RECAP - Brewers - 9 / Pirates - 3

Win #82 Will Have to Wait as Liriano Couldn't
Get the Job Done

Pittsburgh Pirates - 3
Milwaukee Brewers - 9

WP - Peralta
LP - Liriano

Did you really think this would be easy?  Did you really think that the Pirates would win #82 in a sweeping fashion against the team that has given them fits for the last 10 years?  It sure looked like the stars were aligned.  The Pirates' staff ace, Francisco Liriano, took the mound looking for his 16th victory, the Pirates have been hitting the ball well, and there was a lot at stake for this team.  A lot has been written (even by me) about how the Pirates players, with the exception of maybe Neil Walker, don't really care about "the streak" ending.  However, Andrew McCutchen put it best when he said he was looking forward to ending the streak so the "negative talk" will finally end and the talk can then shift to what is actually important...winning the division and making a run at the World Series.  Nonetheless, Pirate fans sat down with expectations of popping a little bubbly (or whatever adult beverage you choose), and hitting 'REC' on their DVRs to save this historic accomplishment.  Well, you might want to just delete that recording and hopefully set your DVR to record the game on Friday night in St. Louis as AJ Burnett looks to be the pitcher that puts the wooden stake, a silver bullet, or the final nail in the coffin of "the streak".

The one thing that got me about this game was that if you simply looked at the box score, you would think the Pirates got blown out and it wasn't even a contest.  After all, Liriano pitched 3 innings giving up 7 earned runs on 7 hits, walking 2, and striking out 4.  The Pirates were out hit in the contest, but if you look closely they hit the ball well...just not at the right times.  The Brewers outhit the Pirates 13-12.  The telling stat of the night?  Simple.  The Pirates left 12 base runners stranded.  12 base runners.  In a game where you lose by 6 runs, if you just got 3 hits with RISP this game would be completely different.  Nonetheless, the Pirates didn't get those clutch hits, and the result was falling flat on their faces in an attempt to keep a 2 game lead in the NL Central.  If there is any consolation to this loss, it is that the Cardinals won (beating the Reds).  You might read this and say "How the heck is this a good thing?!"  Well, not only did the Cardinals hold the Reds off from storming into second place, but the game took 16 innings to finish.  The Cardinals play the Reds again today, and to say their bull pen will be taxed is an understatement.  The pitching matchups for the Pirates are interesting as AJ Burnett faces Kelly (who seems to have the Bucccos number), Locke vs. Wainwright (ummmmm that's interesting), and Morton vs. young pitcher Wacha (whoever that is...but he's 2-0).

The upcoming schedule is crucial for the Pirates.  Not only for the simple reason that fact that they finish up their season series with the Cardinals, but also the fact that they will be going to Texas to face a tough Rangers team after the St. Louis series.  In a race to the finish, like the NL Central is right now, you can't afford to have to stop and tie your shoes.  Lets hope the Pirates are up to the task...after all...win #82 is just a stepping stone to bigger and better things.