Virtual Pirates take three of four from Cardinals



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.

Sorry for the delay. Our Virtual Draft took ate up a lot of time the last few days. Should be back to daily updates Tuesday. Also, standings and stats at end of this missive.

PITTSBURGH – The Virtual Pirates are outperforming the expectations of the real Pirates.

The Virtual Buccos took three of four from the Virtual St. Louis Cardinals in a weekend series at Virtual PNC Park.

The Pirates have won seven of their last eight games. They are now 35-30 and in third place in the National League Central, three games behind the division-leading Virtual Milwaukee Brewers.

Chris Archer – still healthy in the virtual world -- pitched seven strong innings Sunday as the Pirates beat the Cardinals 3-1 in the series finale.

Archer (6-1) allowed one run and six hits in seven innings while throwing 110 pitches. He struck out five and walked one.

Archer also hit a run-scoring single in the fourth inning to give the Pirates a 3-0 lead against Carlos Martinez (3-9).

Richard Rodriguez got the biggest out of the game in the eighth when he struck out Paul DeJong with the bases loaded to end the inning and preserve the 3-1 lead.

Michael “Big Mike” Feliz pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.

The Pirates won despite being held to five hits on a beautiful afternoon. The game-time temperature was 70 degrees with the wind blowing out to left field at 14 mph.

Bench coach Craig Wilson continues to draw huge crowds as attendance was 38,030. Time of game was three hours, nine minutes.

On Saturday, Trevor Williams scattered 10 hits over seven solid innings as the Pirates won 8-3.

Williams (5-4) gave up three runs but did not walk a batter while striking out five. His pitch count was 107.

The Pirates had a four-run second inning to break a scoreless tie. Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in the first run with an RBI double and Adam Frazier capped the outburst with a two-run double off Jack Flaherty (2-9).

Pinch-hitter Adam Duvall broke the game open in the eighth inning when his two-base hit knocked in two runs.

Kevin Newman and Jarrod Dyson had two hits each.

On Friday, Gregory Polanco went 3 for 4 with three runs scored, three RBIs, a double and a home run to lead the Pirates to another 8-3 victory.

Polanco hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Jacob Stallings’ two-run shot in the sixth broke a 3-3 tie. Hayes added a two-run single in the seventh.

Joe Musgrove (7-3) struck out 13 while coming within one out of a complete game. He allowed three runs and six hits while walking one in a 114-pitch outing.

Hayes and Stallings both had two hits.

The Pirates dropped a 7-6 decision in 10 innings on Thursday as Dexter Fowler’s solo home run off Chad Kuhl (0-2) in the 10th gave the Cardinals the victory.

The Cardinals forced extra innings with Victor Caratini’s two-out RBI single in the ninth off Feliz knotting the score at 6-6. Josh Bell’s two-run double in the eighth had put the Pirates ahead 6-5.

Bell had two hits and three RBIs while Bryan Reynolds, Polanco and Elias Diaz each contributed two hits.

Steven Brault gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings with five walks and five strikeouts. He threw 98 pitches.

The Pirates are off Monday before opening a three-game series Tuesday night with the Giants at San Francisco. Mitch Keller (4-3, 2.73) will take the mound for the Virtual Corsairs and oppose Jeff “Shark” Samardjiza (2-6, 4.92).

Derek Holland was activated from the injured list after Sunday’s game and Blake Weiman was optioned to Virtual Triple-A Indianapolis.

And Wilson has a big team dinner planned Monday night after the Pirates’ charter flight touches down. More about that on Tuesday.

Top five draft picks:
  • Nick Gonzalez, INF, New Mexico State
  • Reid Detmers, P, Louisville
  • Max Meyer, P, Minnesota
  • Garrett Crochet, P, Tennessee
  • Adam Oviedo, SS, Oral Roberts

STANDINGS
NL EAST: Braves 44-22, Nationals 41-24, Phillies 37-26, Mets 26-38, Marlins 25-41
NL CENTRAL: Brewers 38-27, Cubs 37-30, Pirates 35-30, Reds 30-36, Cardinals 23-43
NL WEST: Dodgers 39-26, Padres 33-33, Diamondback 31-34, Rockies 25-39, Giants 23-42
AL EAST: Yankees 40-26, Rays 37-30, Blue Jays 31-35, Red Sox 29-38, Orioles 16-49
AL CENTRAL: Indians 43-23, White Sox 42-23, Twins 35-32, Royals 30-36, Tigers 21-44
AL WEST: Astros 41-24, Athletics 39-27, Angels 37-27, Mariners 29-38, Rangers 26-40

STATISTICS

BATTING


Bell .238-18-47
Diaz .320-1-11
Duvall .212-3-11
Dyson .287-1-20, 11 SB
Frazier .263-5-31
Gonzalez .307-1-12
Hayes .163-0-12
Heredia .247-2-11
*Moran .320-1-10
Newman .273-2-22, 8 SB
Osuna .257-6-21
Polanco .256-10-48, 6 SB
Reynolds .302-4-20, 6 SB
Stallings .273-3-12

PITCHING

Archer 6-1, 2.94
Brault 2-2, 4.94
*Burdi 2-3, 2.29, 3 Sv
Crick 1-0, 2.15, 5 Sv
Feliz 0-1, 3.38, 1 Sv
Holland 1-2, 5.21
Holmes 1-0, 4.76
*Kela 2-2, 4.05, 6 Sv
Keller 4-3, 2.73
Kuhl 0-2, 1.32
Musgrove 7-3, 3.56
Rodriguez 3-0, 3.47, 1 Sv
Santana 0-1, 5.02
Stratton 1-2, 4.19
Williams 5-4, 5.14
*Injured List

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