Musgrove homers in Virtual Pirates' win over Cards

 

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 regular 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.

ST. LOUIS – Joe Musgrove did it all.

The big right-hander pitched eight-plus scoreless innings and hit the first home run of his virtual career as the Virtual Pittsburgh Pirates rolled to an 11-0 victory over the Virtual St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night at Virtual Busch Stadium.

Musgrove combined with Keone Kela on a six-hit shutout as the Pirates (69-51) maintained a three-game lead over the Virtual Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central.

Musgrove (11-4) allowed five hits, struck out 10 and walked one while throwing 115 pitches. He also connected for a two-run homer in the eighth inning off Trevor Cahill.

Rookie center fielder Travis Swaggerty had the best game of his young career, going 3 for 4 with a double, his first career home run and four RBIs. His homer was a solo shot off Jack Flaherty (4-13) in the second inning and put the Pirates on top 2-0.

Bryan Reynolds opened the scoring when he led off the game by taking Flaherty deep. Josh Bell added a solo homer in a six-run ninth.

Bell had two hits and three RBIs and Musgrove finished with two hits and two RBIs. Reynolds, Adam Frazier and Kevin Newman had two hits apiece as the Pirates had a total of 15.

It was a steamy 84 degrees at the start of the game with the wind blowing from right to left at 9 mph. Time of game was three hours and 29 minutes and attendance was 39,082.

Bench coach Craig Wilson has connections in every city in the league, so he arranged for an after-hours tour of the Anheuser Busch brewery for the team following the game.

Wilson has full confidence the team will be recovered from the night out by Wednesday evening when Chris Archer (7-6, 3.60) faces Carlos Martinez (7-13, 4.31) in the finale of the three-game series.


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