Virtual Pirates keep rolling with sweep of Brewers


 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.

MILWAUKEE – The Virtual Pirates, even with the National League Central title in hand, continue to roll.

The Virtual Buccos swept a three-game weekend series from the Virtual Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park even after clinching the division Friday night in the opener.

The Pirates are 91-65 and tied with the Virtual Washington Nationals for the second-best record in the NL behind the Virtual Los Angeles Dodgers, who are 106-50.

While the Dodgers have clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason, the Pirates could get home-field advantage in the National League Division Series if they finish with the second-best mark.

Marcus Semien had three hits and the Pirates hit four home runs Sunday in a 9-8 victory.

Semien’s RBI single in the sixth inning extended the Pirates’ lead to 6-3 and Elias Diaz’s three-run homer in the seventh made it 9-4. The Virtual Corsairs needed the cushion as the Brewers drew to 9-8 in the ninth before Keone Kela held on for his 22nd save.

Diaz finished with four RBIs while Adam Frazier, Adam Duvall and Gregory Polanco also homered.

Mitch Keller (11-8) got the win, giving up three runs and six hits in five innings with six walks and five strikeouts. He threw 100 pitches.

The Brewers got home runs from Corey Ray, Omar Narvaez and Christian Yelich.

Freddy Peralta (7-7) was the losing pitcher.

On Saturday, a night after clinching the division, the Pirates showed no signs of a hangover by building a 7-0 lead in the first two innings on their way to an 11-4 victory.

Josh Bell, Jose Osuna, Duvall and Bryan Reynolds connected for home runs.

Jacob Stallings had three hits and two RBIs, Reynolds had three hits, Bell drove in three runs, Osuna had two hits and two RBIs and Duvall, Erik Gonzalez and winning pitcher Joe Musgrove added two hits apiece.

Musgrove (14-7) allowed four runs and nine hits in eight innings while throwing 113 pitches. He struck out six and walked two.

Narvaez hit a three-run home run and Eric Lauer (7-3) was the losing pitcher.

The Pirates got some bad news Saturday when they learned Jarrod Dyson will likely miss the entire postseason with a sprained knee. He sustained the injury in the clincher while making a diving catch.

With rookie sensation Travis Swaggerty also on the IL, Guillermo Heredia was recalled from Virtual Triple-A Indianapolis and is likely to be the regular center fielder.

Using some of the money he has cashed from incentive clauses built into his contract for winning the division, Wilson took the manager to lunch along with strength and conditioning coach Frank Velazquez and media relations gurus Jim Trdinich and Dan Hart for burgers at George Webb’s.

It was a chance to reminisce about the many years all have spent in baseball and ponder how special the Virtual Pirates’ season has been.

“Eating has been a theme for this team pretty much all year,” Wilson said. “It was only fitting that we have a little private celebration with food involved.”

The Pirates finish the regular season with a six-game homestand starting Tuesday night when the Virtual Chicago Cubs visit PNC Park for a three-game series. Sean Manaea (12-8, 3.75) will come off the IL to start for the Pirates and face Corey Kluber (17-8, 2.87).


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