Virtual Pirates edged by Reds, fall to 3-5




I will be serving as general manager/manage of the Pirates in a 2020 season simulation along with 29 others using Out Of The Park Baseball. Feel free to check here for daily updates. I realize baseball is a lot less important than what is going on in the world today but perhaps it can provide a diversion for a few moments.

PITTSBURGH – Mitch Keller’s second outing for the Virtual Pirates was the opposite of his season debut.

 Keller lasted just three innings Saturday afternoon as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pirates 6-5 at Virtual PNC Park.


 The rookie gave up four runs and three hits while walking three and striking out four.

 Last Sunday, Keller pitched six shutout innings to beat Tampa Bay Rays.

 Michael Feliz (0-1) was the losing pitcher, though, as the Virtual Buccos fell to 3-5 with their fourth loss in five games. Big Mike surrendered Shogo Akiyama’s tiebreaking double in the sixth inning and that proved to the be the difference.

 The Pirates led 5-4 going into the sixth but Mike Moustakas’ solo home run with one out off Chris Stratton tied it.

 Feliz relieved and struck out Jesse Winker before Tucker Barnhart worked a two-out walk. Barnhart then came home on Akiyama’s line double into the right-center field.

 Neither team scored again.

 The Pirates trailed 4-0 after 2 ½ innings but used the longball to rally for a 5-4 lead.

 Guillermo Heredia hit his first home run of the season, a leadoff shot as a pinch-hitter for Keller in the third, that got the Pirates on the board. Polanco hit a two-run blast in a three-run fifth as the Pirates briefly moved ahead 5-4.

 Both home runs came off Reds starter Tyler Mahle.

 Stratton hit a two-run single in the fourth that drew the Pirates within a run.

 The Reds took a quick lead when Nicholas Castellanos hit a two-run homer off Keller with one out in the first. Castellanos had two hits and three RBIs.

 Colin Moran had three of the Pirates’ 12 hits and Adam Frazier added two.

 In his Pirates’ debut, Brad Brach pitched two perfect relief innings and struck out three. He was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Friday.

 Yacksel Rios was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for Brach.

 Matt Wisler (1-0) pitched a scoreless fifth for the win and Chaz Roe set the Pirates down 1-2-3 in the ninth for his second save. The Pirates were unsuccessful in their bid to claim Roe off waivers from the Rays last week.

 There were no incidents after the benches cleared in the first game of the series Thursday when the Pirates’ Joe Musgrove hit Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer with a pitch. Musgrove was suspended for six games and Bauer received a two-game ban.

 Saturday’s game-time temperature was 50 degrees on a sunny day in the Virtual Steel City. The wind was blowing in from left field at 11 mph.

 Pirates bench coach Craig Wilson proved to be quite the draw in his second home game in his new position. The surprising crowd of 30,223 periodically chanted “Willie, Willie” in honor of the legendary former Pirates slugger throughout the game.

 The Pirates will try to avoid being swept in the three-game series Sunday afternoon when Trevor Williams (0-0, 4.76) starts against Luis Castillo (0-1, 5.14)

 Should be a good ballgame.

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