Pittsburgh Pirates lose to
San Diego Padres 2-4 – MLB Update
Pittsburgh Pirates were beaten by the San Diego Padres 2-4 at Petco Park in San Diego, California on Wednesday, August 22 in the finale of their three match series of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season.
Starting pitcher James McDonald took his sixth loss of the season after he gave up four runs and five hits in just five innings. Pirates were relying heavily on him considering his record for this season but for once McDonald was unable to live up to the
expectations. Despite taking the loss, he has a great win-loss record and ERA.
"I was out of rhythm. You can't walk guys," McDonald said in an interview. "This is a team that sees a lot of pitches. They know the strike zone well ... I got a better feel as the game went on."
Relief pitcher Chris Resop pitched two scoreless innings, doing what was expected of him but the offence was unable to respond.
Only first baseman Gaby Sanchez managed to put up resistance to Padres’ starter Andrew Werner. Sanchez homered to centre in the seventh inning.
"If you (had) told me two years ago I would be facing Andrew McCutchen in a big league game, I would have told you that you were crazy," Werner said.
"You just don't want to get boat raced in your first inning," he added. "It was just nice getting through the first one and getting back in the dugout."
It was an important game for the Pirates in more than one way. Pirates ended the first half of the season on an extremely positive note and they were looking to continue their impressive run after the All Star Break as well but that has not turned out to
be the case.
Their recent dip in form has sent them down to third place on the National League Central Division standings and it will be interesting to see if the Pirates can regroup themselves to have any chance of making it to the playoffs.
Nonetheless, credit goes to the Manager Clint Hurdle who has revived the Pirates this season with his superb game plans and tactics.
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