Pirates Pitcher Gives Up Homer, Pirates Lose 1-0

Well, same old Buccos. Trevor Williams gave up a solo homer to Domingo Santana in his five innings of work and left the game down 1-0. The Pirates stranded a runner at second in the first and had a big chance in the sixth with runners on first and third, no outs and the middle of the order up. Cutch K'ed, with Marte stealing second, and then J-Bell and El Coffee popped up. It didn't get better; Chris Bostick beat out an infield rap in the eighth for the next Bucco hit while Dovydas Neverauskas, Huddy and Edgar Santana kept the Brewers quiet. George Kontos left Suds City runners at second and third in the ninth with a swinging strikeout. Corey Knebel had no issue at all in the ninth, notching his seventh save in seven chances against the Pirates.

Sometimes a run is one too many to surrender (photo Joe Guzy/Pirates)

The Pirates certainly don't seem too concerned about job security. The guys that are starters aren't looking over their shoulders, and why should they - none of the young guys are closing the gap, even with a couple of bench spots likely to be opening up next year. Maybe a little competition in 2018 might sharpen their focus a bit.

Notes:

• Starling Marte had two hits and two stolen bases tonight.
• The Pirates have lost seven games in a row and 12 of their past 13. In those 12 losses, they scored 15 total runs. Pittsburgh has now gone 63 inning, seven full games, w/o holding the lead. 
• Trevor Williams went five IP, giving up a run on three hits and two walks with six K after 87 pitches.
• Ivan Nova tossed his bullpen earlier today with no calf problems, so he's still in line to start Friday.
• 13,929 was tonight's announced attendance. That's the Pirates’ third-lowest crowd this year, ahead of a couple of early April dates.
• Yoo Je Ho has a two-part interview (Part 1, Part 2) in the Yonhap News (English version) with Jung Ho Kang re: his lost season and future.
• Zack Von Rosenberg, a sixth-rounder who the Pirates drafted out of HS in 2009 as a RHP and signed a $1.2M bonus, walked on to LSU as a football player in 2016 after he was released by the Bucs. He was recruited by the Tigers in his prep days and now the 6-5, 250 pounder is a punter/QB.
• KC's Alex Gordon tonight hit HR #5,694 of 2017, the most ever for a single MLB season.