Archer roughed up in Virtual Pirates' loss




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.

WASHINGTON – The Virtual Pirates missed facing Virtual Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg. However, Austin Voth pitched like last year’s World Series MVP on Thursday.

Voth allowed one run in five innings as the Nationals beat the Virtual Buccos 6-4 at Virtual Nationals Park. The team split the four-game series.

The Pirates now have a big three-game set against the Virtual Milwaukee Brewers that starts Friday night at Virtual Miller Park. The Brewers lead the National League Central and the surprising Virtual Corsairs (43-37) are in second place, 3 ½ games back.

The Pirates will also be fully healthy as third baseman Colin Moran is expected to be activated from the injured list. He has been out nearly two months with a broken rib that required surgery.

Voth (5-6) proved to be too much for the Pirates as he surrendered just two hits. He had four strikeouts and three walks.

Sean Doolittle got his fifth save, though the Pirates scored a run against him in the ninth inning on Adam Frazier’s single with two outs. However, Josh Bell then grounded out to end the game.

Frazier and Elias Diaz, who hit an RBI single in the first inning, each had two hits. Diaz also walked twice as he reached base in all four plate appearances.

Chris Archer (7-2) was tagged for six runs and 10 hits, including four home runs, in six innings while taking the loss. He struck out three, walked two and threw 84 pitches

Juan Soto homered off Archer in the bottom of the first to knot the score at 1-all. Asdrubal Cabrera then put the Nationals ahead 2-1 with a solo home run in the third inning.

The Nationals broke the game open with a four-run fourth that made it 6-1. Victor Robles hit a solo shot and Yan Gomes capped the inning with a two-run blast.

It was a warm day in the nation’s capital with the game-time temperature being 84 degrees and the wind blowing in from left field at 10 mph. Time of game was three hours, 20 minutes and attendance was 41,153.

The trip to Washington gave bench coach Craig Wilson a chance to contemplate the possibility of changing careers despite recently being give a five-year contract extension that keep him with the Pirates through the 2025 season.

Wilson is at least kicking around the idea of running for president in 2024. It is unknown if the Pirates would be willing to release the legendary slugger from his contract.

For now, though, Wilson and the rest of the Virtual Pirates are focused on Milwaukee. Mitch Keller (5-3, 2.76) will pitch Friday night against Brandon Woodruff (8-5, 4.13).



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