No Brooms: Pirates Look Lackadaisical in Loss to Mariners

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates were seeking a series sweep against the Seattle Mariners but instead suffered an ugly 10-3 loss at PNC Park on Sunday afternoon.

Recap

It didn’t take long for the Mariners (64-61) to get to Jake Woodford. Cal Raleigh connected on a two-run homer to right with one out in the first inning.

In the second, Victor Robles roped a two-run double to left field to extend Seattle’s lead to 4-0.

Josh Rojas opened a three-run fourth inning for Seattle with a solo home run to center field. Later on, it looked like the Pirates would turn a double play on a Julio Rodríguez grounder but third baseman Jared Triolo airmailed his throw to second base, which allowed Leo Rivas to score. Two batters later, Luke Raley tacked on another run with a sacrifice fly to center. 

Woodford (0-5) allowed seven runs (five earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts in four innings.

The Mariners jumped ahead 8-0 in the fifth inning when Dominic Canzone hit a solo homer off of reliever Ryan Ryan. 

Joey Bart got the Pirates (58-65) on the board with a two-run homer off of George Kirby in the bottom of the sixth. The blast was Bart’s 12th of the season, giving him a career-high.

Joey Bart – Pittsburgh Pirates (12)
pic.twitter.com/khrJEo4sZK

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) August 18, 2024

With the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh, Canzone bounced into a 6-4-3 double play, allowing a run to score from third. Rivas singled home the Mariners’ 10th run of the game shortly thereafter.

Alika Williams hit a pinch-hit double to right in the ninth and came around to score on a wild pitch later in the inning.

Key Moment

Raleigh’s homer in the first inning essentially set the tone for how the rest of the game was going to play out.

Star of the Game

Kirby (9-9) allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts in six innings. 

Stat to Know

Kirby hasn’t walked more than two batters in a game all season and had only walked two in the same game three times entering play. He walked Triolo twice in two plate appearances. 

Noteworthy

• Bart’s home run extended his on-base streak to 15 games. It’s the second-longest by a Pirate this season behind Bryan Reynolds’ 25 game streak. 
• Bryan Reynolds returned to the Pirates’ lineup as the team’s designated hitter after missing Saturday’s game with a lower back issue.

Up Next

The Pirates will travel to Texas for a brief three-game road trip against the Rangers starting Friday night. Luis Ortiz (5-3, 3.41 ERA) will start for Pittsburgh while Texas has yet to announce a starter. First pitch: 8:05 ET.