Pirates Takeaways: The Game Of Inches Cements Pirates’ 100th Loss (+)

PITTSBURGH — Baseball is a game of inches — sometimes even less.

That was the case for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their 8-7 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night at PNC Park.

Trailing by a run in the bottom of the 10th inning, automatic runner Kevin Newman raced home from second on a ball to first base off the bat of Oneil Cruz.

Cruz’s hit deflected off the glove of Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson and trickled far enough away for Bucs third base coach Mike Rabelo to wave in Newman.

On a bang-bang play at the plate, home plate umpire Brennan Miller called Newman out.

At such a crucial spot of the game and given the nature of the close play, Pirates manager Derek Shelton challenged the ruling.