PIRATES

With their 8-7 extra-inning loss to the Rays here tonight at PNC Park, the Pirates have now suffered three rather disheartening losses this week alone. 

They gave away a five-run lead in a loss to the Cubs on Sunday, made four errors in a mistake-filled defeat at the hands of the Nationals on Thursday and, on this night, let a four-run lead slip away before squandering multiple opportunities to win, including one with the bases loaded in the 10th inning. 

"Any loss you have, especially like that one, is tough," Don Kelly said. "I think that, again, showing the fight of the team, we're down, Rays come out and score five, we're down 5-4, come up in the eighth inning and Nick Yorke comes up with a huge hit to tie it up. They score one in — I don't even know, was it the 10th? I can't remember — we score one. Keep it going. We had chances. We had opportunities to win the game. Just couldn't come up with that big hit." 

The Pirates did have a few big hits, including two early two-run homers by Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna. Then there were times where Tampa delivered a punch and Yorke and Konnor Griffin punched back with some late RBIs to tie the game. Griffin even had another RBI in the 13th inning to make it a one-run game. But when the game was truly on the line, that big hit was nowhere to be found. When the bases were loaded in the 10th, Ozuna and Yorke went down on the strikes to squander a golden opportunity. The team collectively went 2 for 17 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners on base. They were in the game and gave themselves a chance, but the execution wasn't complete. 

"As tough as these losses are, we'll learn something from it and continue to battle on," said Kelly, whose team has done a commendable job of flushing these disheartening type of losses. "Tthe guys have shown that, throughout the first part of the season, that we have had a short memory. And to be able to bounce back, looking forward to doing that tomorrow."