 loss is a frustrating one as all it would have taken to at least force extra innings was 1 run. Throw in the Pirates wasting multiple scoring opportunities including Ben Gamel being thrown out at the plate in the 2nd inning on the contact play, which should be banned for its stupidity, when the Pirates appeared to have a golden opportunity to take an early 1-0 lead.
Even though the Pirates failed to complete the series sweep by winning the series they still hurt the postseason hopes of the hated Reds. After taking two of three in the series the Pirates knocked the Reds to being a game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the second NL Wild Card spot.
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds have six more games against each other. This will give the Pirates a real opportunity to cost the Reds a postseason spot. In a season that is going to end with a bottom four record in MLB, costing one of your biggest rivals a postseason spot is a worthwhile consolidation.