Squander.
Definition: "To lose (as an advantage or opportunity) through negligence or inaction."
As the Cardinals contine to provide historically good starting pitching through the first month of the season, they also have given no support to said starters. Be it the #FireSquad called into "relief" or the amatuer at-bats the "hitters" have been taken, almost as many times as not, wins become loses; close games become 9-0 laffers.
The Bucs leave STL in first place. They've won 15 games in April for the first time since 1992. And for the immediate future look like a team that is going to be more of a pest than originally forecasted.
Enter the Reds.
In town for the second time already this season, by mid-week 6 of the 9 home games with the presumtive Central Division winners will be booked and confirmed. The opportunites to make up substantial ground in front of the warm cheers of the home crowd against these Reds will be minimal.
It is, for lack of a more creative way of putting it, a large series.
Matt Holliday, Carlos Beltran and Yadier Molina don't earn their millions beating teams like the Pirates. They earn it in games like tonight. Getting spanked by a 25 year-old rookie happens. You can recover. It's the Pirates. We've seen this story before. They'll come back to the back. They'll fall behind.
But another goose-egg tonight? Just not an option.
It's time for the offense to help the starting pitching. It's time for the bullpen to not give up runs. It's time to step up and see if this team is going to play for the playoffs or if they're coasting on a fluky month of freaky starting pitching and willing to spectate with the rest of us instead of lending a helping hand.
Game time, Redbirds. You in?
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