MLB
Pirates versus Athletics
Over the weekend, the Pirates returned to PNC Park to play a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics. Pirates take two of three from Athletics.
How the Series Went Down
On Friday night, it almost seemed as if the Athletics would take the series in full force. However, that didn’t happen. The Oakland Athletics took game one on Friday by a final score of 14-1. Fans weren’t happy as the Pirates surrendered 11 runs by the fourth inning. A’s catcher Josh Phegley had a special night driving in 8 runs.
In fact, Phegley became the first-ever A’s catcher to record that many RBIs in a game for the franchise. The A’s recorded 16 hits in game one.
In games two and three, the Pirates brought their bats to play and won both games 6-4 and 5-3 respectively. During game two, Pirates’ manager Clint Hurdle almost emptied the entire bench as he edged the A’s 6-4. Kevin Newman was summoned into action in the sixth inning but his damage came in the seventh with a go-ahead two-run triple.
In game three, Sunday’s game took 13 innings to complete. The story of this game is simple: Starling Marte had a part with a three-run walk-off in the 13th to seal the deal 5-3.
Weekend Series Pitching
During his start on Friday, Joe Musgrove mustered only 2.2 innings pitched. In those 2 and 2/3 innings, Musgrove surrendered six hits, seven runs (five earned), two walks and one punch-out. The A’s did the most damage to pitcher Nick Kingham. In Kingham’s two and 1/3 innings pitched, A’s hitters snagged five hits and torched him for four runs, all earned. Kingham walked two and struck out three. For the Athletics, Brett Anderson went on cruise control (for the most part). In six solid inning of work, Anderson allowed four hits, one run (earned), two walks and four punch-outs.
Game two was a tad better as Pirates starter Trevor Williams threw six innings. However, he surrendered eights hits – but gave up only four runs (all earned) and walked one batter. Williams struck out five A’s batters. Felipe Vazquez later notched his ninth save of the season. For the A’s, Chris Bassitt pitched five innings but didn’t bring his best stuff, allowing five hits, three runs (all earned), two walks and six punch outs. On the other hand, the Pirates’ hitters hit two home-runs. Bassitt didn’t factor into the decision. Fellow teammate J.B. Wendelken suffered the loss and blown save in his lone inning of work giving up four hits, three runs (all earned), allowing one walk and earning one strike-out.
In game three, Pirates starter Jordan Lyles went six and 2/3 innings allowing five hits, one run (earned), three walks and three punch-outs. However, Lyles didn’t factor into the decision. The decision would later go to Tyler Lyons in his two innings of work allowing two hits, two runs (both earned), three walks and one punch-out. For the Athletics, starter Frankie Montas pitched six innings, allowing five hits, one run (earned), no walks and five punch-outs. Much like Lyles, Montas didn’t factor into the decision. A’s pitcher Fernando Rodney suffered the loss and blown save in his 1/3 innings of work. Rodney allowed thee hits, four runs (all earned), one walk and allowed the three-run, walk-off homer to Starling Marte.
What’s Ahead
The Pirates take two of three from the Athletics and will close out this home stand with a two-game series against the Texas Rangers. For Tuesday’s match-up, the Rangers should pitch RHP Adrian Sampson (0-1, 3.58 ERA, 19 strike-outs) and the Pirates should pitch JHP Steven Brault (0-1, 8.31 ERA, 11 strike-outs). In the series finale, the Rangers will pitch RHP Shelby Miller (1-2, 7.99 ERA, 13 strike-outs) and the Pirates will pitch RHP Nick Kingham (1-0, 6.39 ERA, 13 strike-outs).
Pirates in Inter League Play Thus Far
The Pirates thus far have played seven inter-league games: Tigers (2), Rangers (2, soon-to-be 4) and Athletics (3). The Pirates are 6-1 in those game so far and have been out scored by three runs 32-35. The biggest loss came Friday against the A’s 14-1.
Conclusion
The Pirates take two of three from the Athletics. They will now welcome the Texas Rangers for two games before an 11-game road trip to Saint Louis, Arizona and San Diego that starts on Thursday.
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Photo Credit to Pirates via Twitter
