Pittsburgh Pirates Takeaways & Throwaways – Caught Red-Handed

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ struggle to string together more than two wins continued Sunday afternoon.

The Bucs were hoping to take their first sweep since the July 1-3 series in Oakland, but the Cincinnati Reds had other plans. They took the final game of three today 7 – 3.

Takeaways

• Matt Joyce, starting in right field for the ailing Gregory Polanco (shoulder soreness), hit his 12th homer today – a long one all the way to PNC’s Riverwalk. While that made him only 1-7 on the series, he continues to deliver for the Pirates. Even though he missed a diving catch on a Brandon Phillips fly in the 6th that allowed Adam Duvall to score – Joyce continues to do his job for the Pirates. Someone give him a contract already.
• Finally getting Billy Hamilton out while attempting to steal his fifth base of the game in the 9th.

Throwaways

• The top of the 7th.
• Opponents are Running Wild – Billy Hamilton is a flat out base thief and the Pirates haven’t been aggressive in even trying to stop most any runner from stealing this season. According to Greg Brown, through the third inning of this game, Cole has allowed 15 of 16 attempts to reach. Bucs pitchers have been slow to the plate and catchers haven’t been on it. That could be a result of the injury plagued catching staff, true, but stolen bases lead to runs. Especially when it’s Billy Hamilton. According to Joe Block, four of the Reds’ runs today were set up by stolen bases.
• Pirates offense – The Reds have the second highest ERA (5.10) and highest walk percentage (442) in all of Major League Baseball – and the Pirates didn’t even get a baserunner on or a hit off of them until Matt Joyce broke free and took away Straily’s perfect game and no-hitter in one swing in the bottom of the 5th. Twice the Pirates had the bases loaded late in the game, but neither time could the bats take full advantage of the situation.

W – Dan Straily (7-6)
L – Gerrit Cole (7-7)

Line of the Day

Pain in the Pirates’ Patoots Billy Hamilton had 3 runs, 3 hits and 1 walk in 4 at-bats. Oh, and stole 4 bases (on five attempts).

Next Up
After a Monday rest day, the Pirates face the 48-62 San Diego Padres Tuesday for the first in a three-game series at PNC Park. Righty Luis Perdomo (5-5) will face Pirates rookie Chad Kuhl (1-0). Game time is 7:05 p.m.