It Wasn’t The Prettiest, But That Start Was Rich Hill (+)

PITTSBURGH — Rich Hill’s tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t start out how he or the team wanted. Through his first two games on the mound in a Pirates’ uniform, Hill’s ERA sat at 10.00.

A big reason for Hill’s struggles in his first two starts was that he was plagued by the long ball. In his first start against Cincinnati, Hill surrendered a pair of homers in the first inning, putting the Pirates in an early hole.

His second start against the White Sox was even more of a struggle. That game, the Pirates’ left-hander was tagged for seven earned runs and served up three home runs in only four innings.

His third start of the season came on Wednesday afternoon in the Pirates’ loss to the Houston Astros and while it might not have been an eye-opening performance, Hill did what he does best. He got the job done.