That Zach Davies pitched into the ninth inning against the Pirates could be interpreted in one of two ways.
One, the Brewers right-hander showed why he has been one of the better starters in the National League this season. Or, two, the Pirates let Davies off the hook numerous times Sunday afternoon.
The answer is a mixture of both, but the facts are that the Pirates were hitless in 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base in a 4-2 loss at PNC Park. The Pirates (28-30) fell for the 10th time in their last 14 games.
It made for a frustrating afternoon as the Pirates dropped three of four in the series.
“At the end of the day, an experienced pitcher staying with his plan, making pitches, using sinker down and away and throwing changeup in some offensive counts, we weren't able to do damage," Clint Hurdle said.
The Pirates put the leadoff hitter on in five innings. Three times, they hit doubles to begin an inning and another time they got the leadoff man to third to start an inning when Starling Marte hit an infield single and continued to third on Davies’ throwing error.
Yet they managed just two runs on a day when starter Jordan Lyles wasn’t great but kept the Pirates within hailing distance.
The biggest frustration came in the later innings with the Pirates trailing 4-2. Bryan Reynolds doubled to lead off the eighth and Colin Moran began the ninth with another double, yet the Pirates came away empty both times.
The Pirates got their first two runners on in the ninth. Pinch hitter Gregory Polanco followed Moran, whose hit chased Davies, by reaching on the second catcher’s interference call of the game on Manny Pina. But left-hander Alex Claudio and Corbin Burnes combined to escape while subbing for closer Josh Hader, who got the day off.
Davies (6-0) scattered eight hits in his eight-plus innings. He struck out three and walked one while throwing 107 pitches.
Both Pirates’ runs were scored on outs: Kevin Newman’s sacrifice fly in the third inning and Josh Bell’s ground out in the fourth. Those runs got the Pirates within 3-2, but they left at least one runner on base in each of the last five innings.
Adam Frazier, who bunted into a force at second for the first out of the ninth inning, did not want to say anything to detract from Davies’ performance. However, the second baseman also felt the Pirates helped the opponent out at times.
“We didn’t score many runs, so give credit to him,” Frazier said. “He mixed his changeup and we didn’t make him come into the zone with it as much as we should have. He did a good job of getting us to chase some pitches.”
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
THE GOOD
Lyles had a decent performance, considering the circumstances.
The right-hander went six innings in his first start since leaving Tuesday night’s game against the Reds at Cincinnati with left hamstring discomfort in the fourth inning. He also helped the bullpen get some rest a day after the relievers were needed to cover 10 innings in a 13-inning loss to the Brewers.
Lyles (5-3) allowed all four runs and eight hits while striking out five and walking one.
“I thought he competed very well,” Hurdle said.
Eric Thames was the difference-maker. He walked and scored the game’s first run in the second inning, hit a two-run home run to right field in the third to make it 3-0, then provided an insurance run with an RBI double in the fifth.
Lyles lamented his matchups with Thames, a hitter he is familiar with after spending the last two months of last season pitching in relief for the Brewers.
THE BAD
Bell hasn’t landed in this category all season as he is coming off a torrid first two months. And he wasn’t terrible Sunday, driving in a run and hitting a double while going 1-for-4.
However, Bell struck out twice after whiffing four times in Saturday’s marathon. He looked uncomfortable in the batter’s box both days.
Hurdle isn’t panicking about his first baseman, though. Bell is still hitting .332/.395/.681 with 18 home runs and 53 RBIs in 58 games.
“He’s set the bar so high. I just think we need everybody to slow down here a little,” Hurdle said. “He’s been a little bit out in front of some pitches the last few days. He’s shown the ability all season to hold his ground and get his swing off. This is the first time he hasn’t.”
Bell has started every game this season and is likely to get a day off during the three-game series with the Braves at PNC Park that begins Tuesday night.
THE OTHER SIDE
Davies fell short in his bid to become the first Brewers pitcher to throw a complete game since 2017. However, his effort was appreciated a day after the Brewers used six pitchers.
"You pitch into the eighth inning or the ninth inning on days after extra-inning games, it's just so huge," manager Craig Counsell said. "They're just really valuable performances. He was awesome today."
Lyles gave credit to his former teammate.
"He fills up the strike zone," Lyles said. "He did his job today, did it really well. He's one of the best pitchers in the National League this year for a reason."
The Brewers (34-26) won for the fifth time in their last seven games.
THE DATA
• Reynolds went 2 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. The rookie has had two double-digits streaks this season, beginning his major-league career with a 10-game streak.
• Newman's career-best 10-game hitting streak ended as he was 0 for 4. He grounded out with runners on first and third to end the game.
• Lyles is 1-2 with a 7.39 ERA in his last three starts after going 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA in his previous three starts. The Pirates lost for just the third time in his 11 starts this season.
• Bell had a .390 batting average, 12 home runs and 31 RBIs in May. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no Pirates player has ever had that high an average with as many homers and RBIs in a month. The only major-leaguer in the last 18 years with numbers that high was J.D. Martinez in September 2017 with the Diamondbacks, hitting .404 with 16 homers and 36 RBIs.
• The Pirates have gone eight straight games and a season-best 77 consecutive innings without committing an error.
THE INJURIES
• Corey Dickerson, left fielder, is on the 60-day IL with a right posterior shoulder strain and is on a rehab assignment with Class AAA Indianapolis.
• Francisco Cervelli, catcher, is on the seven-day concussion IL.
• Jung Ho Kang, third baseman, is on the 10-day IL with a left side strain and is on a rehab assignment with Indianapolis.
• Jameson Taillon, right-hander, is on the 60-day IL with a right elbow flexor tendon strain.
• Trevor Williams, right-hander, is on the 10-day IL with a right side strain.
• Keone Kela, right-hander, is on the 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation and has had his rehab assignment with Indianapolis stopped.
• Chris Stratton, right-hander, is on the 10-day IL with right side discomfort.
• Erik Gonzalez, shortstop, is on the 60-day IL with a left clavicle fracture.
• Lonnie Chisenhall, outfielder, is on the 60-day IL with a right finger fracture, left calf strain and recurring calf tightness, and his rehabilitation assignment with Indianapolis has been stopped.
• Nick Burdi, relief pitcher, is on the 60-day IL with right elbow/biceps pain caused by a nerve problem and is rehabbing at the Pirates' spring training facility in Bradenton, Fla.
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates are off Monday before beginning a three-game series against the Braves at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at PNC Park. Steven Brault (2-1, 5.87) is scheduled to pitch against fellow left-hander Max Fried (7-3, 3.19). Matt Sunday and l will be on the coverage. Meanwhile, the three-day MLB amateur draft beings Monday night with the first two rounds and I'll be covering that.
THE COVERAGE
All 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.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Pirates vs. Brewers, PNC Park, June 2, 2019 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS