Pirates 6-Run Blown Lead Could Have Disastrous Results

"J Mac" Has STRUGGLED Since the Break

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been through this before.  They've lost close games, and they've lost games via blow out, but what they haven't done is surrender leads the way they have...especially last night.  The one-time solid Bucco bullpen has been everything but solid recently.  I couldn't help but listen to that game on the radio last night and listening to James McDonald blow a 6-run lead and think that this could be a disastrous loss to the team.  I also couldn't help but listen to the game and think to myself that there is a chance this loss could be similar to the 2011 Atlanta Braves vs Pirates 19-inning debacle.  Lets go back to last year.  After that blown call and the Pirates lost that 19-inning game they went on an extended losing streak.  The Buccos were never able to come back from that as they skidded to their 20th consecutive losing season. 

I'm not saying that I think that will happen, but after blowing a 6-run lead you have to wonder how the team will bounce back from such a loss.  As I said earlier, the Pirates have been there before this year, and they've always been able to bounce back.  I must think that there is a good chance they win the game tonight, but simply because AJ Burnett is on the mound.  There are some very scary statistics that engulf the starting rotation as well as the bullpen that simply can't be ignored: James McDonald since the All-Star Break has an 8.71 ERA.  His ERA was 2.37 before the mid-summer classic.  Here is the scariest of them all: The Pirates' bullpen in the last 14 games - 34.2 Innings Pitched / 26 Earned Runs / 6.84 ERA.  Those are not the numbers that the Buccos prided themselves on earlier in the season. 

The Pirates are a resilient team, and everyone needs to remember that this was just ONE GAME...myself included.  I feel like there was a lull on the Bucco-Buzz that was running rampant over Twitter and Facebook today, but if they win tonight all is good in the world.  Just remember last season the Steelers got absolutely WAXED by the Ravens in Game 1, and everyone was saying the sky was falling...they rebounded to a 12-4 record.  The Pirates can do the same if they get solid contributions from the pitching staff and bullpen that could match the offensive output that they have been giving game in and game out the last month.  Lets hope the Jolly Roger gets raised tonight!