8/3/23- By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on Twitter
Some games, you just get beat really, really, REALLY badly. Tonight was one of those games for the Bucs. Mitch Keller was shelled again, allowing 8 runs in 5 innings, as the Pirates dropped the first game in Milwaukee for their most lopsided loss of the season. Pirates don’t face divisional opponents quite as often as in previous seasons but the struggles continue against the Brew Crew as pitching was poor, hitting was poor and the team managed just 8 baserunners (6 hits and 2 walks) with 10 strikeouts.
Keller’s struggles continued as, following a small-ball first inning run for the Bucs, Brewers attacked Mitch the rest of his start. In the bottom of the first, Sal Frelick struck a 2-out, first pitch cutter to left field, driving in two. In the second, singles by Andruw Monasterio and Brice Turang followed by an RBI double from Joey Wiemer, RBI single by Christian Yelich and finally another run scored when William Contreras grounded into a double play. Down 5-1 in the bottom of the 5th, Keller walked Frelick and hit Mark Canha with a pitch before Turang drove a 2-out cutter to deep right for a 3-run shot.
Things didn’t improve after Keller’s exit as Jose Hernandez took over in the 6th and, after a pair of singles sandwiched by two outs, tossed a 94-mph fastball that caught too much plate and Frelick sent it into the seats.
Dauri Moreta took the 7th inning and kept the struggle-bus chugging. Monasterio doubled to lead-off and advanced to third on a Turang groundout and, after a Wiemer walk, scored on a Yelich infield single, which was followed by a 2-run double by Contreras, setting the score at 14-1 – which would, ultimately, be the end result.
News & Notes
- With a first inning single, Bryan Reynolds extends his hitting streak to 7 games.
- Six of the nine Brewers hits off Keller came on the first pitch of the at-bat.
- Pirates pitchers did not record a 1-2-3 inning.
- Carlos Santana went 1-for-5 with a run and a strikeout in his first game against the Pirates since being traded last week.
- Vinny Capra pinch-hit in the 9th inning, making his Pirates debut following his call-up on Tuesday, fouling out to first.
- This was the 11th time this season the Pirates have allowed 10+ runs
- Probably can’t get worse than this as we play game two tomorrow night with rookie Quinn Priester facing Brewers starter, Colin Rea. First pitch is at 8:10PM. Let’s Go Bucs!
Steel City Pirates 
Oh, but it can get worse. Just look at April 2010 in Milwaukee.
I don’t mind occasionally getting blown out–though I wouldn’t call it occasional for this club–but at least show me a glimmer of something therein. I guess Hayes had some nice plays and the lineup moved decently in the top of the first, but that cannot be it.
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