Virtual Pirates fall to Mets in 11 innings


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.

NEW YORK – The Virtual Pirates not only lost a heartbreaker Monday night but two players to injury.

J.D. Davis’ double in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted the Virtual New York Mets to a 4-3 victory and a split of the four-game series at Virtual Citi Field.

Bryan Reynolds sustained a yet-to-be-diagnosed injury when hit by a pitch in the fifth inning. Michael “Big Mike” Feliz was forced out of the game in the eighth inning and his injury also is unknown.

The Virtual Buccos missed a chance to get back to .500 as they fell to 22-24.

Pete Alonso started the decisive rally against Nick Burdi (2-2) with a one-out walk. One out later, Davis lined his game-winning hit into the right-field corner.

Mitch Keller went five innings, allowing three runs (one earned) and seven hits. He had six strikeouts and three walks in a 105-pitch outing. The rookie also threw four wild pitches.

The Pirates managed just six hits, including two each by Adam Frazier and Elias Diaz. Erik Gonzalez, again subbing for the slumping Kevin Newman went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

Frazier’s run-scoring double in the third inning put the Pirates ahead 2-0 and his RBI single in the fifth snapped a 2-2 tie.

The Mets tied it in the bottom of the fifth with a run scoring on Gonzalez’s error. Neither team scored again until the 11th.

Mets starter Jacob deGrom lived up to Pirates bench coach Craig Wilson’s scouting report while allowing three runs in 7 1/3 innings. Wilson insightfully noted during a pre-game hitters’ meeting that deGrom is one of the best pitchers in baseball.

It was another blustery night in the Big Apple. The temperature was 59 degrees at game time with a 13-mph wind blowing in from left field.

Attendance was 19,500 and time of game was four hours, nine minutes.


The Virtual Corsairs return home Tuesday night to open a three-game series against the Virtual Chicago Cubs at Virtual PNC Park. Steven Brault (1-1, 4.09) will pitch against left-hander Jose Quintana (3-3, 6.71).

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