CLEVELAND — Trevor Bauer's seventh pitch put the Pirates' historic, unprecedented streak in jeopardy. Bauer, among the American League leaders in ERA and strikeouts, hit Starling Marte in the back of the left hand with a 95-mph fastball in the first inning Wednesday afternoon at Progressive Field.
Marte, the club's heartbeat during its first 11-game winning streak in 22 years, remained in the game, only to be removed after being thrown out at second base and later diagnosed with a contusion. “I was trying to stay in the game, but I couldn’t take the pain any more," Marte, who is day-to-day, said through team interpreter Mike Gonzalez afterward.
Without Marte and Corey Dickerson, the Pirates' bid for their first 12-game winning streak since 1965 ended with a 4-0 loss to the Indians in which they struck out 13 times, had only three hits and didn't have a runner reach third base.
[caption id="attachment_663349" align="aligncenter" width="440"]
TAP ABOVE FOR BOXSCORE, STANDINGS, VIDEO[/caption]
Although the streak is over, the Pirates are still three games over .500, 53-50, and cut their deficit in the Central Division to seven games. They're only 3 1/2 games and two teams back in the Wild Card race with a four-game series against the train-wreck Mets beginning Thursday at PNC Park. As much as they were disappointed to see it end, they were brimming with optimism while readying for the charter back to Pittsburgh.
To continue reading, log into your account:
