Pirates Blow Four-Run Lead, Lose In Ninth 5-4

Well, who'd thunk it? Tuck blasted the first pitch of the game off Lewis Thorpe over the wall and into the bullpen to make it 1-0 like that. It was 1-2-3 for Derek Holland. Phil Evans and Guillermo Heredia banged back-to-back singles with an out in the second. Jake Stallings followed with a rap off the 3B's glove, and it was 2-0. The Twins got a single, but Holland came back with a pair of K to keep them quiet. Kevin Newman opened the third with a rap but was tossed out easily trying to stretch it; baserunning is not a Bucco forte. Not much diff; the next pair of Pirates fanned. The Twinkies again made no noise. Bryan Reynolds walked to start the fourth, promptly negated by a 1-4-3 DP by Evans. Heredia and Jake then walked. Erik Gonzalez doubled in a run before Tuck walked to load the bases, but no further damage was wrought as a potential big inning melted away. Minnesota hit a couple of balls hard but only had a single to show for their efforts. Jorge Alcala took the ball in the fifth and was met by a J-Bell rap. A passed ball moved him along, and it counted when Phil dropped a knock into right to score him, even though Evans was thrown out at second. The Twins got a knock but otherwise caused no problems.

No bullpen help for Derek again - photo Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

Alcala tossed a calm sixth. A one-out walk, bouncer and Nelson Cruz single made it 4-1. Heredia made a lazy and ill-advised throw home, allowing Nelson to reach second. It washed out when Miguel Sano walked. Both Minnies scored on Max Kepler's two-bagger (Tuck misread the screamer hit right him, a tough play for even vet CF's), and once again Miguel Del Pozo got the ball. Two walks loaded the sacks, a wild pitch tied the game, and another free pass brought in Chris Stratton, who doused the flames. Matt Wisler retired the Pirates in order in the seventh, while Stratton walked another Twin in a zippo frame. Wisler kept the Bucs at bay in the eighth. Kepler singled off Ric Rod and went to second on a misfired pickoff try by Jake, where he stayed. Heredia singled off Taylor Rogers to begin the ninth. He stole second with two gone and no further. Nick Burdi got the call, and a single, passed ball and walk put him in a quick jam. A fly moved them both up. Shelty opted to pitch to Nelson Cruz with first open; he paid when a 97 MPH fastball down Broadway was driven to the track for the walk-off win.

Same ol' - weak fundamentally, debatable coaching decisions, walks galore, lineup in flux...ah well, only 50 games to go.

Notes:

• Guillermo Heredia had two hits, a walk and a stolen base tonight; Phil Evans added two raps. Evans (.348) and Tuck (.211) were the only pair of Pirates in the lineup that finished the game hitting over the Mendoza line.
• The Pirates have lost five straight games, the last three by one run.
• The Pucks and Bucs broadcast hit a definite hurdle tonight when the Verizon channel didn't function.
• Miguel Del Pozo has made four outings; he's faced 15 batters and gotten five outs, walked eight and has no strikeouts.
• RHP Yacksel Rios has joined the staff as RHP Michael Feliz (forearm strain) has been placed on the 45-day IL. He was 1-0/5.23 in 10 outings for Pittsburgh last year. Rios took the roster spot vacated by LHP Robbie Erlin, who was DFA'ed yesterday. 
• BTW, Colin Moran's quick start looks like it's due to one adjustment - instead of using the whole field as he did under Clint, he's now pulling the ball 65% of the time. His pull rate was about 40% in 2018-19, and his hard hit rate also jumped from 33% then to 65% now. We'll see how the league adjusts...
• If you were curious (yes, the pitching took quite a hit):