The Pirates and Cubs were deadlocked at 4-4 entering the seventh inning, but Pittsburgh’s bullpen unraveled from there, as Yohan Ramirez and Justin Lawrence combined to surrender six runs — one unearned — in what became a comfortable Cubs victory, 10-4, at PNC Park on Tuesday night.
Ramirez was charged with the pivotal damage in the seventh. The right-hander faced four batters, and all four reached. It began with a hit-by-pitch to Michael Busch on a pitch that ricocheted off Busch’s ankle, followed by a double from Alex Bregman that dropped in near the left-field line after Bryan Reynolds pulled up on the play. Ian Happ then delivered the decisive blow, launching a three-run homer, before Seiya Suzuki added a line-drive single to keep the inning moving.
Don Kelly faces a challenge, knowing the Pirates can't continue to rely on Mason Montgomery and Grego Soto to get outs or they'll wear out their best arms.
"There's going to be opportunity for guys to step up in situations," Kelly said. "That they get the ball in the sixth, seventh, eighth inning and we need those guys to step up and get some outs."
As for Ramirez, It was another troubling outing. His season has taken a sharp turn after a strong start. He posted a 2.40 ERA in April, but his struggles in May have caused that number to climb significantly, raising fresh questions about his role and reliability in high-leverage spots.
Lawrence did little to stop the momentum. The right-hander allowed two runs, one unearned, on two hits and a walk while striking out two. A throwing error by Konnor Griffin contributed to the damage as the Cubs continued to pile on in the seventh.
The inning underscored a broader concern for Pittsburgh’s relief corps. Pirates relievers entered the night with a 4.13 ERA and 1.36 WHIP, numbers that rank in the middle of the pack but continue to reflect inconsistency in key moments.
"Yeah, we've got a lot of tough decisions to make here coming up," Kelly said. "And we're gonna sit down and beat it up a little bit more to come to a final answer, but taking everything into account, including tonight."
THE ASYLUM
Middle relief falters in blowout
The Pirates and Cubs were deadlocked at 4-4 entering the seventh inning, but Pittsburgh’s bullpen unraveled from there, as Yohan Ramirez and Justin Lawrence combined to surrender six runs — one unearned — in what became a comfortable Cubs victory, 10-4, at PNC Park on Tuesday night.
Ramirez was charged with the pivotal damage in the seventh. The right-hander faced four batters, and all four reached. It began with a hit-by-pitch to Michael Busch on a pitch that ricocheted off Busch’s ankle, followed by a double from Alex Bregman that dropped in near the left-field line after Bryan Reynolds pulled up on the play. Ian Happ then delivered the decisive blow, launching a three-run homer, before Seiya Suzuki added a line-drive single to keep the inning moving.
Don Kelly faces a challenge, knowing the Pirates can't continue to rely on Mason Montgomery and Grego Soto to get outs or they'll wear out their best arms.
"There's going to be opportunity for guys to step up in situations," Kelly said. "That they get the ball in the sixth, seventh, eighth inning and we need those guys to step up and get some outs."
As for Ramirez, It was another troubling outing. His season has taken a sharp turn after a strong start. He posted a 2.40 ERA in April, but his struggles in May have caused that number to climb significantly, raising fresh questions about his role and reliability in high-leverage spots.
Lawrence did little to stop the momentum. The right-hander allowed two runs, one unearned, on two hits and a walk while striking out two. A throwing error by Konnor Griffin contributed to the damage as the Cubs continued to pile on in the seventh.
The inning underscored a broader concern for Pittsburgh’s relief corps. Pirates relievers entered the night with a 4.13 ERA and 1.36 WHIP, numbers that rank in the middle of the pack but continue to reflect inconsistency in key moments.
"Yeah, we've got a lot of tough decisions to make here coming up," Kelly said. "And we're gonna sit down and beat it up a little bit more to come to a final answer, but taking everything into account, including tonight."
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