Pirates hit lowest of lows with collapse of spectacular proportions

Derek Shelton doesn't know if he'd consider these last three games as the most challenging he's experienced during his tenure as Pirates manager, but he acknowledged that Wednesday afternoon's 14-10 collapse at the hands of the Cubs at PNC Park certainly ranks near the top of a long list of challenging and demoralizing losses.

"It's frustrating. It's about as frustrated as I've been," Shelton said in reference to a game in which the Pirates surrendered a seven-run lead by allowing 11 unanswered runs in the final three innings of their largest come-from-behind loss of the season. "We've got to execute. You cannot have a 10-3 game in the seventh inning and give up 11 runs. We've got to be better." 

The loss that took place on this particular afternoon encapsulated this three-game sweep -- the fourth time that's happened to the Pirates this month -- with perfection. Instead of seeing big innings compound matters and lead to significant deficits like they did through the first two games of a three-game set in which they allowed a whopping 41 total runs, the Pirates matched a season high with 16 hits and established a 10-3 lead behind a five-run second inning.

The Pirates, who relied on five effective innings from Paul Skenes, maintained that edge heading into the seventh, and it seemed as if their fortunes might change. Then, as was the case the two nights prior, things began to spiral for the Pirates' bullpen, a unit that has allowed the sixth-most earned runs (242) in Major League Baseball and now ranks 27th with a collective 4.58 ERA this season. 

Christian Bethancourt hit a two-run home run off Kyle Nicolas in the seventh to begin the Cubs' rally before a three-run eighth inning against Aroldis Chapman was highlighted by a two-run double by Bethancourt and an RBI single by Ian Happ. If there is such a thing as momentum in baseball, it was heavily on the side of the visiting team. Couple the newfound momentum with the fact that a scuffling David Bednar was called upon to help preserve a two-run lead, and the Pirates still had an uphill battle to climb in the ninth. 

After Bednar allowed two singles and walked a batter to load the bases with one out, the Cubs trimmed their deficit to one on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Dansby Swanson that resulted in the second out of the inning. The Pirates then elected for a right-on-right matchup by intentionally walking Pete Crow-Armstrong to load the bases for Bethancourt, who had two hits -- including a homer -- with five RBIs heading into the at-bat. Bednar, who lacked command of his secondary stuff in the eyes of Shelton, was forced to rely heavily on his heater in the ninth. So, what did he throw that Bethancourt ended up sending under the glove of Isiah Kiner-Falefa and into left field for a two-run, go-ahead single? 

Yep. An 0-1 fastball down the middle of the plate at 98 mph. That was the difference between getting the final out and relinquishing yet another late lead: 

"Alika (Williams) made a hell of a play (on the fielder's choice) and we almost got out of it. IKF would've had to make a good play, but I mean, we have to cover," Shelton said. "We had a 10-3 lead into the seventh. We have to cover the game." 

After taking the 11-10 lead, the Cubs added on against Jalen Beeks by scoring runs -- all charged to Bednar's line -- on back-to-back-to-back singles. Yet the story surrounding the bullpen's latest collapse predominantly centered around yet another blown save opportunity by the Pirates' closer. Bednar, who managed to string a few less-disastrous outings together over his previous five appearances, squandered his third chance at a save this month. No one can forget the back-to-back blown saves against the Padres earlier this month, or the walkoff hits allowed in Los Angeles and Texas. It's all stemmed from an inability to execute pitches, something that once again plagued him Wednesday. 

“I just need to make better pitches. Execute and make the big pitch to be able to get out of that jam. It’s self-inflicted, but just got to figure out a way to get out of it and make that big pitch," Bednar said. "Obviously, that’s what I’m not doing right now and I need to be able to do that.” 

While many players and coaches go to lengths to flush away tough losses, Shelton doesn't intend to take that approach with this one. The Pirates have made a habit out of giving up late leads, especially during a brutal month of August in which they've lost 18 of the 25 games they've played. That includes a winless West Coast trip amid a season-long -- and sixth-longest in franchise history -- losing streak of 10 games. Their poor play this month, which followed a two-month span in which they went 29-22, turned their post-deadline playoff hopes into another year added to a playoff drought that is bound to reach nine years. 

"I'm not washing it. My concern level is that we've gotta finish games," Shelton said. "Look at the games we've lost in August. It's because we have not finished games. How many of these games have we had the lead? How many of these games have we been one strike away, one pitch away? We've gotta figure out how to finish games." 

With a month of games still remaining on their schedule, the Pirates are yet again tasked with having to respond from a sweep that followed a series win against the Reds that had Yasmani Grandal urging fans to continue to believe after hitting a walkoff home run Sunday. That belief seemingly dwindled with each run the Cubs scored over the last three days and each of the 11 opposing runners that crossed home plate in the final three innings of Wednesday's defeat.

So, how do the Pirates bounce back from that to finish this last 29-game stretch on a less-deflating note? 

"I think the best way to (bounce back) is to process everything that’s happened the last couple days. It’s a good time for an off day tomorrow and we travel to Cleveland," said Connor Joe, who factored into the offensive success with three hits, including a home run, and two walks on Wednesday. "We’ve still got a month left in this season and you’re going to wear punches throughout the year. My best answer to that question is to stick together as a team and play for each other, keep having each other’s backs and get through this as a unit. You know what I mean? It’s not going to do anyone any good to deviate from the team. Stick together.”