Pittsburgh Pirates rally falls short as they drop opener to Brewers
By Matt Shetler
The hunt for October didn’t start well for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as one questionable decision by manager Clint Hurdle backfired and the Bucs dropped the opening game of a three-game series to the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-5.
The Bucs began a 28-game stretch against National League Central opponents against their recent nemesis, but Friday wasn’t their night and the result was a fourth consecutive defeat.
Tied 2-2 with two outs in the seventh, Hurdle elected to lift starter Wandy Rodriguez, who did a good job of limiting the damage early and allowed only six hits through 6 2/3 innings. But with a guy on first, Hurdle lifted Rodriguez with Rickie Weeks coming up. Weeks has good career numbers against Wandy, but was o-for-2 on the night and came in hitting .214 and on pace to strike out over 200 times on the season.
Hurdle went to Jared Hughes who promptly hit Weeks with a pitch, looked scared of Ryan Braun and walked him and allowed a double to Aramis Rameriz that cleared the bases to make it a 5-2 game. Corey Hart followed with a single off Hughes to make it 6-2.
Speaking of Hart, he got the party started in the second for Milwaukee, delivering an RBI double in a weird inning that featured two errors by Pirates’ shortstop Clint Barmes. Jonathan Lucroy made it 2-0 with an RBI single, but Rodriguez found a way to wiggle out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam.
It stayed that way until the fourth when Andrew McCuchen got out of his funk and tied the game with a two-run single.
But the Bucs couldn’t figure out Brewers’ starter Mike Fiers, who came in at only 6-6, but tossed 6 2/3 innings of five-hit ball, striking out 10. The strikeouts continue to be a problem that would rear its ugly head later in the game.
But the Bucs battled back and nearly pulled off a miracle.
Rod Barajas chased Fiers in the seventh with a solo shot to deep left to make it 6-3.
Then in the ninth, Brewers closer John Axford blew up, walking both Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones, before giving up an RBI single to Neil Walker that pulled the Bucs within 6-4. But Axford rebounded to strikeout both Pedro Alvarez and pinch-hitter Jeff Clement before Michael McKenry came through with an RBI pinch-hit single to make it 6-5.
But Ron Roenicke pulled Axford in favor of Kameron Loe, who struck out pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez to end the ballgame.
Notes: The Pirates struck out 12 times to an average pitching staff and had only six hits on the night….Jose Tabata was thrown out stealing for the 12th time on the season. By comparison, the Pirates catchers have thrown out only 11 base runners all season…..Since the All-Star break, this was only the second road win for the Brewers….Fiers retired the first nine as the Pirates slow starts continued.
Winning Pitcher: Mike Fiers (7-6)
Losing Pitcher: Wandy Rodriguez (8-13)
Save: Kameron Loe (2)
MVP: Aramis Rameriz 2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI
LVP: Jared Hughes, 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, BB, HBP
Play of the Game: Pedro’s K in the ninth after they had Axford on the ropes took the air out of the balloon.
Home Runs: Barajas (9)
Up Next: Saturday, August 25 at 7:05 p.m vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Probable Starters: Shawn Marcum (5-3, 3.39 ERA) at Jeff Karstens (4-3, 3.79)