SAN DIEGO – This was supposed to be the road trip that exposed the Pirates.
Three cities. 11 games. Three opponents with winning records.
There was seemingly no way the Pirates could navigate this trip successfully. Things looked particularly dire after the Pirates built a five-run lead after seven innings but lost 9-7 to the Rangers on May 9 in their most recent home game. It seemed worse after the Cardinals walloped them 17-4 on the first game of the trip in St. Louis.
Yet the Pirates not only survived on the road, but thrived. They went 7-4 by taking three of four from both the Cardinals and Padres, while dropping two of three to the Diamondbacks in Arizona in the middle series.
Sunday, the Pirates capped the trip on a high note with a 6-4 victory against the Padres at Petco Park. That pushed the Pirates four games over .500 at 24-20, taking the final three games in the series.
“We’re all satisfied, pleased a little, I guess,” Clint Hurdle said. “It was a very strong finish. I’m proud of the effort, proud of the energy. The offense is starting to do some things that are significant. It was a fun trip. It was a good baseball trip for us.”
Colin Moran, who drove in four runs, concurred with Hurdle when I asked him about the trip. Per usual, Moran used his words economically:
Though it’s entirely too early to mean much, the Pirates did move into second place in the National League wild-card standings with the win.
That is amazing for a team that already has put 20 players on the injured list this season, more than any team in the major leagues. Especially when depth appeared to be a problem when the season began and the Pirates looked like a team that was going to need a number of things to break right to return to the postseason for the first time since 2015.
Yet the Pirates have been able to do it with what backup catcher Elias Diaz said is a simple combination.
“We have talent and we have guys who really want to win,” he said after his second consecutive three-hit game while slumping Francisco Cervelli was given the series off. “When you have that, you always have a chance to win.”
Added Moran: “We have a lot of grinders, a lot of guys willing to do the little things it takes to win. It really is the next-man-up mentality. And it’s a good clubhouse. We have guys who want to win and a lot of different people who are making contributions.”
Indeed, it was a collective effort Sunday, which is becoming a 2019 Pirates trademark
Moran hit a three-run home run off rookie Cal Quantrill to cap a four-run first inning.
The bearded one then singled in an insurance run in the eighth after the Padres had drawn to 5-4 during the previous inning on Hunter Renfroe’s three-run homer.
Though Renfroe ended his day, Joe Musgrove carried a one-hit shutout into the seventh. Geoff Hartlieb relieved Musgrove and got the last two outs of the inning in his second major-league appearance. Francisco Liriano pitched a scoreless eighth and Felipe Vazquez struck out the side in the ninth for his 13th save in as many chances.
Vazquez’s final strikeout victim was pinch-hitter Austin Hedges.
The Pirates need all the contributions they can get. They are without their top two starting pitchers (Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams), a key set-up reliever (Keone Kela), their opening-day third baseman (Jung Ho Kang) and shortstop (Erik Gonzalez) as well as their Gold Glove left fielder (Corey Dickerson).
Furthermore, the Pirates's run differential is minus-39, having scored 169 runs and allowed 208 through 43 games, ranking fifth-worst in the majors. They are the only team in the majors with a winning record and a negative run differential.
But the Pirates are feast or famine. They were outscored 60-49 on the trip, losing by an aggregate score of 41-11 in the four defeats, but outscored the opposition 38-19 in their victories.
“Our energy is really good, and guys are stepping up right now,” Musgrove said. “It’s not easy, especially with the all injuries, but we’ve showed our mental toughness. We’re missing so many key pieces right now. I know it might sound cheesy, but I think a big reason for our success is the love of the guys in the clubhouse. We really care about each other.”
Hurdle believes the power of positive thinking has also benefited the Pirates.
“It’s not been easy this season, but worry is not part of what we do,” the manager said. “What kind of plan do you have if you say, ‘Hey, we’re going to plug in worry as part of our plan and direction throughout the season?’ You adapt and you improvise, and you figure things out.”
Things don’t get any easier for the Pirates now that they head home to play three-game series' with both the Rockies (20-25) and Dodgers (31-17) this week at PNC Park.
Although the Rockies are off to a poor start, they reached the postseason each of the past two years. The Dodgers seem on their way to a seventh consecutive NL West title.
“It’s going to be some good baseball,” Hurdle said. “First, we’ll feel good about what we did on this trip. There’s reason to celebrate on the flight home.”
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
THE GOOD
Moran followed up an awful game by keying this win. On Saturday night, he went 0 for 5, hit into a double play, and stranded six runners.
However, Moran’s first-inning homer proved to be a big hit in a two-run game. He is hitting just .243/.313/.398 with four home runs in 34 games but is getting the opportunity for more consistent playing time while Kang is on the IL.
“It was good to see Colin swing the bat like that because he’s been fighting his own way through some things,” Hurdle said.
THE BAD
Gregory Polanco makes things happen on the bases. The problem for the Pirates is those things turn out bad far too often.
Polanco was picked off first base by Quantrill in the third inning despite not having a large lead. Just before that happened, Polanco was nearly doubled off first base on Josh Bell's fly out to right field.
Yeesh.
THE OTHER SIDE
Quantrill became the second rookie pitcher in as many days to have a rough outing for the Padres (23-24), who lost for the fifth time in six games to drop under .500.
Called up from Class AAA El Paso on Sunday morning to make his third career start, Quantrill allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings. Left-hander Nick Margevicius was optioned to Class AA Mobile to open a roster spot after getting tagged for six runs and eight hits in four-plus innings Saturday.
"Just falling behind too many guys early in the game, making it too difficult," Quantrill, whose father Paul was a longtime major-league reliever, told reporters. "I survived it the first couple of games and it came back to bite me. I've really got to figure out the first inning."
THE DATA
• Melky Cabrera notched his 1,900th career hit with an RBI single in the fifth inning.
• Moran tied his career high for RBIs as it was the third time he drove in four runs in a game. The last time came last July 1, also at Petco Park.
• Diaz had the seventh three-hit game of his career.
• Josh Bell went 1 for 3 with an RBI single and a walk and finished the trip 19 for 43 (.442) with five home runs and 17 RBIs.
• Renfroe's home run was just the second allowed by Musgrove this season in 54 innings.
THE INJURIES
• Trevor Williams, right-hander, is on the 10-day IL with a right side strain.
• Jung Ho Kang, third baseman, is on the 10-day IL with a strained left side.
• Corey Dickerson, outfielder, is on the 10-day IL with a strained right shoulder.
• Keone Kela, right-hander, is on the 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation.
• Lonnie Chisenhall, outfielder, is on the 10-day IL with a broken right hand. He is on a rehab assignment with Class AAA Indianapolis.
• Jameson Taillon, right-hander, is on the 60-day IL with a strained right forearm flexor tendon.
• Erik Gonzalez, shortstop, is on the 60-day IL with a fractured right clavicle.
• Nick Burdi, relief pitcher, is on the 60-day IL with right elbow/biceps pain caused by a nerve problem.
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates are off Monday before opening a three-game series and six-game homestand Tuesday night against the Rockies at 7:05 at PNC Park. Chris Archer (1-3, 5.58) will pitch against German Marquez (4-2, 3.80). Hunter Homistek will have the coverage.
THE COVERAGE
All of our expanded baseball coverage, including Mound Visit by Jason Rollison, Indy Watch by Matt Welch and Altoona Watch by Jarrod Prugar, can be found on our team page.