Pirates bullpen was somehow a bigger disaster than Andrew Heaney’s start vs Cubs

For nearly four innings of his start on Tuesday, Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Andrew Heaney was lights out. He wasn't sending any Chicago Cubs hitters down on strikes, but he (and the Pirates' defense) still managed to retire the first 11 batters he faced to extend his career-best scoreless streak to 16 1/3 innings.

His second time through the Cubs' order, however, Heaney struggled in a big way. He allowed four runs on five hits – including a pair of home runs – and three walks in what would end up being a 9-0 Pirates loss.

Pirates bullpen was somehow a bigger disaster than Andrew Heaney’s start vs Cubs

Yes, Heaney fell apart in the fourth inning. Yes, Pittsburgh's offense failed to produce any runs (again). But don't let either of those facts detract attention from the Pirates' continued bullpen struggles and the role they played in the club's league-leading fifth shutout loss of the season.

Aside from Kyle Nicolas, who threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Heaney, every Pirates reliever who pitched in Tuesday's game ended up with at least one earned run tied to their ledger.

Left-hander Joey Wentz, who entered the game in the seventh inning with the Pirates trailing 4-0, gave up a pair of hits and a run and recorded just one out before getting pulled. Hunter Stratton, making his first Major League appearance since he ruptured his patella tendon last August, took over for Wentz and immediately gave up a two-run homer to Seiya Suzuki.

In the eighth inning, Dansby Swanson took Colin Holderman deep on the third pitch he threw. But hey, in his last outing, Holderman gave up a homer on just the second pitch he threw; so, you know, progress?

Then, in the ninth, David Bednar gave up a triple to Suzuki and an RBI single to Carson Kelly. By game's end, the Pirates' bullpen had given up a total of five runs on eight hits – including two home runs – with a pair of walks and no strikeouts. That's more than the four runs that Heaney allowed in his admittedly rocky start.

There's plenty of blame to go around, but the lack of reliable leverage options in the Pirates' bullpen is a major problem. With Tim Mayza and Justin Lawrence on the injured list and Dennis Santana on the bereavement list, Pittsburgh's lack of bullpen depth is getting exposed. Combine that with the lack of offensive production, and Pirates fans can expect even more lopsided shutout losses like Tuesday's.

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