At the beginning of the season I had estimated that the Pittsburgh Pirates would win 68 games this season.
With the loss to the Philadelphia Phillies Friday night the Pirates fell to 47-78 on the season.
Bryse Wilson’s streak of throwing at least five innings came to a screeching halt after only being able to last one inning. Kyle Schwarber lead off the game by reaching on Rodolfo Castro’s ninth error on the season. The next three batters each collected a hit before Wilson got the first out of the inning leading to a quick three runs. The Phillies would end up scoring another run in the inning to take a 4-0 lead.
Zach Thompson pitching in a piggyback role replaced Wilson in the second inning. He quickly gave up a run after the first two batters reached base safely. Thompson got J.T. Realmuto to hit a grounder to Kevin Newman for what would have been the third out, but a fielding error let the 6th run cross the plate and gave the Phillies a 6-0 lead.
From there Thompson threw four scoreless innings — he threw five innings total with two runs against and one being earned — allowing the Pirates to stage a comeback attempt.
To start the fourth inning a recent 1-2 combo connected again. Kevin Newman reached on a line drive single to center field before Bryan Reynolds took Phillies lefty starter Bailey Falter deep to left field for his 21st homerun on the season. To lead off the fifth inning Rodolfo Castro in the midst of a strong stretch hit a ball to left center for his fourth homerun on the season. Not to be outdone, leading off the seventh inning the third brother in the North-Of-700-OPS Club Ben Gamel welcomed Falter’s replacement Connor Brogdon with his sixth long ball of the campaign to bring the game to a 6-4 score.
That would end up being all the Pirates had in them as they went down quickly the next two innings without a single batter reaching base.
Yohan Ramirez relieved Zach Thompson to finish off the game pitching the 7th and 8th innings. Ramirez gave up a run in the 8th inning to bring the game to it’s ending score of 7-4.
I expected the Pirates to be bad as well as the NL Central to be very poor. Both of those ended up to be true but the Pirates have been far worse than I had expected or hoped. Though they have at least been better than their expected W-L record which would have them with four less wins.
Pirates @ Phillies
Time: 7:05 PM EST
Pirates Starter: Tyler Beede (1-3, 4.13)
Phillies Starter: Kyle Gibson (8-5, 4.30)
Beede Notes: This will be Tyler Beede’s fifth start for the Pirates and so far it hasn’t gone well. In his four starts to date he’s given up ten earned runs in 12.0 IP for a 7.50 ERA. He’s had eight strikeouts to go with seven walks and 16 hits allowed.
UPDATE: Pirates claim Robert Stephenson
LINEUPS:
Pirates
Saturday night baseball.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/qcDYAoLifI
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 27, 2022
Phillies
1. Kyle Schwarber (L) LF
2. Rhys Hoskins (R) 1B
3. Alec Bohm (R) 3B
4. Bryce Harper (L) DH
5. J.T. Realmuto (R) C
6. Nick Castellanos (R) RF
7. Bryson Stott (L) SS
8. Jean Segura (R) 2B
9. Brandon Marsh (L) CF
UPDATE: Rodolfo Castro is unavailable for this game as he serves his one-game suspension
