MILWAUKEE -- In what’s been a very inconsistent Pirates’ tenure, Trevor Cahill crashed into a valley Saturday night in Milwaukee.
The Brewers strung together six singles and put up five runs on Cahill in the opening inning of the Pirates’ 7-1 loss at American Family Field. Cahill was charged with six earned runs, seven total, on eight hits and a walk while striking out five over four innings. Through three starts with the Pirates, Cahill holds a 9.69 ERA.
It was the third time this week that the Pirates had to rely on their offense to bail them out of an early hole. But after coming back chasing Blake Snell in the first inning Tuesday, they were unable to make up the deficit left by Mitch Keller on Thursday and now Cahill on Saturday.
Each of the five members of the rotation have started three games through the first 15 contests of the season. That group sports a 12.60 ERA in first innings so far this season. Without JT Brubaker, who has not allowed a first-inning run so far, and Tyler Anderson, Cahill, Keller and Chad Kuhl have a combined 20.00 ERA in nine opening innings.
The Pirates could only muster a single run on seven hits and three errors
Bryan Reynolds accounted for practically all of the Pirates’ offense against Brett Anderson on Saturday night. Going back to Friday night’s win in Milwaukee, Reynolds reached base safely in six consecutive plate appearances with three hits and a pair of walks before grounding out in the eighth inning. He scored a run, reached on an error and delivered two of the Pirates’ six hits against Anderson.
Adam Frazier slapped a pair of singles against the southpaw Anderson, giving him three hits in 10 at-bats against lefties this season. Frazier is batting .321 overall this season.
Sean Poppen made his Pirates debut after being recalled from the taxi squad Friday night when Michael Feliz was placed on the injured list. Poppen yielded a pair of hits and plunked a batter, but kept the Brewers off the scoreboard for two innings. Clay Holmes also worked a pair of scoreless innings and struck out two to finish up the game on the mound for the Pirates.
Luis Oviedo was the only Pirates’ reliever to allow a run this week (beginning April 11). The rest of that staff combined for 25.2 scoreless innings.
The Pirates got out of the basement in the NL Central on Friday but fell back into last place in the division with the Cubs’ win Saturday afternoon.
More coverage is to come from American Family Field in Milwaukee.
