Virtual Pirates blanked by Dodgers' Buehler


I will be serving as general manager/manager of the Pirates in a 2020 season simulation along with 29 others using Out Of The Park Baseball. Feel free to check back 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.
Stats and standings at end of story

LOS ANGELES – The Virtual Pirates’ long road trip ended with a thud.

Walker Buehler pitched a four-hit shutout for the Virtual Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday in a 4-0 victory over the Virtual Buccos at Virtual Dodger Stadium.

Buehler (3-1), who is a nice young man, struck out eight and did not walk a batter while throwing 99 pitches.

The Pirates lost two of three to the Dodgers but finished their nine-game road trip with a 5-4 record. Overall, the Pirates are 10-12 and in fourth place in the National League Central, though just 2 ½ games behind the division-leading Virtual Cincinnati Reds.

Derek Holland (0-2) pitched seven innings in what was easily the best of his four starts this season. He allowed three runs and five hits while striking out six and walking three.

The Pirates needed Holland to pitch deep into the game after the bullpen was needed to cover 11 1/3 innings in the first two games of the series. The left-hander, who entered the game with a 9.88 ERA, threw 110 pitches.

Holland was hurt by the longball, though, as the Dodgers hit three solo home runs. Two of them were off the bat of Joc Pederson, who leads the major leagues with 13.

Pederson connected in fourth and sixth innings and prized rookie Gavin Lux went deep in the fifth.

Richard Rodriguez, sufficiently recovered from the gout, pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Holland.

It was a breezy 62 degrees in Chavez Ravine with the wind blowing out to right field at 15 mph. The game was played in a tidy two hours, 36 minutes and attendance was 51,600.

The fans intermittently booed Pirates bench Craig Wilson, apparently still angry about the legendary slugger’s three home runs in 43 career plate appearances at Dodger Stadium.

In a strong bid to try to win the Father of the Year award, Wilson stayed over in Southern California so he could be home on Monday’s off day in Orange County to attend a variety of his children’s activities.

His son has a baseball game and his daughters have dance rehearsal and volleyball practice.

Wilson will rejoin the Virtual Buccos in time for Tuesday night’s game with the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park that opens a three-game series and six-game homestand.

Mitch Keller (1-1, 2.95) will start for the Pirates against Corbin Burnes (0-1, 4.50). In his last two starts, Keller has allowed a combined three runs in 12 1/3 innings.

BATTING
Luke Maile .167-0-3 in 14 PA
Jacob Stallings .217-2-4 in 50 PA
Josh Bell .303-10-24 in 103 PA
Jose Osuna .291-2-12 in 60 PA
Adam Frazier .207-1-7 in 100 PA
Erik Gonzalez .313-0-0 in 33 PA
Colin Moran .313-1-10 in 73 PA
Kevin Newman .191-0-6 in 94 PA
J.T. Riddle .071-0-0 in 14 PA
Jarrod Dyson .340i-1-8, 5 SB in 63 PA
Guillermo Heredia .206-1-2 in 39 PA
Jason Martin .000-0-0 in 5 PA
Gregory Polanco .218-4-15 in 98 PA
Elias Diaz .375-0-1 in 34 PA
Bryan Reynolds .261-2-9 in 79 PA

PITCHING
Chris Archer 3-0, 2.97 in 33.1 IP
Derek Holland 0-2, 7.84 in 20.2 IP
Mitch Keller 1-2, 2.95 in 21.1 IP
Joe Musgrove 1-2, 6.00 in 24 IP
Chris Stratton 0-0, 2.08 in 13 IP
Trevor Williams 2-1, 3.05 in 24.2 IP
Brad Brach 0-1, 15.00 in 6 IP
Kyle Crick 1-0, 3.00 in 9 IP
Michael Feliz 0-1, 2.70 in 10 IP
Keone Kela, 1-0, 5 Sv, 2.16 in 8.1 IP
Richard Rodriguez 1-0, 3.18 in 5.2 IP
Blake Weiman 0-1, 1 Sv, 2.45 in 7.1 IP

STANDINGS
NL CENTRAL: Reds 12-9, Cubs 12-10, Brewers 11-11, Pirates 10-12, Cardinals 8-14
NL EAST: Braves 17-7, Phillies 14-8, Nationals 11-9, Mets 9-11, Marlins 5-17
NL WEST: Dodgers 15-7, Padres 11-9, Diamondbacks 11-11, Rockies 8-12, Giants 6-16
AL EAST: Yankees 17-5, Red Sox 13-10, Rays 10-12, Orioles 8-13, Blue Jays 7-15
AL CENTRAL: Indians 15-8, Twins 11-11, White Sox 11-11, Royals 10-11, Tigers 4-17

AL WEST: Astros 12-9, Angels 12-9, Athletics 13-10, Rangers 12-10, Mariners 11-12

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hall of Fame voting becoming more chore than honor

Image
The honor is never lost on me. Sometime just after Thanksgiving every year, the enveloped arrives in the mail from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown. Enclosed is my annual Hall of Fame ballot as I am part of the electorate that consists of all members of the Baseball Writers Association of America with 10 years of continuous service. I have been voting for 24 years now and do not take the responsibility lightly. Being elected to the Hall of Fame changes people’s lives and demarcates the great players of the game’s history from the very good. When I get ready to cast my vote, I always pause to appreciate the significance. Voting for the Hall of Fame is something I enjoyed for many years. It was fun to look at the various candidate’s careers – study their statistics, recall personal observations, talk to peers from their playing days – before casting my ballot. However, the fun is being squeezed out of the task with each passing year. So many of the c
Read more

Bob Nutting and PirateFest

Image
A number of people have been in touch on social media or emailed wanting to know why Bob Nutting was not at Piratefest at PNC Park on Saturday morning/afternoon and but at the Pitt-West Virginia game on Saturday night. As a matter of disclosure, I wasn't at Piratefest and haven 't been there for years. I have no interest in it and, from a professional standpoint, don't find any value in attending. Nevertheless, I contacted Pirates spokesman Brian Warecki to ask about Nutting's whereabouts Saturday and he said the owner was on hand for a portion of Piratefest. This  was his response. "Bob was at Piratefest, along with his wife, for a few hours in the morning. He chatted with our players and mingled with season ticket holders." I also followed up by asking why Nutting did not take part in any of the Ask Pirates Management sessions as he has done in other years. This was his Warecki's response: "Ask Pirates management is exactly that, daily
Read more

Playing the Pirates' 2020 season anyway

Image
Hi there, As everyone knows, opening day of the Major League Baseball season was supposed to be on Thursday. However, like most of the rest of the world, the coronavirus pandemic has changed those plans. I have been asked to simulate the season using the game Out Of The Park Baseball 21. I will be the general manager/manager of the Pirates. We will play the original schedule, which means I'll make my managerial debut Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Virtual Tropicana Field. If enough people are interested, I'll post a small blurb on each game. I realize there are more important matters in the world but perhaps it can serve as a diversion for a few minutes. Stay safe, John
Read more