Pittsburgh Pirates: Vince Velasquez in a Groove and More Takeaways From Series Victory in Washington D.C.

Vince Velasquez is in the best groove of his career, Johan Oviedo has a 1st inning problem, and more takeaways from the Pittsburgh Pirates capturing a series victory in Washington D.C. over the weekend

Every baseball team would love to sweep series. Especially when you're a good baseball team playing a bad baseball team. While the Pittsburgh Pirates failed to secure a victory in game three of their series against the Washington Nationals to complete the sweep, a series victory still works just fine.

After taking two of three from the Washington Nationals over the weekend, which included sweeping a doubleheader on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Pirates will finish the month of April with the best record in the National League. The 20-9 Pirates are 1.5 games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central, and are now 6-2-1 in series played.

Failing to secure the sweep was frustrating. Especially since the Nationals are one of the five worst teams in baseball and the Pirates won the first two games of the series. However, the way to be a good baseball team is just keep winning series. If you continue to win series and put together more winning weeks than losing ones, you'll be where you want to be in September. One month into the season, the Pirates have yet to have a losing week.

Next up for the Pittsburgh Pirates is a major test. Following an off day on Monday, the Pirates will begin a three-game series at Tropicana Field against the Tampa Bay Rays who own a MLB best 23-6 record. Before looking ahead to one of the most anticipated series of the MLB season thus far, let's take a look back at takeaways from Pittsburgh's series victory in Washington D.C.

Vince Velasquez is the best groove of his career

Throughout his major league career Vince Velasquez has struggled to find consistency. This contributed to him being moved to the bullpen by the Chicago White Sox last season, where he found more success than he has as a starting pitcher.

When the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Velasquez this past offseason there was some wonder if he'd be in the team's starting rotation or bullpen. After all, in his career he had pitched better out of the bullpen than he had as a starting pitcher. Well, Velasquez is proving everyone who thought that way wrong and is in the best pitching groove of his career.

After pitching 6 scoreless innings against the Nationals in Saturday's doubleheader night cap, he is now up to a career best 18 consecutive scoreless innings pitched. On the season, Velasquez has posted a 3.06 ERA, 3.54 FIP, 8.8% walk rate, and a 23.4% strikeout rate in 32.1 innings pitched across six starts.

Velasquez has also done a tremendous job limiting hard contact. His average oppoentn exit velocity of 87.1 MPH is more than 3 MPH below league average and in the 75th percentile of baseball, while his 33.7% hard hit rate is more than 2% below league average and in the 71st percentile of baseball. Opponents are not barreling the ball against Velasquez, as his opponent barrel rate of 6.5% is in teh 61st percentile of baseball.

Through the first month of the season Velasquez is well on his way to putting together the best season of his MLB career. If Velasquez continues to pitch this well it will go a long way toward keeping the Pirates in contention into the summer months and beyond.

Great series for the bullpen

While the Pirate bullpen was mostly outstnading during the month of April, there were a few hiccups and some signs of cracks in their series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Against the Nationals, however, the bullpen responded with one of their best series of the season.

This was a series where a lot was asked of the bullpen, too. A doubleheader is never easy on a pitching staff, especially a bullpen. While game two of the DH was a blowout, game one was tight throughout and left the bullpen with little wiggle room.

Then on Sunday, the bullpen had to pick up 5.2 innings after Oviedo failed to get out of the 3rd inning. The bullpen proceeded to pitch 5.2 scoreless innings in relief of Oviedo, giving the Bucs an opportunity to rally even though they failed to do so.

Robert Stephenson got the final two outs of the 7th inning after Rich Hill's day ended in the first game of the doubleheader. Colin Holderman and David Bednar each followed with a scoreless inning. In the night cap, Cody Bolton pitched 2 scoreless innings in his MLB debut and Yohan Ramirez allowed a solo home run in the 9th inning.

Dauri Moreta, Jose Hernandez, Ramirez, and Duane Underwood Jr. combined for the 5.2 scoreless innings on Sunday. In total, the Pirate bullpen allowed just 1 run 11 innings pitched in the series. When the lone run a bullpen allows in 11 innings pitched is due to a picher pounding the strike zone and allowing a solo home run with a 16-0 lead, you'll take that every single time.

Welcome back Miguel Andújar

On Saturday, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected the contract of corner infielder/outfielder Miguel Andújar from Triple-A Indianapolis. Andújar was in the lineup for both games in the doubleheader, and quickly made an impact.

In game one Andújar hit a 2-run home run and drove in three runs. Andújar picked up two more hits, including another home run, in the night cap. Then in Sunday's loss, he drew a walk in the lone inning in which the Pirates scored and threatened against Washington starter Josiah Gray.

Andújar finsihed the series 4-for-8 with two walks and a pair of home runs. He also drove in 6 runs. Most importantly, Andújar put together strong at-bats and picked up where he left off at in Triple-A Indy where he was raking.

If Andújar can continue the strong ABs he should, at worst, be a strong bat to have in the lineup against left-handed pitchers. Maybe he can even recapture some of his 218 rookie campaign magic and be even more. After all, it does feel like it just might be one of those types of seasons for the Pirates.