LOS ANGELES – This was the epitome of the Pirates’ seven-game losing streak.
Check that. It was the epitome of their first 25 games of this season.
The Dodgers had just scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a two-run lead. However, the Pirates countered by loading the bases against left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson with none out in the eighth. It was a prime opportunity to score some runs and perhaps steal a victory on the road against a quality opponent. Maybe it would be the type of win that would rejuvenate a struggling club.
But there would be no cashing in. Again.
Pedro Baez retired the next three hitters to escape the jam, closer Kenley Jansen pitched a 1-2-3 ninth and the Pirates fell, 3-1, at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night. They also dropped below .500 at 12-13.
“We didn’t get the job done,” Clint Hurdle said. “It’s hard in today’s game to score one run. We had the opportunity to uncork something there, had three shots at it and came up with nothing.”
The Pirates are the antithesis of the modern baseball offense. They don’t score runs, have little power and continually fail in clutch situations. They look like a team that has been magically transported from the Dead Ball Era to 2019. They are 0 for 16 with the bases loaded this season. They are hitting .212 with runners in scoring position, registering just one hit in six at-bats on those situations Saturday when Adam Frazier had an RBI single off Clayton Kershaw in the third inning to open the scoring.
However, the most telling statistic is that the Pirates are averaging 3.12 runs a game, 28th among Major League Baseball's 30 teams.
Oh, and they have scored 12 runs during the losing streak.
One must wonder, though, if the eighth inning was the low point. After Cole Tucker and Frazier sandwiched walks around Gregory Polanco’s pinch-hit single, Melky Cabrera stepped to the plate. Cabrera flied out to shallow left field, forcing the runners to hold. Colin Moran pinch hit for Jung Ho Kang, who is hitting .169/.234/.380, and popped out to the third baseman.
Josh Bell, one of the few Pirates who have been producing this season, then struck out to the end the threat, chasing a high 1-2 fastball from Baez:
I asked Hurdle if he is starting to sense some frustration from the hitters. He did not directly answer the question but said that becoming frustrated will make things worse.
“People get frustrated all the time,” Hurdle said. “Have you ever been stuck in traffic? Have you beeped your horn? Did it help?"
Of the eighth inning, he added, "I’d have to go back and look at it. I have a side view from the dugout, so it’s hard to tell what happened. Did we stick to our plan or were we hunting something outside the zone? Did we complicate things? I don’t know. I’d have to watch it.”
Francisco Cervelli, though, did admit to frustration when I asked. What is especially galling to the catcher is the Pirates have a losing record despite a fine team ERA of 3.49, which stands sixth in the majors.
“We want to help them, and we’re not doing it,” said Cervelli, who has a .175/.241/.238 line. “We’ve got to figure out a way to come in and do it tomorrow, not trying to do too much, see the situation and execute. The feeling is bad because all those guys are pitching not to give up any runs. When you’re winning 1-0, that’s not enough. We’re not doing our jobs. I’m not doing my job with the bat. That’s disgusting. They’re doing everything to keep us in the game. Three runs is a quality start. We’re not able to execute and do what we’re supposed to do, and this is what you’re going to see.”
In fairness, the Pirates are missing three injured regulars in Starling Marte, Corey Dickerson and Erik Gonzalez.
Still …
“We’re big-leaguers,” Cervelli said. “We’re supposed to execute. We have to stay positive. It’s going to change. It’s going to have to change because we can’t go like this all season.”
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
THE GOOD
Musgrove took a three-hit shutout into the seventh inning but all it got him was another hard-luck loss as the Dodgers struck for all their runs.
Max Muncy and Alex Verdugo led off with singles to put runners on first and third then Chris Taylor following with a tying sacrifice fly. A single by Austin Barnes again put men on the corners but Musgrove came back to strike out pinch-hitter Kike Heranndez for the second out.
However, Joc Pederson then ripped a two-run triple into the right-center field gap. That left Musgrove with a 1-2 record in six games (five starts) despite a 2.06 ERA and having five quality starts.
“I thought I was still making pitches,” Musgrove said. “I was getting them to put the ball on the ground the whole game, including that inning. The big pitch of the night was the one to Pederson. I felt I had good command of my pitches inside to lefties all night. I got too much of the plate (with a four-seamer) and he did what he’s going to do with a pitch like that.”
It was fair to question why Hurdle did not bring in Francisco Liriano to face the lefty in that situation. However, it also felt like the right move with the way Musgrove was pitching.
