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One day after playing what might have been their most complete game of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates jumped all over the Milwaukee Brewers last night. The club scored six runs in the first inning in an eventual 7-3 win.
MORE: Read all about last night’s game in our TNTs
The Pirates could stand to get off to some better starts such as the one seen last night. For the season, the club scores in the first inning at a 30.99 percent clip. This is good for 18th in baseball, firmly in the middle of the pack. This held true for 2016 as well, when they struck early 31.48 percent of the time, 15th in all of baseball.
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The importance of striking early and often is borne out mostly by taking an honest look at the club’s early relief options. Everyone knows that the back end has some talent in Felipe Rivero, Juan Nicasio and the good version of Tony Watson, but the other options in the Pittsburgh Pirates relief corps often amount to dice rolls.
Getting to a pitcher early can also have a transformative effect on the team’s run creation. As things stand today, Pittsburgh’s offense typically is a bit stagnant in the early going. Who’s ready for Baseball Reference table!
Though the 12 home runs in the first inning will catch the eye, it is worth noting that the club has still mustered 36 RBI in the first frame despite the home run total. Coupled with a lower on base percentage and batting average than other, more fruitful innings could suggest that the Pittsburgh Pirates have a bit of trouble getting things going.
The reasons for this could be myriad, and we must remember that this is for the entire 2017 season-to-date. That is important, as it would include games in which Andrew McCutchen was still batting third and trying to find himself, and before Adam Frazier and Josh Harrison became staples in the 1-2 slots.
We also cannot ignore the fact that naturally hitters will do better in the middle innings as they cycle through the order. Some debate if the Times Through the Order Penalty is a real thing, but many believe that it is. If you choose to believe in it, then it stands to reason that hitters will be much more comfortable against a starter after seeing them once.
No matter the perspective, this particular Pittsburgh Pirates team would be far better served with more first stanzas like the one seen last night. They do not necessarily have to score 5+ runs out of the gate every game, or even in the majority of games.
However, what they absolutely need to have happen is to come into each game with a solid, aggressive approach at the plate, with the mentality to match.
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