What I love about this game is this: in September, with a playoff spot or even a .500 record a forgotten memory, the Pirates played a terrible Astro team in a matchup of Quadruple-A pitchers and fell behind 3-0. At that point, they could’ve quit. It would’ve been depressing and sad to see, but no more so than anything else that’s happened since July 25th. Instead, the Pirates best player picked them up and dragged them back into a game and eventually they won a game that it didn’t look like they were going to win. I like that, even if it’s just against the Astros.
One thing that’s become apparent to me this season is that if the Pirates are going to make the playoffs before 2015, it’s going to be because Andrew McCutchen drags them there. A two-homer night against the Astros in September of a lost season is not the same thing as that, but you know what? Right now, I’ll take it.
Also, I think it’s worth giving a mention to Jared Hughes, who made his big league debut tonight by bailing Brian Burres out in the fifth inning and pitching a scoreless sixth. If the Pirates have one thing in spades, it’s interesting young relievers.
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