Pittsburgh Pirates Wake Up Call: What a weekend it was

In our daily Wake-Up Call, we get you ready for the day with a complete look at all things Pittsburgh Pirates.

What a weekend for the Pirates as they swept the Milwaukee Brewers in five games, just like we all knew they would.  This is the first five game sweep in the majors since 2006.  The Pirates last did this in 1996.

Going into the All-Star break, the Pirates have now won six straight games and eight of nine.  Last week, these very same Buccos gave up 17 runs on two separate occasions to two separate teams.  You know, because baseball.

So has this past week really made a difference for the 2018 Pittsburgh Pirates?  This team is still nine games back of the now NL Central leading Chicago Cubs.  In the grand scheme of things, the Pirates probably helped those hated Cubs more than they helped themselves.

Who cares though?  Winning is fun.  It is why they play the game.  It’s why we still watch.  The Pirates have at least extended their 2018 playoff hopes if only for an extra week or two.  Sure, those hopes remain shaky at best.  Heck, it would still take a small miracle for the Pirates to make any kind of run at the playoffs.  But this week was kind of a small miracle in itself.

Right now, the Pirates are 5.5 games back of the second NL Wild Card spot.  Crazier playoff runs have happened in major league baseball.  Clint Hurdle himself has led crazier runs.

Deja Vu

The Pirates are no strangers to providing exciting baseball right before the All-Star break.  Last season, they scored 10 runs off of Jon Lester in the first inning on the Sunday before the break.  In 2016, Josh Bell hit a pinch-hit grand slam against the Cubs to seal a victory.  In 2015, Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco hit walk-offs on back-to-back nights against the St. Louis Cardinals right before the break.

This weekend may have topped them all just from sheer unlikelihood.  Pulling off a five game sweep is extremely rare.  After watching the Pirates play two weeks ago, expecting a five game sweep this weekend seemed impossible.  But here we are.  The Pirates are just one game under .500 heading into the All-Star break.

There’s still a pulse with this club.

#BUCSin280

#RAISEIT JOSH BELL WALKS IT OFF IN THE DOWNPOUR. #Pirates win 7-6 over the #Brewers. 5 game SWEEP. Holy hell what a game. What a comeback. The Pirates came back on two separate occasions. Say what you want, but that was as exciting as anything I’ve seen this year. #BUCSin280

— Pirates Breakdown (@piratebreakdown) July 15, 2018

Baseball on the web

• The Futures Game was an absolute slugfest.  Altoona Curve third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes got in on the action.
• Here are some odds for tonight’s home run derby.
• The St. Louis Cardinals have a new manager.