CHRISTOPHER PANSINO – OVATHLETICS.COM
After an 8-5 win Friday night, the Pirates threw in a real clunker Saturday. The 9-2 loss was a mess and saw a combined 4 errors by the two teams. However it was Washington that was able to overcome their three errors and hold the Pirates to two runs that made the difference in tonight’s game.
Seven runs in the fourth and fifth inning was the big game changer on the night. Starter Paul Maholm allowed six hits and five runs in the fourth inning alone. Maholm would allow an additional two runs to score on two hits before being pulled after just 4 1/3 innings.
On offense the Pirate racked up nine hits, not counting the three errors by the Nationals, but would strand ten base runners in the process. The team was 1 for 7 tonight with runners in scoring position.
Lastings Milledge would have a big night going 3 for 4, but ultimately all of this good hitting went to waste as he would be stranded every time.
In the end the 7 runs given up by Maholm was too much for the Pirates to regain. The difficult to watch game put the Pirates one-step closer to the 113 mark, i.e. the franchise low water mark set in 1890 by the then Pittsburgh Alleghenys.
The Pirates will finish the series Sunday afternoon at PNC Park.
