Mitch Keller and Michael King went toe-to-toe for six innings on Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park. However, after Keller was pulled at just 75 pitches in a 0-0 game, Don Kelly opted to go to his bullpen, and the Pirates wound up losing, 8-2.
Now, there were other reasons for the eight runs the Padres scored over the final three innings of the game. However, Justin Lawrence earned the loss in the game as he allowed four runs (three earned) the inning after Keller was taken out of the game.
"(I) really felt really good about the pocket that Lawrence was going into," Don Kelly said after the game. "It didn't work out great, but Lawrence has been so good for us. He's been dominant for us a lot of times out of the backend of the bullpen. You know, at the end of last year, beginning of this year. I felt really good about putting him in that spot."
Lawrence made it through the seventh inning, but allowed a two-run double by Nick Castellanos then a two-run home run by Jake Cronenworth, giving the Padres a 4-0 lead.
Prior to his afternoon's game, Lawrence had appeared in five games, allowing two earned runs on opening day and another run in Monday night's 5-0 loss to the Padres. In his other three outings, he combined for 2 2/3 scoreless innings with no hits, two walks and six strikeouts.
We're still in the early stages of the season, but the bullpen might already be starting to sort itself out. Lawrence has now allowed runs in half of his appearances. With the way Dennis Santana, Gregory Soto, Isaac Mattson and Yohan Ramirez are pitching, even including José Urquidy as a multi-inning reliever, Lawrence might be best in low-leverage situations for the time being.
THE ASYLUM
Lawrence hit hard after Keller's dominance
Mitch Keller and Michael King went toe-to-toe for six innings on Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park. However, after Keller was pulled at just 75 pitches in a 0-0 game, Don Kelly opted to go to his bullpen, and the Pirates wound up losing, 8-2.
Now, there were other reasons for the eight runs the Padres scored over the final three innings of the game. However, Justin Lawrence earned the loss in the game as he allowed four runs (three earned) the inning after Keller was taken out of the game.
"(I) really felt really good about the pocket that Lawrence was going into," Don Kelly said after the game. "It didn't work out great, but Lawrence has been so good for us. He's been dominant for us a lot of times out of the backend of the bullpen. You know, at the end of last year, beginning of this year. I felt really good about putting him in that spot."
Lawrence made it through the seventh inning, but allowed a two-run double by Nick Castellanos then a two-run home run by Jake Cronenworth, giving the Padres a 4-0 lead.
Prior to his afternoon's game, Lawrence had appeared in five games, allowing two earned runs on opening day and another run in Monday night's 5-0 loss to the Padres. In his other three outings, he combined for 2 2/3 scoreless innings with no hits, two walks and six strikeouts.
We're still in the early stages of the season, but the bullpen might already be starting to sort itself out. Lawrence has now allowed runs in half of his appearances. With the way Dennis Santana, Gregory Soto, Isaac Mattson and Yohan Ramirez are pitching, even including José Urquidy as a multi-inning reliever, Lawrence might be best in low-leverage situations for the time being.
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