Virtual Pirates fall run short against Nats, Scherzer



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 scored five runs off a three-time Cy Young Award winner, but it proved to be not quite enough.

Eric Thames homered and Victor Robles hit a two-run double as Max Scherzer and the Virtual Washington Nationals held off the Virtual Buccos 8-7 on Saturday night at Virtual PNC Park.

Scherzer (14-2) got the win but was allowed five runs in 6 1/3 innings. He nearly squandered a 6-1 lead in the seventh inning when the Pirates scored four runs.

The Pirates (56-42) lost for just the third time in 13 games in July. They remained in first place in the National League Central by ½ game over the Virtual Milwaukee Brewers.

Steve Brault (6-4) was roughed up for five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four, walked two and threw 90 pitches.

Robles’ double in a three-run fourth inning gave the Nationals a 4-1 lead. Thames gave them a three-run cushion in the eighth inning at 8-5 when he took Michael Feliz deep.

Josh Bell hit a two-run home run, his 19th of the season, in the bottom of the ninth inning off Sean Doolittle to draw the Virtual Corsairs within a run. Doolittle, though, held on for his ninth save.

The Pirates put runners on first and second base with two outs, but Cole Tucker lined out to deep center field to end the game.

Bell finished with two hits and four RBIs. Adam Frazier had three hits and two RBIs while Elias Diaz and Guillermo Heredia added two hits each.

Heredia fell ill in the clubhouse after the game and was taken to a local hospital for further testing. He has become the starting center fielder while Jarrod Dyson is on the injured list.

It was a warm evening with the temperature 76 degrees at first pitch and the wind blowing out to center field at 10 mph. Attendance was 38,333 and time of game was three hours and 45 minutes.

At the suggestion of bench coach Craig Wilson, the Pirates held Jim Tracy Night to honor the team’s former manager. Tracy sat in the visitor’s dugout, the spot he occupied in 2004 for three games at PNC Park when his Los Angeles Dodgers were on their way to the NL West title.

The decisive game of the three-game series is set for Sunday with Mitch Keller (6-3, 2.95) facing left-hander Patrick Corbin (3-9, 6.80).

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