The Boston Red Sox are the latest team to take advantage of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ inept offense and inconsistent pitching staff. Wednesday’s result was an 8-3 victory for the road team at PNC Park, handing the Bucs their sixth consecutive defeat.
Roansy Contreras started for Pittsburgh, giving up four runs on six hits and four walks in six innings. The Red Sox sent Rich Hill to the bump, who gave up two runs on three hits in five innings. It was just a three-run game entering the ninth inning, but Yohan Ramirez was tagged for three runs in the ninth which gave Boston some breathing room.
The Pirates got off to a good start on Wednesday, as Bryan Reynolds hit his 18th homerun of the season, a two-run shot, in the bottom of the first to make it 2-0.
Boston responded immediately their next time at the plate for three runs. Christian Arroyo’s two-run double tied the game, and a single by Enrique Hernandez made it 3-2.
Alex Verdugo’s double in the fifth made it 4-2, and a bases-loaded walk to Rob Refsnyder scored the Red Sox’s fifth run of the game. They then broke the game wide open with three more runs in the ninth inning on a run-scoring single by Arroyo and a two-run single by Kevin Plawecki.
Pittsburgh added a run in the bottom of the ninth on Ben Gamel’s RBI single, but it was far too little, far too late.
Things have gone from bad to worse for this team since the All -Star break. Before the season began, many believed this would be the worst team in baseball, and after playing above some people’s expectations in the first half of the season, they have come crashing down and are now in a freefall as we enter the latter part of August.
The Pirates will look to avoid the series sweep, as well as snap their six game skid when they take the field on Thursday. JT Brubaker will take the mound for Pittsburgh against Josh Winckowski for Boston.
Record vs. Red Sox: 0-2
Record vs. American League: 3-11
Record at Home: 24-31
Overall Record: 45-72
And…
As Always…
Let’s Go Bucs!
