PITTSBURGH — The Pirates had been in a troublesome place early in Thursday afternoon’s sequence finale in opposition to the Padres. Having dropped the primary two video games of the set in exhausting affairs — the primary resulting from a rain delay, the second resulting from extra-inning craziness — they wanted a press release win earlier than flying to face the star-studded Dodgers in Los Angeles.
The Pirates got here again from an early four-run deficit to take the lead within the seventh, however they blew the sport within the ninth and fell, 7-6, at PNC Park.
With the loss, the Bucs dropped to 56-58. They started their homestand in opposition to the D-backs and the Padres — two of the groups forward of them within the standings — 2 1/2 video games out of a Nationwide League Wild Card spot. Now, they’re 4 1/2 video games again of the Mets for the ultimate postseason spot.
Thursday’s loss was the Pirates’ twenty second one-run loss this season. Solely the White Sox (24) and the Cubs (23) have extra of them.
However one other quantity that rose within the loss could have a good higher impact over the following few days: The Bucs blew their twenty fourth save, the very best complete behind solely the White Sox (29).
For the second recreation in a row, David Bednar blew his save alternative within the ninth. On Wednesday, with a 6-5 lead, he allowed the tying run to attain, and the Pirates misplaced within the tenth inning. Then, on Thursday, defending a 5-4 lead, he had hassle staying within the strike zone, particularly along with his fastball. It led to a three-run ninth inning for San Diego.
“That’s simply unacceptable,” Bednar stated. “The fellows battle again each video games, and it’s only a big-time letdown on my finish. As we speak was extremely irritating. Simply quite a lot of free stuff, and that simply can’t occur.”
The Pirates’ choices within the nearer’s function are skinny outdoors of Bednar. Colin Holderman was positioned on the 15-day IL on Thursday with a proper wrist sprain after permitting a run or extra in every of his previous 5 outings. Carmen Mlodzinski can also be on the IL.
Aroldis Chapman would doubtless be the next-best choice, however he has a 4.22 ERA in save conditions this season vs. a 2.95 ERA in non-save conditions. Past that, it could doubtless be a mix-and-match scenario within the nearer’s function, although Kyle Nicolas has made a case for himself over the previous month and a half.
Nicolas’ utilization on Thursday additionally illustrates the bullpen quagmire the Pirates face past the nearer’s function heading into their sequence in opposition to the Dodgers. A two-hour, four-minute rain delay solely an inning and a half into Tuesday’s recreation pressured the bullpen to work before anticipated, and Nicolas gave the Bucs 2 2/3 innings to assist cowl a few of that load. It was the Pirates’ second rain delay of the homestand, on prime of 1 that pressured Mitch Keller out after solely 4 innings vs. the D-backs on Saturday.
However when Bednar blew his save Thursday after 25 pitches, supervisor Derek Shelton needed to name on Nicolas on at some point’s relaxation to complete out the ninth.
“As we speak we had been strapped,” Shelton stated. “I give Kyle Nicolas a ton of credit score. I imply he threw nearly three innings the opposite day on [47] pitches and got here in and obtained us some outs. [Dennis] Santana did job. [Jalen] Beeks did job once more. Chapman was good after 29 pitches final evening.
“So yeah, how we handle it will be a little bit bit [difficult] with our personnel due to the 2 [delays].”
The Pirates are going to should be inventive to climate this upcoming stretch on the Dodgers and the Padres, however Bednar is aware of that the most important boon can be for him to wash up his command points and provides Shelton no doubts in regards to the ninth. Nothing means that the group is able to give another person an opportunity in a save scenario, and Bednar is hungry to show he can assist Pittsburgh flip the web page from one-run losses to gritty wins.
“These guys battled their butts off, and to be within the place, up within the ninth, I ought to be capable to convert these,” Bednar stated. “And particularly the previous two nights, not having the ability to is hard. However what? I’m assured I’ll be capable to get by this, and I’ll be capable to convert this subsequent couple.”
