Post by joshsbix on Jan 10, 2024 10:43:50 GMT -5
Summer is just around the corner as is mathematical elimination from playoff contention. Let's see how things went down.
5/25
A Wednesday rubber match was in order for Pittsburgh and Cincinnati on getaway day. Pittsburgh sent German down and called up Dontrelle Willis as the team struggles to find the solution for the #3 rotation spot. The Reds countered with second year pitcher Bryan Bullington.
Kenny Powers had Willis on a short leash as the managaer decided to turn the game over to the pen in the 5th after Willis had only thrown 59 pitches, giving up an earned run. Powers said after the game, "We want to give Dontrelle a positive outing to build off of." The big question for a lot of fans after this game was, with a 4-1 lead, why didn't Willis finish the game? Has Kenny lost confidence in his starters to pitch into the late innings?
Sexson picked up the slack for a hitless Morneau, going 2-3 with a pair of doubles and RBIs, earning him the POG as the Pirates take the series 2-1 and start the sim on a positive note, winning 4-2. CJ Wilson picked up the win despite giving up the other earned run. Barnette, Broadway, and Mattes all had scoreless appearances.
5/26
Spirits were high coming off of the series win but the Braves are not the Reds, despite wearing the same colors. The offense failed Cory Wade in this one, only able to score 2 runs off of Braves starter, Ryan Rupe. Rupe went all 9 and the biggest blemish on his line was a 2 run hr to Lieberthal in the 2nd inning.
Pirates fall to 1-1 with a 7-2 loss and the Braves take a 1-0 series lead on Retro Day at Forbes Field.
5/27
The Pirates led 2-1 after 5 innings but a big 6th inning gave the Braves the lead off of a 3 run homerun from Roger Cedeno, his second of the game. Kroenke went into the 7th, desperate to get some run support, but it never came. Kroenke drops to 0-9 but OOTP made sure to make it extra special in the game notes.
Elliot Johnson hit the longest homer of his career, it went 404 feet. Zach Kroenke's losing streak reaches a career high 9 consecutive decisions.
Pittsburgh falls to 1-2 for the sim and the Braves take a 2-0 series lead.
5/28
The Braves opened the scoring in the first inning with a 1 out triple by Sanchez and Green would knock him in. Atlanta added a run in the 3rd, 2 in he fifth, and 1 in the 6th to lead 5-0 before the Pirates scored on a Joe Hietpas solo shot, his 5th HR of the year.
The Pirates scored 4 in the bottom of the 7th with another big hit from Hietpas, this time a 2 on 1 out double. He did wahat he could at the bottom of the lineup going 2-4 with 2 RBIs, the top of the order went 5-15 but Atlanta bullpen was better than the Pirates and the Braves scored 3 in the top of the 9th to secure the sweep by a score of 8-5.
5/29
Thank God, a day off.
5/30
After losing 3 straight to the Braves, the good vibes were long gone as the Cubs arrived in Pittsburgh. Chuck James was solid for 6 before giving up 3 runs late. However, it didn't matter because the Cubs led 3-0 after 3 and 6-2 after 7.
Pittsburgh loses their 4th straight to fall to 1-4 on the sim and 0-1 for the Cubs series.
5/31
Dontrelle Willis got his second start of the sim and was once again on a short leash. This time it was for a reason as he gave up 5 ER in 3.2 innings. However, outside of the 2 runs given up by Mattes, the Pirate bullpen was solid. CJ Wilson pithed 2 scoreless, Mike Broadway contributed a clean inning with 2 k's. Mantei got an out, Villarreal and Barnette finished out the 8-7 win despite a furious 9th inning comeback attempt.
Pittsburgh trailed 3-1 after 2 innings but in the 3rd, the offense came alive. Pittsburgh scored 3 powered by back to back doubles by Morneau and Lieberthal.
Elliot Johnson started his second game as the Pirate leadoff hitter and he went 2-4.setting the stage for Billy Butler's big 2-4 night, piling up 3 RBIs. The Pirates didn't hit any homeruns in this game but I really like this lineup. If Johnson and Butler can fill the #1 and #2 spot, that makes the #3, #4, #5 some combination of Fowler, Trumbo, and Morneau.
Pirates improve to 2-4 on the sim but find a little excitement in this lineup.
6/1
June is the best month of them all, because I was born then. The Pirates hoped that the offense explosion in game 2 was a sign that warmer days were bringing hot bats.
The momentum carried over as the Pirates jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning but Cory Wade turned in the worst start of his young career, giving up 7 earned runs in the second inning.
The Morneau/Sexson homerun race heated up as both sluggers went deep in this one, but it wasn't enough as the Cubs exploded for 10 runs. Earstad and Adams were back at the top of the lineup again and once again the 1-2 punch just wasn't there.
Pirates fall to 2-5 on the sim and turn their sights to the June 1 FA trading window opening.
I am not sold that Johnson is the solution at leadoff. I want him to be, but I am not sure if his OPS is going to be high enough. I think we will try him there for the rest of the season and see what happens.
