Pirates Fall Further Back In NL Central Race

The Pirates fell to 5 1/2 games back after losing 5-4 Saturday night to the first place Cincinnati Reds. Not only did the Pirates lose the game but never got the chance to retaliate for the Reds hitting their star player the previous night.

It was a bad first inning for the Pirates starter James McDonald as the first two men would reach. This meant that the Pirates were unable to throw at the Reds star player Jay Bruce. McDonald battled striking out both Bruce and Ryan Ludwick. However, the runners would score on a two out single by Scott Rolen.

In the second Reds pitcher  Mike Leake plunked Josh Harrison on the left thigh with two outs and none on. Home plate umpire and crew chief Brian Gorman issued warnings to both benches, raising manager Clint Hurdle’s ire. Within minutes, Gorman threw Hurdle out.

It was another sub par outing by McDonald. He wasn’t bad going six innings giving up four runs striking out seven in a no decision. But he wasn’t the dominant pitcher the Pirates have seen in the first half.

The game would be tied at four going into the eighth inning. The Pirates scoring their runs on a McKenry solo home run, his 11th of the season, a sac fly by Neil Walker scoring Alex Presley after he tripled. Josh Harrison would get Leake back for hitting him in his previous at bat as he would hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. The last run coming of the bat of Travis Snider as he hit a sacrifice fly to score Garrett Jones.

In the bottom of the eighth Rolen would triple and score on Todd Frazier’s infield chopper. The Pirates would get the tying run in scoring position with two outs in the ninth and Gabby Sanchez at the plate. Sanchez would battle running the count full but would eventually strike out to end the game.