Pirates' Offensive Woes Continue In Fourth Straight Loss

By Chad Carlson

Photo Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Well as the old motto suggests, defense wins championships.  Actually, a variation that applies to baseball, perhaps more so than anything else, is that pitching wins championships.  After all, pitching was the main reason the Pirates occupied first place into mid-July. 

Pitching has also been very kind to the Arizona Diamondbacks.  In fact, it had them atop the N.L. West division by 5 games entering tonight’s contest against the Pirates at Chase Field.  Their top starter, Ian Kennedy, was looking for his 20^th victory of the season…and he had the strikeout ball working tonight.

Kennedy struck out 12 Pirates through his eight innings of scoreless baseball.  He was nearly flawless tonight, giving up only one hit, which came to Pirates’ starter Jeff Karstens in the third inning.  Bucs’ hitters looked baffled all night, but shockingly, they still had a chance to win late in the game.

Karstens pitched a fabulous game tonight for Pittsburgh, giving up one run on five hits through his six innings of work in his final start of the 2011 season.  His ERA sits at 3.38. 

In three career starts against the Diamondbacks, Karstens has given up just one earned run in 22 innings of work.

Justin Upton proved to be the difference tonight, as he belted a broken-bat 3-0 pitch from Karstens just over Alex Presley’s head in left field to give Arizona a 1-0 lead, which would be the only run scored in the game.

The Bucs had a chance in the ninth to tie the game.  Presley smacked a one-out triple to right center field, but Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen grounded out and struck out to end the game. 

This was obviously a very frustrating loss for the Bucs.  Karstens pitched a fantastic game tonight, which is very encouraging as the Bucs head into the postseason.  The offense’s strikeout woes continued tonight, which is unacceptable.  The Pirates managed just two hits all night.

It won’t get much easier for the Pirates tomorrow as Daniel Hudson takes the hill for Arizona against Charlie Morton. 

Record Vs. Diamondbacks: 2-2

Record Vs. N.L. West: 12-19

Record On The Road: 34-42

Overall Record: 68-86

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!

Pirates Crushed by Dodgers

By Zane Heiple

Photo by Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates were dominated today by the Los Angeles Dodgers today in the finale of their four game series.  Since nothing went well for Pittsburgh, I thought instead of giving you the reader a written analysis of the game, I would do a “By The Numbers” piece to show just how Los Angeles outplayed the Pirates.  Since the Buccos lost by two touchdowns, here are fourteen reasons for the defeat and what came because of it.

1 – Number of runs scored by Pittsburgh in a 15-1 defeat by the Dodgers.

2 – The inning in which Brad Lincoln was pulled from the game, as he would only last 1.2 innings on the day, giving up six runs on eight hits.

3 – Total bases that Dee Gordon would collect on the first hit of the game for Los Angeles.

4 – Amount of hits Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley would allow in his five innings of work.

5 – Hits by LA first baseman James Loney, who would go 5 for 6 with three RBI and two runs on the day.

6 – Hits allowed by reliever Daniel McCutchen in 1.1 innings of work.

7 – Total hits by the Pirates offense in 34 at bats.

8 – Number of pitchers the Buccos used during the game in eight innings of work.

9 – Strikeouts combined by the four LA pitchers used in the game.

10 – Men left on base by the Pittsburgh starters

11 – Number of strikes thrown by Evan Meek out of the thirty pitches he threw in 0.2 innings of work.

12 – Amount of losses in the Pirates last 18 games.

13 – Batters faced by Lincoln when he left the game with two outs in the second inning.

14 – RBI on the season for Jamey Carroll after he knocked in the first run of the game on a ground out.

Well they say that numbers don’t lie and these numbers tell the story of today’s game.  The Buccos will now head to the desert for a three game set with the N.L. West leading Arizona Diamondbacks.  Tomorrow’s game will begin at 9:40pm and feature Jeff Karstens going up against Ian Kennedy.

Record vs. Dodgers:  2-6
Record vs. N.L. West:  12-18
Record on the Road:  34-41
Overall Record:  68-85

And…

As Always…

Let’s Go Bucs!!!