COMON Network

By COMON Network Team

Final Score– Pittsburgh Pirates (10-21) 5, Milwaukee Brewers (15-18) 1

WP: Nick Tropeano (1-0) LP: -Brandon Woodruff (2-3) SV: N/A

After a gutting 6-5 loss last night, the Pirates bounced back on Sunday afternoon with a 5-1 win over the Brewers at Miller Park.  

The Bucs drew first blood in the top of the second on Gregory Polanco’s fifth home run of the season. After Milwaukee tied it in the third on a single by Pirate killer Keston Hiura, Pittsburgh got the lead back in the next half inning on a two-run shot by Josh Bell— his fourth— to make it 3-1. The Pirates added insurance in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Kevin Newman, and some more in the seventh when Adam Frazier did the same. 

Pittsburgh will close out this series, as well as the month of August, tomorrow evening at 7:40.

COMON Network Team Commentary

KYLE DAWSON

• I’m sitting here wondering, and I do this a lot, why baseball has replay if everything that can be seen easily on review can’t be reviewed? Why do we have replay if we don’t get the call right with the review? It’s really annoying to see and hear a ball clearly foul tipped into the catcher’s glove in a two-strike count and it to be missed. I mean the stadium is empty. It’s clear as day. How does that get by all four umpires and isn’t able to be checked? It didn’t end up mattering, but baseball’s replay system needs to be fixed. It’s far from flawless, and it’s been that way a long time. Replay reviews should be capped for time in a review too, but that’ll never happen.
• Josh Bell has homers in consecutive games now and he pounded this one. It was hit 109.4 mph off the wood at 31 degrees and went an estimated 428 feet. That’s a good sign. The ball he hit out to center on a line was well hit too. I’m not going to say he’s back, because it’s two games, but this weekend was a good step in the right direction. Oh, and it was nice for Gregory Polanco to launch a ball to the moon, but he’s now just 1-for-22 since the weekend series at PNC with Milwaukee.
• The pitching staff got the job done today. Brault, Crick, Tropeano, Hartlieb and Rodriguez were all pretty effective. My only complaint with Brault is the elevated pitch count. It’s work that is labor intensive, despite him not walking a bunch of opposing batters.
• I’m tired of watching JT Riddle. Why is Ke’Bryan Hayes still at the satellite camp in Altoona? I’m still waiting for a good reason there.
• The Pirates will be taking the field after the trade deadline tomorrow night. What will happen between now and then? Ben Cherington likely won’t make a move just to make one, but I’d think a few guys have some value. That might be Chad Kuhl, Richard Rodriguez, Adam Frazier (who played LF twice this weekend), Trevor Williams or someone else. We’ll see. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t do anything.

Player of the Game – Nick Tropeano (PIT)

JOE SMELTZER

• It was wise on Derek Shelton’s part to use Kyle Crick in the fourth inning of today’s game instead of somewhere in the back end. Crick has been butchering his late inning responsibilities for too long, and it’s best that he works in some lower leverage situations for a while. Moving Crick to the middle innings could also create an opportunity for Nick Tropeano to pitch later on in games if he keeps putting up zeros.  
• Seeing Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell both hit 400+ foot home runs today was pleasant, but was also a painful reminder. The door for Polanco to become an MLB superstar is all but shut, and while Bell has a little more time, his numbers halfway through this season speak for themselves. It’d be a shame if two of the Pirates top prospects of the past 10 years have already reached their peak.  
• Unrelated to the Pirates, but Adam Wainwright throwing a 120-pitch complete game— in a time where a pitcher is more likely to join the circus than to accomplish that feat— on his 39^th birthday, is absolutely superb.   

Player of the Game – Josh Bell (PIT)

DONNY CHEDRICK

• Here comes Josh Bell. Another home run today in the 5-1 win and although it’s only his fourth of the year, it is his second in as many games as he’s starting to look more comfortable at the plate. Still not having a special season by any means, but if the Pirates want any prayer or hope in 2020, he needs to produce. The trade deadline is tomorrow and if a team provides a hot offer, it may not be totally out of the question for Bell to be done in Pittsburgh.
• Speaking of that, how many of the 2020 Buccos have played their final game in a Pirates’ uniform? With Pittsburgh seemingly being one of the obvious sellers in baseball, the trade deadline could prove to be one that makes this squad look a little different. Although GM Ben Cherington would like every player to feel protected, there may only be a few that are “un-tradable” and that answer may differ depending on who you ask. For me, the untouchable players list is short and only includes the names Bryan Reynolds and Mitch Keller.
• Even it up tomorrow and head home. A win Sunday prevented the Brewers from officially winning the series and opened a chance for the Bucs to head home with an even series. After tomorrow, the Pirates are home for nine straight games. The Cubs come in for three, the Reds for four and a pair of games against the White Sox. At 10-21, this upcoming home stand is probably the last chance for the Pirates in 2020 if they want to make a real push.

Player of the Game – Nick Tropeano (PIT)