Indians cap sweep of Pirates,
Five pitchers combine to shut out Pirates
In this battle of inept offenses, the Pirates came out on top.
Or, really, the bottom. However you want to look at it, the Pirates were powerless against Shane Bieber and the pitching-rich Indians, as Cleveland completed a threegame series sweep with a 2-0 victory against the Pirates on Thursday at PNC Park.
The Pirates struck out 16 times and finished the series with 35 punchouts. Meanwhile, they mustered just two extra base hits over three games, including none Thursday.
It’s true that they’ve been on the other end of some terrific pitching performances this season: Jack Flaherty, Brandon Woodruff, Tyler Chatwood and even Aaron Civale’s complete game Wednesday. But whether it’s those guys or Bieber, sooner or later the Pirates have to do something.
“We have faced really good pitching, but we have to hit,” manager Derek Shelton said. “We have got to have better atbats. And that’s not just [Thursday]. We’ve got to have more consistent at-bats, and it’s something that we’re not doing right now, obviously.”
After entering this series as the second-worst offensive team in baseball, ahead of only the Indians, the Pirates proved themselves to be a (not-so) worthy challenger.
It’s the fourth consecutive loss for the Pirates, who fell to 4-17. Meanwhile, Bieber (5-0) alone has more wins than the Pirates.
“Yes, we are facing really good arms,” Jacob Stallings said. “But we can do better.”
The Pirates knew they were facing a tough task with Bieber, who came into the game with 54 strikeouts, tied for third-most over five starts in MLB history dating to 1906. The 25-year-old gave the Indians six innings of shutout ball, allowing six hits with no walks and notching 11 strikeouts.
Even though all of Bieber’s stuff was sharp, his knuckle curve was especially nasty; he used to get five of his 11 strikeouts, including Colin Moran on a check swing in the fourth inning. Moran did not like the call and was ejected after sharing his feelings with thirdbase umpire Tripp Gibson.
“He did what he does to everybody else in the league,” Stallings said. “He just has a bunch of pitches. They’re all really good pitches. He has really good command. When you have good command and good stuff, it makes for one of the best pitchers in the league, if not the best. He’s just really good.”
Meanwhile, after the Pirates exploded for seven runs in the second inning last Thursday in Cincinnati, the offense has been awfully quiet since with four extra-base hits in 44 innings, including one home run.
The Indians made things tough on Trevor Williams, who endured a bunch of long counts. He needed 90 pitches to get through four innings, allowing an earned run on six hits with two walks. He struck out five. While the Pirates are missing two of their five starters — Mitch Keller and Joe Musgrove — Williams’ resurgence has been a positive story, lowering his ERA from a career-worst 5.38 in 2019 to 3.70 this season.
The Indians grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second when designated hitter Franmil Reyes and right fielder Tyler Naquin led off with singles. Catcher Beau Taylor, who started the season in an 0-for-16 funk, broke out with his first hit of 2020, scoring Reyes.
Cleveland doubled its lead in the eighth, taking advantage of a few things that have plagued the Pirates. Chris Stratton walked two of the first three men he faced. The middle one, Naquin, singled.
With the bases loaded, Taylor hit a ball to first. Josh Bell fielded it but delivered an awkward, submarine-style throw home, one that pulled Stallings off home plate. Everybody was safe, Reyes scored, and an error was charged to Bell. It was the 21st error of the season for the Pirates. Only two MLB clubs have made more.
Team president has virus
Pirates president Travis Williams tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, the team announced Thursday.
In a statement, Williams said he felt the onset of symptoms Monday evening. After that, Williams said he began isolating himself and preventing further contact with others.
The Pirates said they have performed contact tracing and have no reason to believe anyone else has been affected.
“I followed the critical health and safety protocols that we have put in place, including wearing a mask as required, maintaining safe social distance and, upon the onset of symptoms, immediately isolating myself and getting tested, which has prevented further impact to others,” Williams said in a statement.
“We have also conducted a thorough contact-tracing procedure to identify anyone who I may have possibly been in contact with, which does not include any of our players, members of our coaching staff, or our baseball operations support staff as the team had been on the road,” Williams said. “At this time, we have no known additional positive tests within our organization.”
The Pirates were in Cincinnati late last week through Sunday evening and had a trip to St. Louis canceled earlier that week because of the Cardinals’ previousCOVID-19outbreak.
Williams is the first member of the first office to test positive for COVID-19. Playerwise, the Pirates have had five positive tests, though none since the season started.
“I am on the road to recovery,” Williams said.