The Pittsburgh Pirates lost 10-1 on Sunday afternoon to the Toronto Blue Jays in front of a crowd of 21,655 fans, who waited through a long rain delay to see the team’s seventh straight loss.
The 1:35 PM start time turned into a 3:10 PM game. The Blue Jays were just waiting to get things started, putting up an early run in the first, though it could have been worse.
Starter Roansy Contreras got Danny Jansen to strike out swinging with the bases loaded to end the inning. Toronto loaded the bases on a Bo Bichette single, Daulton Varsho double and a Brandon Belt walk. They scored their one run on an infield single by Whit Merrifield.
Ke’Bryan Hayes had a walk and a stolen base in the bottom of the first, but nothing else happened for the Pirates.
After a scoreless second inning, Contreras gave up a pair of one-out singles, followed by a three-run homer by Merrifield.
The game was basically done at this point, as the Pirates came into the day with eight runs total over their previous six losses. However, there was a moment later where the game got interesting.
The Blue Jays added a run in the fifth on a Matt Chapman walk, Belt double, and an RBI ground out by Jansen.
Mark Mathias doubled in the fifth for the Pirates, but that threat turned into nothing.
Dauri Moreta took over for Contreras in the sixth, after he went five innings on nine hits, five runs, three walks and four strikeouts. Moreta threw a scoreless sixth, followed by a shutout frame from rookie Jose Hernandez, who has a 1.84 ERA in 14.2 innings over 12 appearances.
The Pirates went into the bottom of the eighth down 5-0. Hayes singled to start the inning. Bryan Reynolds hit a fly ball out to center field for the first out. Connor Joe doubled to put two men in scoring position. Carlos Santana followed with a one-run single.
Andrew McCutchen drew a pinch-hit walk in his first appearance since suffering a minor ankle injury on Friday. That loaded the bases with one out. The Blue Jays went to reliever Jordan Romano to face Jack Suwinski, who represented the tying run.
Suwinski struck out, though that gave Miguel Andujar a chance to tie the game. He popped out to third base to end the frame.
The top of the ninth was ugly, with Chase De Jong giving up five earned runs to put the score out of reach.
The Pirates begin a three-game series at PNC Park against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night. Pittsburgh still holds a half game lead at the top of the National League Central division.
