In the immediate, intimidating aftermath of a weekend in Phoenix that saw Andrew McCutchen’s back plunked by a malicious fastball, Neil Walker’s back flaring up anew, Pedro Alvarez backing off fans seated near first base, and our city’s baseball fan base going back to thinking it was somewhere between 2012 and Armageddon, what these Pirates needed was some semblance, some small taste of success Tuesday night at PNC Park.
What they didn’t need, to say the very least, was the bullpen blowing up Charlie Morton’s strong seven innings into a 6-3 setback against the Marlins.
What they didn’t need was a reminder of their greatest — and growing by the day — shortcoming.
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