Final Score: Pirates 6 Giants 7
Why The Pirates Lost: A repeat performance by the Pirates, even hitting the grand slam home run in the same inning. They did hit better after the grand slam, getting 6 hits and a home run to put 6 runs on the board. Paul Skenes pitched a solid if not dominate 6 innings giving up 1 run on 6 hits, walking 1 while only striking out 3 batters. Then the bullpen and Derek Shelton blew another one. He allowed Hunter Stratton to get racked up for 5 runs on 5 hits without getting an out before the game was tied. He should have had someone warming up at the very least after the second single. He waited until Matt Chapman hit a home run to make it 6-5 and then another double by Jorge Soler until finally Chapman started loosening up. You could have argued that the bullpen should have been throwing at the start of the inning. Why not warm up Bednar and bring him in a high leverage situation. Who knows he might have gotten out of the inning with only a few pitches. When Bednar finally got in to pitch the 9th, he only threw 10 pitches to send the Giants down in order. Luis Ortiz had not pitched since Tuesday should have been another alternative. Nobody was warming up in time and Shelton does what he does best. sitting on his hands in crucial situations. The Braves are coming to town, this could get even uglier.
Key Moment Of The Game: Aroldis Chapman came in the game with a runner on 1st, one out, and the scored tied in the top of the 8th. He struck out Patrick Bailey. This turned out to be one of the most productive strike outs in the history of baseball, Chapman wild pitched the runner to second, then Joey Bart failed to catch a ball that was right down the middle, sending the runner to third. Say what? Chapman had the next batter Brett Wisely down in the count 0-2. Chapman must have thought that this guy must fall asleep like his manager, because he tried to sneak a 97 MPH fastball past him, throwing it right down the middle. Wisely was wide awake, because you could see his eyes get as wide as saucers, as he ripped the ball 101 MPH into center field to knock in the go ahead and deciding run. The inept Pirates did not really threaten, as the movie Ground Hog Day ended early. By the way, Rowdy (I Am Really Trying) Tellez went 0 for 4 hitting 2 pop ups at the top exit velo of 92 MPH and striking out twice. Making matters worse he had to face lefties twice which should not have been unexpected since this was a bullpen game for the Giants. Way to go Shelton, again.
Next Game: Tonight, Braves in Pittsburgh. The Pirates have started this 36 game stretch and home stand 1-2 after having a respectable road trip. The last two games have been indescribable. A total managerial and bullpen failure. There are only two bullpens worse than the Pirates right now, the Rockies and the Blue Jays. There have been some real low moments in this season already, but this feels like the lowest, so far. I know that they can and probably will get even lower than this.
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