The Pittsburgh Pirates are in must-win situation if it wants to keep its National League Central hopes alive. The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Pirates by a 3-0 score Monday night and reducing its magic number to two meaning a win in either doubleheader game would result in the NL Central title.
“We’ve been in a footrace the entire year, and I don’t think we’re scared of who’s behind us, we just go out and play hard,” Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal said.
The Pirates are not panicking however they did reverse their pitching rotation for today’s day-night doubleheader as Gerrit Cole will pitch the first game, and Charlie Morton the second.
“This is the first must-win game in pursuit of the division all year,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “So we put our must-win pitcher out there the first game.”
Many baseball fans, quite possibly some Pirates fans included have written off the team’s NL Central Division Champion hopes. The team however does not subscribe to that belief.
“Life is all about believing in things you can’t see,” said Hurdle. “If you let evidence shut you down from reaching and stretching, I don’t know how worthy it becomes.”
Addressing the rotation, Cole has gone 11-2 with a 2.98 in 16 career September starts and owns a 3-3 record to go along with a 2.96 ERA in seven career regular season starts against the Cardinals. In his last start, he got a win throwing seven innings and allowing a run on four hits against the Chicago Cubs. Cole has won three of his last four decisions.
Morton has not fared well in his 17 career starts against the Cardinals. He owns a 2-1 career record with a 5.30 ERA. Morton earned a no-decision at Colorado allowing six runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings. He has lost four of his past decisions and has a 6.05 ERA during that stretch.
The Cardinals will counter with Michael Wacha in game one, and Tyler Lyons in game two.
Wacha is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in six career games [five starts] against the Pirates. He won his last start against the Milwaukee Brewers allowing three runs on six hits in five innings.
Lyons is starting in place for Carlos Martinez who was placed on the disabled list with a shoulder strain. This is Lyons’ 16th appearance and eighth start of the season. Lyons is 0-2 with a 3.51 ERA in six career appearances [three starts] against the Pirates.
Seventh inning stretch: Mistakes happen, and more so this season than in recent seasons, the defense made miscues. Hurdle acknowledged that the Pirates will finish at or towards the bottom in baseball. They are at the bottom in the National Leagues.
“You want to talk about what makes you laugh and what makes you cry, our ability to play above our mistakes,” Hurdle said. “We make our fair share but that so what, no what mentally has worked. We’re going to do something nobody else has done regardless. I’m not proud of it and we’re not a bad fielding team, we’re just very inconsistent.”
Hurdle also mentioned that the team had more opportunities than anyone else in the league and it was a double-edged sword. He appreciates the team’s tenacity specifically when it is overcoming mistakes.
The Pirates are 36-17 in one-run games as well.
“We find ways to win games,” said Hurdle.
Bottom of the ninth: Hurdle started his pregame press conference in a loose manner, as he showed off a binder full of both older and newer baseball cards he received in a package from Ocala, FLA. This led to a back-and-forth between him and Root Sports’ Robby Incmikoski, who perfectly recited the brand and year of each card. Hurdle said the check was in the mail, as the sender said the manager could keep it if he sent a $150 check.
“Basically what I did was bought these for Christian or Maddie,” Hurdle said. “The check is already in the mail, so Merry Christmas.”
Cleaning up a little odd and end from the past road trip, Michael Morse did receive the Los Angeles Dodgers jersey he never got to wear, though it was not given to him on the road, rather it was mailed to him. Morse said to PSN that he was friends with members of the Dodgers clubhouse who have a good relationship with him. Morse stated they told him they wished he was with them, but wished him luck with the Pirates… Adam Wainwright was activated from to 60-day disabled list. He had a left Achilles injury suffered April 25. The corresponding move was to place Carlos Martinez on the 60-day disabled list. Wainwright is available immediately out of the bullpen and is able to throw an inning in one of today’s games.
Photo courtesy: Rob Foldy/Getty Images