Let's Go Bucs!
5/25
A Wednesday rubber match was in order for Pittsburgh and Cincinnati on getaway day. Pittsburgh sent German down and called up Dontrelle Willis as the team struggles to find the solution for the #3 rotation spot. The Reds countered with second year pitcher Bryan Bullington.
Kenny Powers had Willis on a short leash as the managaer decided to turn the game over to the pen in the 5th after Willis had only thrown 59 pitches, giving up an earned run. Powers said after the game, "We want to give Dontrelle a positive outing to build off of." The big question for a lot of fans after this game was, with a 4-1 lead, why didn't Willis finish the game? Has Kenny lost confidence in his starters to pitch into the late innings?
Sexson picked up the slack for a hitless Morneau, going 2-3 with a pair of doubles and RBIs, earning him the POG as the Pirates take the series 2-1 and start the sim on a positive note, winning 4-2. CJ Wilson picked up the win despite giving up the other earned run. Barnette, Broadway, and Mattes all had scoreless appearances.
5/26
Spirits were high coming off of the series win but the Braves are not the Reds, despite wearing the same colors. The offense failed Cory Wade in this one, only able to score 2 runs off of Braves starter, Ryan Rupe. Rupe went all 9 and the biggest blemish on his line was a 2 run hr to Lieberthal in the 2nd inning.
Pirates fall to 1-1 with a 7-2 loss and the Braves take a 1-0 series lead on Retro Day at Forbes Field.
5/27
The Pirates led 2-1 after 5 innings but a big 6th inning gave the Braves the lead off of a 3 run homerun from Roger Cedeno, his second of the game. Kroenke went into the 7th, desperate to get some run support, but it never came. Kroenke drops to 0-9 but OOTP made sure to make it extra special in the game notes.
Elliot Johnson hit the longest homer of his career, it went 404 feet. Zach Kroenke's losing streak reaches a career high 9 consecutive decisions.
Pittsburgh falls to 1-2 for the sim and the Braves take a 2-0 series lead.
5/28
The Braves opened the scoring in the first inning with a 1 out triple by Sanchez and Green would knock him in. Atlanta added a run in the 3rd, 2 in he fifth, and 1 in the 6th to lead 5-0 before the Pirates scored on a Joe Hietpas solo shot, his 5th HR of the year.
The Pirates scored 4 in the bottom of the 7th with another big hit from Hietpas, this time a 2 on 1 out double. He did wahat he could at the bottom of the lineup going 2-4 with 2 RBIs, the top of the order went 5-15 but Atlanta bullpen was better than the Pirates and the Braves scored 3 in the top of the 9th to secure the sweep by a score of 8-5.
5/29
Thank God, a day off.
5/30
After losing 3 straight to the Braves, the good vibes were long gone as the Cubs arrived in Pittsburgh. Chuck James was solid for 6 before giving up 3 runs late. However, it didn't matter because the Cubs led 3-0 after 3 and 6-2 after 7.
Pittsburgh loses their 4th straight to fall to 1-4 on the sim and 0-1 for the Cubs series.
5/31
Dontrelle Willis got his second start of the sim and was once again on a short leash. This time it was for a reason as he gave up 5 ER in 3.2 innings. However, outside of the 2 runs given up by Mattes, the Pirate bullpen was solid. CJ Wilson pithed 2 scoreless, Mike Broadway contributed a clean inning with 2 k's. Mantei got an out, Villarreal and Barnette finished out the 8-7 win despite a furious 9th inning comeback attempt.
Pittsburgh trailed 3-1 after 2 innings but in the 3rd, the offense came alive. Pittsburgh scored 3 powered by back to back doubles by Morneau and Lieberthal.
Elliot Johnson started his second game as the Pirate leadoff hitter and he went 2-4.setting the stage for Billy Butler's big 2-4 night, piling up 3 RBIs. The Pirates didn't hit any homeruns in this game but I really like this lineup. If Johnson and Butler can fill the #1 and #2 spot, that makes the #3, #4, #5 some combination of Fowler, Trumbo, and Morneau.
Pirates improve to 2-4 on the sim but find a little excitement in this lineup.
6/1
June is the best month of them all, because I was born then. The Pirates hoped that the offense explosion in game 2 was a sign that warmer days were bringing hot bats.
The momentum carried over as the Pirates jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning but Cory Wade turned in the worst start of his young career, giving up 7 earned runs in the second inning.
The Morneau/Sexson homerun race heated up as both sluggers went deep in this one, but it wasn't enough as the Cubs exploded for 10 runs. Earstad and Adams were back at the top of the lineup again and once again the 1-2 punch just wasn't there.
Pirates fall to 2-5 on the sim and turn their sights to the June 1 FA trading window opening.
I am not sold that Johnson is the solution at leadoff. I want him to be, but I am not sure if his OPS is going to be high enough. I think we will try him there for the rest of the season and see what happens.
Let's Go Bucs!
