Since the trade deadline last week, the Pirates have lost five out of six games, and last night the bullpen failed them again. Joe Block recaps last night’s loss.
Manager Derek Shelton says the Pirates kept coming at the Padres but couldn’t get it done.
The game featured an amazing confrontation between Pirates left- hander Aroldis Chapman and Padres slugger Manny Machado, one that left both of them smiling at each other. After blazing a 105.1 mile per hour fastball for a ball, Chapman then fired another heater. Here’s Joe Block’s call.
The scoreboard registered 105 again, but officially the two pitches measured 105.1 mph and “only” 104.7 on the called third strike.
The Pirates will try to snap out of it this afternoon at PNC Park. It’s a matchup of right-handers as Luis Ortiz [5-2, 3.21 ERA] faces the Padres’ Randy Vásquez [3-6, 4.62 ERA]. Ortiz went only 5-and-a-third innings and gave up six earned runs his last time out, last Friday against Arizona. Vásquez gave up only one run in five innings against Colorado last Friday but gave up six in four innings against the Orioles two starts ago. Airtime on WCCS is 12:10, first pitch at 12:35.
The loss dropped the Pirates to a game under .500 and also left them behind another team in the chase for an NL Wild Card spot. The Diamondbacks, Padres, and Braves currently hold the three Wild Card positions, with the Mets, Cardinals, and Giants now the first three on the outside, followed by the Pirates, who are four games out.
The injury update from Pirates Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomczyk:
- Pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski is throwing again and will head to Indianapolis to test out his sore shoulder.
- Jared Jones is expected to pitch for Indianapolis tonight in his first rehab outing. He’s coming back from a strained lat muscle.
- Reliever Ryan Borucki had an injection after feeling pain in his forearm and elbow and is throwing again with Indy.
- Outfielder Joshua Palacios began his rehab stint with Indianapolis last night but did not play in the Indians’ 4-3 win over Nashville.
ALTOONA CURVE
Altoona lost a second straight game to Portland, 13-8. Tsung-Che Cheng had two hits, including a grand slam. Sammy Siani and Jase Bowen also each had two hits.
The Curve have not announced their starter for the third game of the series this afternoon.
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