For a second consecutive game, the Pittsburgh Pirates struck first, but it wasn’t enough, as the San Francisco Giants won the game, 5-3, to clinch the series victory Thursday afternoon. This defeat means the Pirates have lost four consecutive series losses and drops them to 34-39 on the season.
Once again, the Pirates started off fast with a first inning sacrifice fly off center fielder Gregory Polanco’s bat. He was down 0-2 in the count before his fly ball was deep enough to score second baseman Josh Harrison. Scoring first had been a recipe for success for the Pirates — they had a 27-14 record when scoring first before to this game.
Similar to Monday’s game, it looked as though this lead might hold, as starting pitcher Jonathon Niese got through his first two innings, throwing just 28 pitches in the process. Niese’s results also were encouraging as he had two strike outs and four ground ball outs. Usually, when Niese shows his best command, a lot of ground balls are hit.
Instead, the Pirates’ momentum was short lived.
In the third inning, Giants left fielder Jarrett Parker led off with a walk, and third baseman Conor Gillaspie followed with a single. After San Francisco pitcher Albert Suarez (3-1) hit a sacrifice bunt, center fielder Denard Span walked to load the bases. With a 1-1 count, second baseman Joe Panik promptly unloaded the bases with a triple, his fifth of the season, giving the Giants the 3-1 lead.
The next San Francisco batter, right fielder Mac Williamson, hit a 1-2 pitch to left field for a single, scoring Panik. 4-2, Giants. After that, Niese (6-5) escaped by picking Williamson off first base, but the damage was done.
In the next half inning, Pirates first baseman John Jaso led off with a single and scored when Harrison hit a full-count pitch into left field. By the time the ball made it back to the mound in Suarez’s glove, Harrison was on third base with his fourth triple of the season, and the Pirates cut the Giants’ lead to 4-2.
Polanco would plate the Pirates’ third run of the game with a sacrifice fly, scoring Harrison.
Leading by one run, the Giants were looking for separation, and they got it in the sixth inning when Williamson hit a solo home run to left center field, his second of the season.
After this, the Pirates’ bats were largely neutralized; 15 straight were retired before left fielder Sean Rodriguez singled with two outs in the ninth inning.
Next up, the Pirates will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a four-game series that begins Friday. Pittsburgh’s Jameson Taillon (1-1, 3.50 ERA) will face the Dodgers’ Nick Tepesch (3-0, 2.00 ERA with Triple-A Oklahoma City), who is making a spot start for the Dodgers. Taillon, who is coming off a 10-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs where he allowed four runs in four innings, will be making his fourth career Major League start.
Image credit: Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo
