Pirates can turn RISP frustration into a badly needed wake up call

Monday night’s win over the Philadelphia Phillies gave the Pittsburgh Pirates something they badly needed: proof that the offense doesn't have to keep wasting its own chances.

Still, one productive night shouldn't erase the larger issue. The Pirates entered Monday just 1-for-16 with the bases loaded dating back to June 4, a stretch that turned too many innings into missed opportunities and too many close games into exercises in frustration. That problem reached its ugliest point Sunday against Cincinnati, when Reds relievers practically handed Pittsburgh the game and the Pirates still couldn't decisively take it.

Cincinnati’s bullpen combined for eight walks in 4 2/3 innings. Three different times, the Pirates came to the plate with the bases loaded and walked away with nothing. Twice, they had the bases loaded with nobody out. Those are the kinds of situations winning teams have to cash in. At minimum, they have to manufacture something — a sacrifice fly or a ground ball, at least.

Instead, the Pirates kept letting the Reds escape. And even though Pittsburgh ended up squeezing out a sweep-averting win, that can't become a habit for a team trying to prove it belongs in a playoff conversation.

The good news is that Monday showed there is a path out of it. Against Philadelphia, the Pirates looked more aggressive without being reckless. They turned traffic into damage, and that's exactly what this lineup has to start doing more consistently.

Pirates can't afford to ignore recent RISP woes after one win over Phillies

The Pirates don't need every hitter to become a superstar overnight. Heck, at this point they'd be thrilled just to get Henry Davis within shouting distance of the Mendoza line. They need better situational at-bats. The Pirates have enough athleticism, enough contact ability and enough emerging power to be better than what they showed over the last few weeks.

That's why the frustration should serve as a wake-up call, not a death sentence. Pittsburgh has spent too much of this season proving it can hang around. The rotation has kept them in games. The lineup has shown flashes. The roster is finally deep enough to absorb some adversity. But postseason-caliber teams separate themselves by winning the moments that are practically handed to them.

The Pirates failed that test all weekend against the Reds. Monday, they gave themselves a better answer. Now they have to make sure it was the start of a correction, not just a one-night relief valve.

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