The bullpen has become a major headache for Pirates manager Derek Shelton. It failed him again yesterday as the Pirates blew another big lead and lost to the Giants for the second straight day. Joe Block has the story.
Shelton says there’s a simple explanation for the bullpen’s failures: Command of the strike zone.
Paul Skenes wasn’t as sharp as usual, but he was plenty good enough to get the win.
Joey Bart says that even without his best stuff, Skenes was in control.
Before yesterday’s game, the Pirates demoted outfielder Jack Suwinski to Indianapolis and recalled left-handed relief pitcher Jose Hernandez. Suwinski is hitting only .174 with 4 home runs and 13 RBIs this year, and he’s struck out 40 times in 138 at-bats.
Hernandez could help in the bullpen. He is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in six games with the Pirates this season, but at Indy, he’s struggled…a 7.62 ERA in 12 appearances.
The Pirates open a three-game series with Atlanta at PNC Park tonight. Bailey Falter (2-2, 3.53 ERA) pitches for the Bucs. The Braves have not named their starter. It’s a 6:15 airtime, 6:40 first pitch on WCCS.
INDY/ALTOONA
The Pirates were hoping Henry Davis would recover his batting stroke when they sent him to Indianapolis two weeks ago, and it seems to be working. Davis hit two more home runs last night, giving him six homers in 14 games since his demotion. The Indians hit six home runs in a 10-8 win over Toledo.
Altoona hit five home runs and belted Erie, 11-5 last night. Tsung Che-Cheng hit number 5, Joe Perez hit number 3, Carter Bins hit number two, and Dustin Peterson and Sammy Siani both hit their first. Drake Fellows threw five innings of one-run ball to earn the win.
The Curve have won two of the first three games of the series. They will send highly-touted prospect Thomas Harrington to the mound tonight. In his first two games with the Curve, he’s gone seven innings and has not allowed a run or a hit, striking out 9 and walking 1.
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