Virtual Pirates outslug Brewers, pad lead to four games



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.

PITTSBURGH – The Virtual Pirates needed a lift from their slumping offense and got it while adding to their National League Central lead.

Josh Bell, Gregory Polanco and Jacob Stallings each had three hits and three RBIs as the Virtual Buccos outlasted the Virtual Milwaukee Brewers 10-6 on Tuesday night at Virtual PNC Park.

Polanco and Stallings also homered.

The Pirates (65-48) now have a season-best lead of four games over the second-place Brewers in the division race and can sweep the three-game series Wednesday night.

The Pirates had scored just eight runs while splitting their previous four games. Tuesday night, they had eight runs after three innings.

Polanco hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Bell smacked a three-run triple in the second following a bases-loaded walk to Bryan Reynolds as the Pirates built a 6-2 lead against Adrian Houser (9-8). The Virtual Buccos added two more runs in the third.

The Virtual Corsairs needed the cushion because journeyman right-hander Hector Noesi struggled after being called from up from Triple-A Indianapolis for an emergency start. The roster move was necessitated when Trevor Williams was placed on the injured list with an undisclosed illness.

Noesi, who was 10-2 at Indy, got tagged for five runs and eight hits in four innings. He had six strikeouts and three walks while throwing 87 pitches.

Clay Holmes (6-2) allowed one run in 1 2/3 innings in relief of Noesi and picked up the win.

Colin Moran added two hits for the Pirates, who totaled 14.

The Brewers’ Omar Narvaez had four hits and four RBIs.

Bench coach Craig Wilson suggested a late-night team field trip to the Rivers Casino to both celebrate the win and see if the Pirates could continue their hot hitting at the blackjack tables. Alas, he then thought the better of it with another big game on Wednesday night.

“We don’t want to be like the Cardinals,” Wilson said. “It’s better to get our rest than to get COVID at the casino.”

Sean Manaea (11-7, 3.77) will toe the slab in the series finale against Josh Lindblom (1-1, 7.45).


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