Newman's blasts sparks Virtual Pirates over Rockies

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 – The Virtual Pirates treated an old friend rather shabbily.

Kevin Newman hit a go-ahead three-run home run and the Virtual Buccos beat the Virtual Colorado Rockies and Derek Holland on Wednesday at Virtual PNC Park.

Holland was released by the Pirates last week then signed with the Rockies as a free agent.

The Pirates took two of three in the series to raise their record to 47-39. They are in second place in the National League Central, trailing the Virtual Milwaukee Brewers by 2 ½ games.

Newman’s home run off Holland (1-3), his third of season, sparked a six-run fifth inning that turned a 4-1 deficit into a 7-4 lead. Josh Bell had a run-scoring single in the inning and Elias Diaz hit an RBI double.

Newman finished with three hits and three RBIs.

Bryan Reynolds had four of the Virtual Corsairs’ 15 hits. Diaz added two hits and two RBIs and Bell and Erik Gonzalez chipped in a pair of hits each.

Clay Holmes (3-1) got the win as he pitched one scoreless inning in relief of Mitch Keller.

Keller allowed up four runs – three on a first-inning home run by Charlie Blackmon – and five hits in four innings with three walks and one strikeout. That came after Keller was named the NL League Rookie of the Month for June prior to the game.

In five June starts, Keller went 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA. He also had 33 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings.

Holland was charged with six runs in 4 1/3 innings.

It was an unseasonable cool afternoon. The game-time temperature was just 65 degrees with the wind blowing out to center field at 18 mph. Time of game was three hours, 39 minutes and attendance was 33,372.

Bench coach and Southern Californian Craig Wilson stayed bundled up in the dugout to avoid the chill while drinking plenty of coffee.

The Pirates are off Thursday before hosting the Virtual Boston Red Sox on Friday night in the opener of a three-game holiday weekend series. Steven Brault (4-3, 5.54) face Ryan Weber (5-5, 5.77).