Friday Hangover? Sloppy Pirates Can’t Overcome First Inning Blunder, Fall to Rangers

PITTSBURGH — Perhaps the Pittsburgh Pirates were feeling the ill effects of playing a rain-interrupted doubleheader in Detroit on Thursday.

The Pirates looked sloppy from the start in their return home to PNC Park and were defeated 6-2 by the Texas Rangers on Friday night.

How We Got There

With a runner on first in the top of the first inning, center fielder Oneil Cruz let a Sam Haggerty base hit get by him, allowing a run to score and putting Haggerty on third base. Haggerty later scored on a Mike Burrows wild pitch to put the Rangers (37-39) ahead 2-0 early.

In the top of the fourth, Adolis García hammered a solo homer to extend Texas’ lead.

Rangers starter Jacob deGrom carried a perfect game into the fourth inning before five-straight Pirates’ batters reached with two outs. Joey Bart and Adam Frazier recorded RBI singles to bring the Pirates (30-47) within a run.

deGrom (7-2) held the Pirates to two runs with seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings. He’s now allowed two runs or fewer in 12-straight starts.

The Rangers got one of those runs back in the top of the fifth inning when Corey Seager connected on a solo home run off Burrows. 

García drove in another run for the Rangers in the top of the seventh with a double to right-center off Braxton Ashcraft.

Josh Jung hit a tapper up the first base line with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the ninth to put the Rangers up 6-2.

Key Moment

Oneil Cruz’s flub in the first inning led to two runs scored for the Rangers. Given how good Jacob deGrom has been this season, that’s a big deficit to try and come back from.

Star of the Game

Adolis García fell a triple shy of the cycle, drew a walk, drove in two runs and scored twice. He also flashed the leather with a pair of diving catches in right field. 

Stat to Know

Burrows (1-2) had only been charged with three earned runs through his first three starts in the month of June. Entering Friday’s start, his 1.80 ERA in June was the ninth-lowest among pitchers with at least 15.0 innings pitched. 

Notable Performances

• Mike Burrows: 4.2 innings, seven hits, four runs, one walk, four strikeouts, 88 pitches/52 strikes
• Joey Bart: 3 for 4, one RBI
• Nick Gonzales: 2 for 4, one run

Noteworthy

• Ryan Borucki left the game in the top of the ninth inning accompanied by assistant athletic trainer Tony Leo.
• Spencer Horwitz extended his hitting streak to a career-high seven games with a base hit in the fourth.
• RHP Dennis Santana was suspended four games by MLB for an altercation with the fan on Thursday. He is appealing.
• The Pirates re-signed C Brett Sullivan to a minor-league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Up Next

The Pirates and Rangers will continued their three-game series on Saturday. RHP Mitch Keller (1-9, 4.08 ERA) will be on the mound for Pittsburgh opposite RHP Kumar Rocker (2-4, 7.31 ERA). First pitch: 4:05 p.m. ET.