Polanco, Gonzalez lead Virtual Pirates over SF


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 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 – It was one of those nights when the maddingly-inconsistent Gregory Polanco showed why he was so highly touted while coming up though the minor leagues.

Polanco went 4 for 5 with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs on Friday night to spearhead the Virtual Pirates’ 11-6 victory over the Virtual San Francisco Giants in the opener of a four-game series at Virtual PNC Park.

Erik Gonzalez also had a big game as he knocked in five runs to help the Pirates win their second straight game and improve to 24-26.

Gonzalez’s two-run triple off Johnny Cueto (0-9) keyed a three-run sixth inning that put the Virtual Buccos ahead 4-3. That came after Jarrod Dyson’s RBI single drew the Pirates within a run.

Gonzalez then belted a three-run double during a seven-run seventh as the Pirates extended their lead to 11-3.

A wild Chris Archer (4-1) gave up three runs in six innings for the win. He had five strikeouts and five walks while throwing 105 pitches.

Nick Burdi retired the only batter he faced for his second save, striking out Rob Brantly with the bases loaded.

Josh Bell had three hits for the Pirates while Elias Diaz, Kevin Newman and Gonzalez added two each. Dyson had two RBIs. The Pirates had a total of 16 hits.

Cueto was rocked for seven runs in 6 2/3 innings. Pablo Sandoval’s RBI double in the third inning put the Giants ahead 3-1 before the Pirates rallied.

“Seven really was our lucky number,” observed Pirates bench coach Craig Wilson about the seventh-inning outburst.

The Pirates lost another reliever when Derek Holland strained his shoulder in the eighth inning and was removed from the game. The left-hander is expected to join  Keone Kela and Michael “Big Mike” Feliz on the injured list.

It was 64 degrees at the start of the game with the wind blowing out to center field at eight mph. Attendance was 31,769 and it took three hours, 39 minutes to play the barnburner.

The series continues Saturday with Mitch Keller (2-3, 3.30) toeing the slab for the Virtual Corsairs against Jeff “The Shark” Samardzija (1-4, 5.18).

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