Charlie Morton must not have watched Paul Maholm's game last night, because he sure didn't learn any lessons from it.
With two outs in the second, he gave up back-to-back singles to the 7-8 hitters, walked the pitcher on four straight tosses, and then gave up three more singles to the top of the order, and before you could "deja vu all over again," it was 4-0.
CM wasn't entirely to blame; his infield could have bailed him out, particularly on a two-out duble clutch by Neil Walker that would have ended the inning without a run, but didn't. A Jose Tabata misplay in center didn't help, either. Still, walk the pitcher and bad things usually happen; ditto when you count on the Pittsburgh infield to carry you to victory.
In the third, Morton gave up a lead-off single, followed by a walk and wild pitch. With one away, that pesky eight hitter, Emilio Bonifacio, singled home a run and an out later, Chris Coghlin roped a 3-1 pitch into right to bring home another run.
Morton lasted five frames, giving up six runs (and like yesterday, five were brought home after two outs) on ten hits, walking three and whiffing six with a wild pitch; he threw 91 pitches. All but one out was recorded via the ground ball or K; two hits were liners, the rest were grounders that found their way through the infield.
His mound foe, Ricky Nolasco, was cruising.
He wasn't quite as dominant as Josh Johnson was last night, but plenty good enough. One guy was stranded at third and Pedro, who had walked with two away, was gunned down at home after a two-out double by Chris Snyder in the sixth. Nolasco worked seven frames, giving up four hits, walking one and K'ing eight.
Again, the bullpen in the persons of Chris Resop and Evan Meek, did their job, but the result was the same as yesterday's: Florida 6, Pittsburgh 0.
James McDonald will try to salvage a game tomorrow when he takes on Chris Volstad tomorrow night. The Bucs return home Friday to match up with the Nats.
-- The Pirates' scoreless streak is now at 22 innings.
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