CHICAGO — Stop me if you have heard this one: The Pirates nearly sparked a benches-clearing incident and were blown out by the Cubs, 14-1., Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
Some déjà vu is expected over a 162-game season, and this one definitely had a Groundhog Day feel to it. For one, they lost at Wrigley for the seventh time in eight games here.
They gave up big hits with the bases loaded, like this Nicholas Castellanos two-out double, which opened the scoring:
Kevin Newman was the only Pirate with an extra-base hit and they left 10 men on base. 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position sure felt familiar.
David Bote had definitely experienced this before:
Bote clearly said "that's twice" while walking to first, referring to another HBP he took off the helmet from Clay Holmes on July 4. While Saturday's pitch was a hung slider that Elias Diaz called for low and away but got away from Holmes, it was pretty understandable why he would be a trifle miffed after he took one on the noggin again.
Benches cleared after that hit by pitch, the third by Holmes in five batters, but it deescalated without conflict.
And once again, the bullpen's B-team, this time consisting of Wei-Chung Wang, Holmes, Parker Markel and Yefry Ramirez, was clobbered by the opposition. Ramirez struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth, but the other three combined for seven runs allowed in three innings pitched.
"Our second line hasn't been very good," Clint Hurdle said, referring to his bullpen. "It's been an area of, basically, non-support for us at times. We haven't been able to stay in games then."
So you have heard it all before? Well, if you are interested, I dusted off Baseball-Reference's Play Index since games like Saturday are the perfect breeding ground for outrageous statistics. Here is what I found:
• Saturday was the 28th time this season the Pirates allowed double-digit runs in a season, tied with the 1930 club for the most such games for the franchise in the modern era. The 1930 team had a 154 game schedule. This year's team did it in 149.
• This is just the 29th team in baseball history that allowed 10 or more runs in a game at least 28 times in a season. Their most recent contemporaries were the 2000 Orioles and Rangers. Baltimore did it 29 times, Texas 30.
• Holmes hit three of the eight batters he faced. The only Pirates pitcher ever to hit three batters while facing fewer hitters was Dock Ellis on May 1, 1974. That was the day Ellis tried to plunk as many Reds as possible in one of the more memorable installments in franchise lore.
• The last time the Pirates hit four batters in a game was May 8, 1909. Yeah, 110 years.
• This is the first time the Pirates have allowed 14 or more runs in consecutive games since June 23-24, 1950. Those games happened against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.
• And finally, they were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for the fourth year in a row.
"I didn't know that," Newman said after being told they were officially out of the hunt. "Yeah, it stinks."
• After an encouraging major-league debut on Sep. 8, James Marvel was hit hard Saturday. He allowed seven runs on nine hits and a hit batter in four innings.
"I wasn't very sharp today," Marvel said. "... Just gotta find a way to get better from this and move forward."
Not to say anyone wanted Marvel to get clobbered, but now he will get a chance to watch video, work with coaches and see what adjustments he needs to make. Isn't that the point of a September call-up, especially when the team is out of contention?
"I definitely think as long as I continue to look at this as a positive learning experience, there's going to be some positives to come out of it," Marvel said.
• Marvel allowed nine hard hit balls, those with an exit velocity of at least 95 mph. The Cubs had 15 on the day.
• Not to take anything away from Kyle Hendricks, but the Pirates' lineup was a bit tamer than usual. Josh Bell was unavailable because of left groin discomfort he felt running to second base Friday, and Starling Marte was only able to pinch-run due to his wrist injury. He did not enter the game.
Jacob Stallings was also unavailable due to back tightness.
• With that said, it was another strong start for Hendricks, who improved his home ERA to 1.75. He earned a quality start and worked around seven hits in six innings with only one run allowed.
"He continued to throw that changeup to us. He was relentless with his changeup today," Hurdle said.
Adam Frazier recorded a pair of singles against his changeup, but the Pirates finished 2 for 10 against that pitch.
• The Cubs got in on the bean ball game in the ninth when Dillon Maples hit Diaz and Erik Gonzalez consecutively. Maples and Joe Maddon were tossed after Gonzalez was plunked.
Like Bote, Gonzalez was hit near the helmet while trying to get out of the way:
• Reynolds watch: Bryan Reynolds went hitless again in his three at-bats and his batting average dropped to .321. He also drew a walk.
This may need to be changed to Reynolds and Newman watch. With his 3-for-5 day, Newman is now batting .318.
• Ok, something positive. Newman was a home run short of the cycle, like Pablo Reyes Friday. He has hit safely in 17 straight starts, batting .444 in that stretch (32 for 72).
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
• Video highlights
• Scoreboard
• Standings
THE INJURIES
• Chris Archer (10-day IL, shoulder)
• Chris Stratton (10-day IL, right side inflammation)
• Gregory Polanco (60-day IL, shoulder)
• Lonnie Chisenhall (60-day IL, got caught up watching a Pirates of the Caribbean marathon)
Here’s the most recent full report.
THE SCHEDULE
Sunday will be the Pirates' final game in Wrigley this season. Trevor Williams (7-6, 5.21) will take the bump against Jose Quintana (13-8), with first pitch scheduled for 2:20 p.m. Eastern time. I'll be there to see this series to its conclusion.
THE COVERAGE
All our baseball content, including Mound Visit by Jason Rollison, can be found on our Pirates page.
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