CINCINNATI -- After a six-game homestand that saw them win a total of three against the Reds and Rays, the Pirates still find themselves flirting around that .500 mark. They enter Monday's series opener in Cincinnati with a 37-40 record, as they haven't been able to put together any legitimate win streaks over the past month and a half, frequently taking two of three or losing two of three against teams.
Since their disastrous mid-April/early-May stretch of five wins in 22 games -- one that included six straight losses to the Mets and Red Sox as well as a 1-5 trip to the Bay Area -- the Pirates have gone 23-21 over the course of 44 games. That includes a stretch here in the month of June where they've won four of the six full series they've played in.
But constantly winning two of three games and not taking advantage of momentum to establish lengthy win streaks will only get a group so far, especially amongst a crowded pack of teams searching to separate themselves in the National League.
The Pirates have consistently benefitted from their strong starting pitching this season, but the offense has faltered time and time again. The group ranks among the league's worst in team batting average (.227; 26th), on-base percentage (.296; 27th), slugging percentage (.358; 28th), OPS (.654; 28th), hits (591; 25th), home runs (71; 25th) and runs scored (307; 24th). They also remain among the top-five teams with the most strikeouts in the Major League Baseball (726).
In order to be more consistent, string more than a few wins together and gain some separation among the other teams in the wild card race, Derek Shelton said the ability to score runs is the most vital component. The Pirates haven't done that particularly well, especially over their last six games when they've been limited to four or less runs each time out. They scored just one run in two of the three games against the Reds and were held to a singular run on three hits against the Rays on Sunday.
"However we're going to find ways to do it, and we may have to get creative to find ways to do it, I don't know," Shelton said. "I think this is the question that every manager and hitting coach is asking throughout Major League Baseball with the way that runs are down. Extra-base hits are down. Home runs are down. It's something as an industry that we're searching for, and that's not to push the question aside. But, it's the million-dollar question that we're trying to figure out why offense is down. But, consistency of offense is the most important thing.
"I think everybody's trying to figure it out right now. Because, every opposing manager that you talk to with the exception of maybe two or three, it's like, we're trying to find ways to be creative to get runs across the plate."
