Virtual Pirates again miss reaching .500


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 – Every time the Virtual Pirates get to the brink of .500, they stumble.

It happened again Sunday as Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Crawford had three hits each to lead the Virtual San Francisco Giants to a 7-5 victory at Virtual PNC Park.

The Virtual Buccos’ three-game winning streak was snapped as they fell to 25-27.

Bench coach Craig Wilson may be called upon to give a motivation speech the next time the Pirates get within a game of breakeven.

Steven Brault (1-2) failed to make it out of the second inning as he was rocked for five runs and six hits in 1 1/3 innings. The left-hander had one walk and one strikeout.

The Pirates rallied from the early 5-0 deficit to cut the lead to 5-4 with a two-run eighth. However, the Giants scored two runs off Edgar Santana in the ninth to seal the victory.

Clay Holmes pitched three hitless innings in relief of Brault and Chad Kuhl followed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Kuhl was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday when Derek Holland (shoulder) was placed on the injured list.

Adam Duvall had three hits and two RBIs and Adam Frazier added two hits.

The Giants’ Brandon Belt hit a two-run home run in the first inning to open the scoring. San Francisco then KO’s Brault during a three-run second.

Gregory Polanco hit a two-run home run off Trevor Cahill (2-5) in the fourth inning, his ninth of the season. Duvall’s two-run double in the eighth made it a one-run game.

Trailing 7-5 in the ninth, Guillermo Heredia hit into a game-ending double play with runners on first and second against Sam Selman, who recorded his second save.

On Friday night, Mitch Keller and two relievers combined on a one-hitter as the Virtual Corsairs shut out the Giants 3-0.

Keller (3-3) took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Yolmer Sanchez broke it up with a flare single into left-center field with one out. Blake Weiman got the final two outs of the eighth and Nick Burdi pitched the ninth for his third save.

Keller struck out nine and walked three in 7 1/3 innings while throwing 104 pitches.

Polanco and Heredia each had two hits.

The Pirates scored twice off Jeff Samardzija (1-5) in the second inning as Jarrod Dyson hit an RBI single and another run scored on an error by Sandoval, the third baseman.

Frazier added a solo homer, his fifth, in the fifth inning.

The four-game series concludes Monday with a Memorial Day matinee. The Pirates will try to win the series after taking the first two games.

Joe Musgrove (4-3, 4.21) will start for the Pirates against left-hander Drew Smyly (2-3, 5.61).

STANDINGS
NL EAST: Braves 37-17, Nationals 29-21, Phillies 29-22, Mets 23-28, Marlins 20-33
NL CENTRAL: Brewers 32-22, Cubs 28-26, Reds 25-27, Pirates 25-27, Cardinals 21-33
NL WEST: Dodgers 32-19, Padres 28-24, Diamondbacks 24-29, Rockies 20-30, Giants 16-36
AL EAST: Yankees 33-20, Rays 31-24, Red Sox 23-31, Blue Jays 22-32, Orioles 15-38
AL CENTRAL: Indians 37-17, White Sox 31-21, Twins 31-23, Royals 23-28, Tigers 16-36
AL WEST: Athletics 33-21, Astros 32-21, Angels 27-24, Mariners 24-30, Rangers 22-31

STATISTICS
BATTING
Bell .247-17-39
Diaz .302-1-5
Duvall .156-1-6
Dyson .297-1-14
Frazier .260-5-25
Gonzalez .330-1-11
Hayes .135-0-4
Heredia .256-2-9
*Moran .320-1-10
Newman .262-2-16
Osuna .258-6-21
Polanco .224-9-39
*Reynolds .291-4-17
Stallings .259-2-8
Tucker .200-0-1

PITCHING
Archer 4-1, 3.48
Brault 1-2, 5.89
Burdi 2-3, 3 Sv, 2.33
Crick, 1-0, 2 Sv, 2.25
*Feliz 0-1, 3.27
*Holland 1-2, 5.21
Holmes 1-0, 4.15
*Kela 2-2 6 Sv, 4.05
Keller 3-3, 2.82
Kuhl 0-1, 1.04
Musgrove 4-3, 4.21
Rodriguez 2-0, 1 Sv, 2.41
Santana 0-1, 6.17
Stratton 0-2, 3.24
Weiman 0-1, 1 Sv, 3.86
Williams 4-3, 4.80

*Injured List

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