Another sweep is 'extremely frustrating,' especially to MLB-worst Diamondbacks, but what do you expect right now? taken in Phoenix (Pirates)

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Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed turns a double-play to end the seventh.

PHOENIX -- And so completes the sweep at the hands of the team with the worst record in baseball.

Not to challenge the baseball gods, but that achievement will probably rank this among the worst, if not the worst, series of the year for them.

Wednesday’s 6-4 loss to the Diamondbacks at Chase Field may not have been the Pirates’ most frustrating in the series, but it hit on all of the themes of those first two games.

They racked up hits, but not in key run scoring opportunities. Starter Max Kranick was shaky in his third big league outing. The bullpen took the loss, this time going to Duane Underwood Jr. after allowing back-to-back home runs to start the seventh for the final tallies of the game.

In short, you’ve seen this movie before.

That doesn’t make it any less frustrating. The whole series was, especially when you look back at how they had just won four out of a seven-game home-and-home series against the first-place Mets, bookending the All-Star break. It looked like it could be a head of steam. Instead it was just hot air. As hot as Phoenix outside of the ballpark in late July.

“We played really well ... that whole Mets series, all seven games of it,” Derek Shelton said. “Then to come out here and to not capitalize on that momentum we had going, yeah, it’s extremely frustrating. We have to take the off day and regroup because we’re getting ready to play one of the best teams in baseball.”

It was the tenth time this season the Pirates got swept, tied with the Orioles for the second-most in baseball, and trailing only these very Diamondbacks.

“It would be frustrating if we were playing the Dodgers and get swept. I don’t think the team necessarily makes it any more or less frustrating for me personally,” Jacob Stallings said. “We don’t go into any game thinking that we’re not capable of winning.”

Stallings himself came close to putting extra runs on the board. The first was a second inning fly ball that David Peralta reached just over the yellow line in left to grab, technically robbing a homer.

The more consequential at-bat came in the seventh. Shortly after John Nogowski tied the game with a bases loaded walk, Stallings bounced a ball to the shortstop Nick Ahmed, who turned an inning-ending double play.

The Pirates would not get another runner on base.

“One thing I can’t do there is ground into a double play,” Stallings said. “Still did.”

The ending was uncharacteristic of how the Pirates had performed on the afternoon. They had a dozen hits, their seventh straight game with at least 10. But only one was for extra-bases, a fifth inning Bryan Reynolds double.

They just couldn’t cash in, going 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Thus continues the deadly combo of being last in home runs as a team (80) and in batting average with runners in scoring position (.210), one that, unsurprisingly, puts them last in the majors in runs (350). Three of the Pirates’ runs Wednesday’s were gifts: The seventh inning walk and a two run error by Eduardo Escobar in the fourth.

“We’re taking better swings, but we’re not capitalizing on the run-scoring opportunities,” Shelton said.

On the pitching side, Kranick was pulled after 3+ innings of four-run ball, but Chris Stratton and Chasen Shreve combined that inning total without allowing a run. Shelton turned it over to Underwood, whose first two strikes of the inning were back-to-back home runs, extending what has been a wicked slump.

“It’s just been balls up in the zone,” Shelton said. “He left the changeup up to [Pavin] Smith, then the fastball right down the middle to [Daulton] Varsho. It’s just a matter of we’ve got to get the ball down, especially the changeup. He’s got a good changeup and we like it but if you execute it up in the zone, it’s going to get hit in the air – and, in this ballpark, it’s going to get hit up in the air and out of the ballpark.”

With the sweep, the Pirates now find themselves with just six more wins than the Diamondbacks. With the trade deadline on the horizon, which could strip the major league team of some of its better players like Adam Frazier and Richard Rodriguez, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they could “catch” the Diamondbacks and finish with the worst record in baseball for a second consecutive year.

Even if they do improve, last place and another top five draft pick are all but guaranteed at this point.

Not that it was much of a surprise. This team was focused on getting better, but there wasn’t much of a ceiling. This team definitely has more people just passing through or nearing the end of their time with the organization rather than legitimate building blocks.

That’s not to say the future is bleak. Far from it. The club has quickly rebuilt its farm system into one of the best, and only got stronger earlier this month in the draft. But in terms of major league talent, how many players who touched a baseball this series will be with the team at this time in 2023? Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes. You have to feel good about rookie pitchers David Bednar and Kranick, and it’s ok to be bullish on a Jared Oliva or think that Stallings will still be around and producing.

But that’s, what, six players out of 26? There can, and hopefully for the sake of the timetable will, be more, but not at the level the Pirates need. The frustration of a series like this applies to all 26, but for the majority, they won’t make it to the other side. They get to just ride it out through now. 

The future is bright. The present isn’t.

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MORE FROM THE GAME

• Kranick could not come close to replicating the results from his first start -- allowing four earned runs over 3+ innings on seven hits, a walk and a hit batter -- but Stallings thought stuff wise, he was better Wednesday.

"Honestly I thought his stuff was probably the best today that it’s been in his starts," Stallings said. "I’d have to go back and watch, but overall I thought his stuff was really good."

Kranick felt the same way.

"I think the fastball probably was better than it's been my first two starts. Obviously location wasn't perfect at times. But curveball, I got some swing and miss on. It's a pitch I've been kind of battling with all year. Recently I went through a little bit of a grip change on it. Not a full grip change, but a thumb placement change, and I'm getting much better results. I changed that before my last outing at Indy, so it feels really comfortable."

Kranick got more spin on his curve Wednesday, averaging 2,290 RPM compared to 2,205 RPM in his first two starts. 

He did have some difficulty hitting the edge of the zone, especially to his glove side and leaving some breaking balls up. He also had some difficulty locating the fastball/

"He continues to be a little bit inconsistent, which is something we expect out of a young pitcher," Shelton said. "It’s just command of the fastball. We have to make sure we keep the fastball on the plate (and) in the right spots."

• Bednar struck out a pair in a 1-2-3 eighth inning.

I'm really interested to see what comes from him as a closer, assuming Rodríguez gets traded. He has the mix of stuff and confidence that you need in a role like that.

• It was a busy day outside of the game. Bubba Chandler has a deal in place that will pay him $3 million. He will sign and be introduced Thursday. We also got a full injury report from director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk.

THE ESSENTIALS

Boxscore
Scoreboard
Standings
Statistics

THE LINEUPS

Shelton's card:

1. Adam Frazier, 2B
2. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
3. Bryan Reynolds, CF
4. John Nogowski, 1B
5. Jacob Stallings, CF
6. Gregory Polanco, RF
7. Kevin Newman, SS
8. Jared Oliva, LF
9. Max Kranick, RHP

And for Torey Lovullo's Diamondbacks:

1. Nick Ahmed, SS
2. Kole Calhoun, RF
3. Eduardo Escobar, 3B
4. David Peralta, LF
5. Pavin Smith, 1B
6. Daulton Varsho, CF
7. Nick Ahmed, SS
8. Bryan Holaday, C
9. Madison Bumgarner, LHP

THE SCHEDULE

Mercifully, the Pirates get an off-day Thursday as they travel to San Francisco for a three-game set beginning on Friday at 9:45 p.m. Eastern. DK will have you covered from San Francisco.

IN THE SYSTEM

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Altoona
Greensboro
Bradenton

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