The big hit has eluded the Pirates for much of this season.
While their offense is clearly not designed to rely on the three-run homer, or any ball that lands over the fence, they have been at their most competitive when they've been able to get men on base and occasionally pick up a clutch hit here and there. When they've struggled, that hit has often been MIA.
That familiar script played out Wednesday during a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park, the Pirates leaving the bases loaded in each of the first two innings, while the biggest hit of the evening was one they surely didn't want.
When it was all over, the Pirates had dropped to 23-37 on the season while losing for the 12th consecutive time against the Dodgers. Tuesday also snapped their season-high stretch of having at least one extra-base hit in 15 straight games.
It looked like the Pirates might really have a chance early on, when Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin couldn't throw a strike. But the Pirates turned that into just one run. Overall the Pirates went 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.
Bigger than the result, the most important storyline to come out of this one was the loss of Colin Moran after David Price hit Moran with a 93 mph sinker on the outside right hand in the fifth inning.
The Pirates first baseman was in obvious, immediate pain and exited with his hand wrapped in a towel. Moran was still being evaluated, the Pirates said, and would be checked again on Thursday.
It’s another dose of potentially bad news for Moran, who was on the injured list with a left groin strain from May 9-June 5 and entered Wednesday’s game 2 for 8 with an RBI in two games since he was reinstated.
Phillip Evans replaced Moran and would get more time at first if Moran goes on the IL again. The Pirates also learned Wednesday that Will Craig, whom they designated for assignment on June 4, had cleared waivers, before Pittsburgh outrighted him to Class AAA Indianapolis.
During Moran’s previous absence, when Evans was out, also Craig got the bulk of the opportunities at first base.
As for that big hit? The closest the Pirates came landed in Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen's glove. With Ka'ai Tom on second base and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Ke'Bryan Hayes blistered a liner that would've tied the game. Jansen made a terrific play to snare it, ending the game.
Few MLB hitters have had more success against a pitcher than Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner has experienced while facing Tyler Anderson, who previously pitched for the Rockies and Giants. Entering Wednesday’s game, Turner had 15 hits in 31 career at-bats against the Pirates left-handed starter, with a home run and four doubles.
It didn’t take Turner long to add to those numbers. When Anderson left a fastball middle-middle in the top of the first, Turner drove it into his team’s bullpen, the solo shot giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
Turner did it again in the third, depositing an elevated cutter over the fence in left for another solo homer. Tom nearly made a tremendous catch, timing his leap perfectly and holding the ball for a brief second. But unfortunately for the Pirates, he couldn't complete the catch.
The Pirates answered Turner’s first solo shot with a run of their own in the bottom of the first. Adam Frazier singled to open the game, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. With runners on first and second, Gregory Polanco pulled an outside splitter from Gonsolin, as the ball ticked off first baseman Albert Pujols’ mitt and allowed Bryan Reynolds to score from second.
Making his first of 2021, Gonsolin walked five in just 1 2/3 innings. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had seen enough when Gonsolin walked the bases loaded before lefty reliever Victor Gonzalez escaped trouble by getting Moran to hit a 105.2 mph liner right at AJ Pollock in left.
Although he certainly struggled with Turner, overall it was an encouraging start for Anderson, who went six or more innings for the first time since May 9 at Chicago. After Anderson's worst outing of the year, when he allowed nine earned runs on three homers on May 21 at Atlanta, Anderson has allowed seven earned runs over his past three starts, totaling 16 1/3 innings.
This one followed an odd pattern, and not just for Anderson. He recorded the first two outs in succession in all six of his innings but only had one 1-2-3 frame: the fourth. Anderson did an excellent job of buckling down when he needed to and making pitches to limit the damage.
He also had a night where he pitched mostly to contact, generating just five whiffs and picking up two strikeouts.
Clay Holmes backed up Anderson with another scoreless inning, his 14th consecutive appearance without allowing a run. Opposing teams have scored a grand total of one earned run in Holmes' past 21 appearances.
