Newman's walk-off two-run double gives Virtual Pirates NL pennant

 

 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 – Kevin Newman will forever go down in Virtual Pirates’ lore.

Newman’s two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning rallied the Virtual Buccos to a 5-4 victory and series win over the Virtual Atlanta Braves on Saturday night in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series at Virtua PNC Park.

The Virtual Corsairs won’t have far to travel for the World Series as they will face the Virtual Cleveland Indians beginning Monday night. The Virtual Tribe beat the Virtual Tampa Bay Rays in seven games in the American League Championship Series.

The Fall Classic will start at Virtual Progressive Field in Cleveland. The probable starting pitchers are Mitch Keller and Carlos Carrasco.

Trailing 4-3 going into the bottom of the ninth, Gregory Polanco opened the inning with an infield single and moved to third on Jose Osuna’s double. Newman then grounded a 1-0 pitch from A.J. Minter into the left-field corner to send the Pirates to the World Series.

The Braves had gone ahead 4-3 in the eighth when Buster Posey hit an RBI single off Craig Stammen.

Trevor Williams pitched a perfect ninth inning for the win.

Sean Manaea started and allowed three runs in seven innings while scattering 11 hits. He also had seven strikeouts and two walks while throwing 103 pitches.

Josh Bell’s two-run single in the third inning put the Pirates ahead 2-1. However, the Braves eventually pulled back in front on Posey’s single.

Marcus Semien had three hits and was also named the NLCS MVP. In six games, Semien hit .391 and had a .481 on-base percentage with one home run, four RBIs and four runs scored.

Ironically, Newman lost his starting shortstop job in late July when the Pirates acquired Semien and Manaea from the Virtual Oakland Athletics in a trade. Newman started at third base in Game 6 with the Pirates facing left-hander Max Fried, who allowed three runs in six innings.

Polanco and Travis Swaggerty had two hits each. The Braves’ Austin Riley finished with three hits.

It was a cold night at the ballpark as the game time temperature was 44 degrees with the wind blowing out to center field at 10 mph. Time of game was three hours and 13 minutes. Attendance was 38,157.

Bench coach Craig Wilson implored fans to come to the ballpark dressed as pirates and got nearly 100 percent compliance. Guinness confirmed that it was the world record for most people wearing pirate costumes at one venue.

“We won the pennant and made the Guinness Book of World Records in the same night,” Wilson said. “The only thing better than that would be winning the World Series and getting a virtual ring.”

The Pirates will get to work on trying to win the World Series on Sunday when they bus to Cleveland for an early-evening workout. Wilson and the manager then plan to stay up until the wee hours of the morning studying film of the Indians.

Wilson will pay for the coffee by using the unlimited Starbuck’s gift card that he received as part of his incentive package for the Pirates winning the NL Central title.

The manager received a $5 gift card to McDonald’s, which had already expired.