8-17-21 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter
Steven Brault is hardly the best pitcher to ever wear the black and gold, but as we have watched a good baker’s dozen of starters filter through this rotation in 2021, his veteran presence is too apparent to dismiss.
He just seems to be at that point where a pitcher really understands himself and is able to gather himself and attack. Last night, that led to 5.2 innings of 3 hit ball and unfortunately for Steven the Dodgers were able to do the same largely on the back of rookie Andre Jackson.
Both teams had five hits, both teams should have had 2 runs.
Rodolfo Castro had another rookie moment, failing to tag and score on a sac fly in the 7th that would have made it 2-0 is certainly the biggest missed opportunity but the bats were relatively quiet all night in LA as the evening air was knocking just about everything down.
That didn’t stop Max Muncy and Brian McKinney from hitting solo shots to defeat the Pirates 2-1.
These two square off again tonight with Wil Crowe facing David Price at 10:10 in LA.
News & Notes
- I want to continue to see Hoy Park play a bunch, but in his 14 games and 53 ABs for the Pirates his .245 BA, .288 OBP and .388 SLG isn’t exactly matching the number of people I’m seeing who want to write his name in pen for next year’s lineup.
- Ke’Bryan Hayes continues to make adjustments and last night it resulted in getting on base 3 times. The young man looks much more comfortable at the plate.
- Yoshitomo Tsutsugo had his first pinch hit for the Pirates last night and doubled.
- This was a well pitched ballgame for the Pirates but the long ball has bitten them all season. Tonight it was two solo shots coughed up by Banda and Shreve.
Inside The Bucs Basement 