Pittsburgh Pirates Takeaways & Throwaways – Series Finale Nailbiter

Following yesterday’s win against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Pittsburgh Pirates fell 5-4 in the rubber match of the series this afternoon. Here are the takeaways and throwaways from a close one in the series finale at PNC Park.

Takeaways

• The Pirates were able to get to Angels starter Hector Santiago early and often. The left hander threw 90 pitches in only four innings of work, while giving up three earned runs on four hits. Santiago compiled four strikeouts in the short outing, but most of his troubles surrounded the walks, allowing four including a bases loaded walk to Gregory Polanco that gave the Pirates a 2-1 lead in the second inning.
• As a team, the Pirates have had a much more patient approach at the plate this season. The fact that they sit in the top ten in all of baseball in walks is proof of this. The Pirates put that patient approach to work, as they compiled seven walks this afternoon. Jordy Mercer, Gregory Polanco and Matt Joyce each walked twice in the contest.
• Despite a rough seventh inning, Gerrit Cole was stellar once again for the Pirates, giving up three earned runs on six hits while walking one and striking out four in 6.2 innings of work. Cole enters June with hopes that he can duplicate his May in which he went 3-2 with a 2.68 ERA in six starts.
• Starling Marte continued his stellar series against the Angels this afternoon, going 1-for-4 with an RBI and an intentional walk. In the series as a whole, Marte was 7-for-12 with one home run, two RBI’s and three runs scored. With his one hit performance today, Marte raised his season batting average up to .326.
• The Pirates made some highlight reel plays on defense in this one as Matt Joyce made a diving catch in the third inning and Marte, a former Gold Glove winner, also made a huge catch in the sixth inning of the ball game, helping to preserve a 4-3 lead.

Matt Joyce had the catch of the year for the Pirates for about four innings … then Starling Marte did Starling Marte things

— Travis Sawchik (@Sawchik_Trib) June 5, 2016

Throwaways

• Late in the ballgame, the Pirates allowed the Angels to get back in the game, allowing two runs in the 7th inning after holding a 4-1 lead. Despite an overall good outing, Cole was charged with those two late inning runs.
• After giving up four earned runs in a third of an inning in yesterday’s contest, Tony Watson struggled yet again for the Pirates, pitching the eighth inning. In one inning of work, Watson allowed two hits, including a two-run home run by Albert Pujols that gave the Angels a 5-4 lead.
• For a second consecutive game, the Pirates struggled to capitalize on some key opportunities, leaving 23 runners left on base throughout the course of the ball game. The Pirates had a chance to tie and even win the ball game with bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Sean Rodriguez, who left six runners on base and went 0-for-5 in the contest, grounded into a double play to end the game.

W – Deolis Guerra (1-0)

L – Tony Watson (1-2)

SV – Huston Street (6)

Line of the Night

In his first relief work of the series, Jared Hughes pitched a scoreless frame in the top of the ninth inning, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Up Next

Former Pirates second baseman Neil Walker makes his highly anticipated return to Pittsburgh this week, as the Bucs take on the New York Mets in a three game series. The Pirates will look to take game one of the series tomorrow night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The Pirates will send former Met Jon Niese (5-2, 4.36) to the mound while young lefty Steven Matz (7-1, 2.60) will get the nod for the Mets.

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