Hurdle did not second-guess himself.
“It’s the body of work,” Hurdle said of his decision. “It’s the seventh inning. I just felt the energy he was bringing. We kind of passed the baton on him in the past and it didn’t work. He was fresh. He had pitches left. I thought he had quality stuff tonight.”
THE BAD
Kang’s struggles continued as he went 0-for-3. Hurdle’s lack of faith him showed in the eighth when he pulled him for Moran.
With four home runs, Kang is one of the few Pirates who have flashed any power. However, a .169 batting average isn’t going to cut it much longer.
Top third base prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes has his average up to .265 at Class AAA Indianapolis through 20 games, though he has only one homer. If Hayes heats up, the Pirates are going to have to consider promoting him to provide a potential jolt to the moribund offense.
THE OTHER SIDE
The Pirates were not pleased with Muncy, who appeared to elbow Cervelli in the ribs while tagging up from third to score in the seventh inning.
Hurdle gave a non-answer. Yet that non-answer also made the Pirates’ feelings clear.
“We'll talk about it internally,” Hurdle said. “There is no need to share it publicly.”
Cervelli also didn’t gave a straight answer when asked if he thought the contact was necessary.
“You've got to ask him,” Cervelli said. “I don't know. I've got no idea.”
Muncy was adamant while talking to reporters after the game that he wasn’t trying to take a cheap shot.
"I didn't want to hit him; I didn't mean to hit him. I can tell you that right now,” he said. “It wasn't on purpose. It was one those things where I'm running straight for it and he came up the line, so I raised my arm to brace in case we hit each other, and I clipped him. That's the end of it.”
THE DATA
• Musgrove has lost both career starts against the Dodgers, allowing six earned runs in 11 2/3 innings for a 4.63 ERA.
• Bryan Reynolds now has a hit in all six games since making his major-league debut last Saturday. He doubled off Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Awaed winner, in the seventh, and is batting .400 (8-for-20).
• Kershaw got the win but is just 4-3 against the Pirates in 13 career starts.
• The Pirates have lost eight straight games at Dodger Stadium, dating to May 8, 2017.
• The Dodgers' major-league streak of 33 consecutive home games with a home run ended.
THE INJURIES
• Starling Marte, center fielder, is on the 10-day IL with an abdominal wall contusion/bruised right quad. The Pirates say he is close to being "game ready." He could be activated Tuesday.
• Chris Archer, right-hander, was placed on the 10-day IL today with right thumb inflammation. He is expected to resume throwing in a few days and likely to be activated when eligible May 7.
• Corey Dickerson, outfielder, is on the 10-day IL with a strained right shoulder. He joined Triple-A Indianapolis Friday but did not begin a rehab assignment as expected tonight because of tightness in his shoulder.
• Nick Burdi, relief pitcher, is on the 10-day IL with right elbow/biceps pain. He will get a second opinion Monday from Rangers team orthopedist Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas.
• Lonnie Chisenhall, outfielder, is on the 10-day IL with a broken right hand. His rehab assignment at Indianapolis was stopped today because of left calf tightness. He had gone 3-for-17 with four strikeouts in five games.
• Kevin Newman, infielder, is on the 10-day IL with a lacerated right ring finger. He is on a rehab assignment with Indianapolis and is 4-for-12 with a double, a walk and two strikeouts in three games.
• Jacob Stallings, catcher, is on the 10-day IL with a cervical neck strain. He began a rehab assignment tonight with Indianapolis.
• Jose Osuna, infielder/outfielder, is on the 10-day IL with neck discomfort. He is on a rehab assignment with high-Class A Bradenton and is 2-for-12 with two strikeouts in three games.
• Erik Gonzalez, shortstop, is on the 60-day IL with a fractured right clavicle and had it repaired surgically Thursday. He will not return until at least mid-July.
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates and Dodgers wrap up the three-game series Sunday at 4:10 p.m. ET with Trevor Williams (1-1, 2.59) pitching against left-hander Rich Hill, who will make his debut after beginning the season on the injured list with a strained left knee. I will be on the scene as well as for the two-game series against the Rangers beginning Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas. The clubhouse opens to the media at 12:45 p.m. ET Sunday and Hurdle will hold his pregame press confab at 1 p.m.
THE COVERAGE
All of our expanded baseball coverage, including Indy Watch by Matt Welch, Altoona Watch by Jarrod Prugar, and Mound Visit by Jason Rollison, can be found on our team page.
