Pirates pull out secret weapon to end losing streak

The Pirates came into the Mile High City with a 8 game losing streak, but were able to save their best game in the last two weeks for the wild card leading Rockies. The Pirates convincingly beat the Rockies last night 7-3, in front of a crowd of over 35,000 fans. Ross Ohlendorf threw six strong innings to post his 10th win on the season and the bullpen finally was able to hold onto the lead, with four relievers combining for three shutout innings. This game did reveal something I hope to see a lot more of from the young Buccos....

The Pirates have been plagued by inexperience, especially in the bullpen. The one bright spot this season has been the starting pitching, but unfortunately the arms in the starting rotation cannot pitch 9 innings every game. The Pirate bullpen have been the main contributors to the current struggles, but last night, the bullpen even showed some improvement. Jesse Chavez, Jose Ascaino, Evan Meek, and Joel Hanrahan were able to finally put together three strong innings and provide a Pirates starter with a much deserved victory.

Offensively, the Pirates used their youth to their advantage. Pirate baserunners stole five bases on the night, three of those by Andrew McCutchen. The top four hitters in the Pirates lineup (McCutchen, Milledge, Jones, and Doumit) accounted for six of the Pirates eleven hits. Andrew McCutchen stole the show by reaching base four times (one hit, three walks), stole three bases, and scored three runs. The old adage holds true, get on base, and use your speed to your advantage.

This game reminded me a lot of the transition of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the last few years. I really see this young Pirate team taking on the persona of the Rays. The formula for success involves getting on base and using your speed to kill. This was an exciting game to watch as it was one like no other. Coach John Russell managed this game much differently than any game this season. He did an excellent job of not going too far into the game with the starter, Ross Ohlendorf, and utilized the bullpen effectively. In addition, the focus on taking advantage of the team's speed was something I hope to see a lot more of! The Pirates have been up and down all year long, all we can hope for is much more of the type of game we saw last night!