That series was the Pirates’ first time on a big stage this year, and they at times appeared a bit flustered.įor the Pirates, coming home to face the Blue Jays seemed like a quick-fix opportunity. The Rays rely on the same kinds of things the Pirates did so well in April - run, put pressure on defenses, pitch well, play solid defense - only they do them much better. In retrospect, it’s not surprising the Pirates dropped three straight this past week against Tampa Bay. This funk started on the heels of a fantastic April that included a seven-game stretch that was the Pirates’ longest winning streak since 2018. “But I do think we’re better equipped to crawl out of these than we were in the past.”Ĭavan Biggio scores a run in the third inning to stretch the Blue Jays’ lead to 7-0. “I would say it’s never a good time to have one,” manager Derek Shelton said with a grin. An optimist would say it’s a good thing to get it out of the way now. This year, the losing streak has happened earlier than in recent seasons. In addition to the nine-game funk last June, there were two seven-game losing streaks later in the season. They also had an eight-game losing streak that August. They snapped that jinx, then lost nine of their next 15. In June 2021, the Pirates dropped 10 straight. They had another nine-game losing streak in September. Five days after that one ended, they began an eight-game skid. In July 2019, the Pirates lost nine in a row. The key is to keep the losing from becoming a week-long thing and to prevent one losing steak from spawning other, longer ones. The Pirates have endured at least one six-game losing streak in each of the past four seasons. It was the 68th home run to reach the river since PNC Park opened in 2001.In a 162-game season, no team can avoid some kind of funk. Varsho drove a slider from Chase De Jong over the Clemente Wall, bouncing the ball into the Allegheny River for his fifth home run this season. Right now, we're just lacking that hit to maybe relieve a little bit of that pressure."ĭaulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier each had a two-run homer in a five-run ninth. "The hits that we were getting earlier in the season, we were getting a base hit there and then we were getting another hit, so we were able to add on. "Right now, we're just not getting that big hit," Shelton said. Jordan Romano came in with the bases loaded to strike out Jack Suwinski and get Miguel Andujar to pop to third. Bassitt shines as Blue Jays blank Pirates to snap 5-game skidĬarlos Santana had an RBI single in the eighth.Belt's 2-run double helps Blue Jays defeat Pirates for 2nd straight game.He's been tagged for nine runs in 10 1/3 innings his past two starts. We're not pitching extremely well, we're not swinging the bats extremely well."Ĭontreras gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings. "During that time, we were playing full games and right now we're not. "I think no one expected that pace to keep up, as well as we played," Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. They began the season 20-8, their best start since winning a 1992 division title. The Pirates have been outscored 44-9 during their longest skid since eight straight losses last Sept. Toronto outscored Pittsburgh 22-3 during the sweep, bouncing back from five straight losses. "You don't have to be so reliant on the top four. "That's what this lineup is capable of," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. The two-time All-Star last had four RBIs on Aug. Merrifield put Toronto ahead with a run-scoring infield single in the first following a 95-minute rain delay and opened a 4-0 lead in the third when he sent a hanging curveball from Roansy Contreras (3-3) into the left-field bleachers.
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