CHRISTOPHER PANSINO – OVATHLETICS.COM
Whatever confidence starter Charlie Morton had built after 14 starts in triple-A was quickly flushed away in Sunday’s game. Morton pitched only 3 and 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs on seven hits. He was well over 80 pitches when he was removed, which screams how terrible his start really was.
Morton’s record fell to 1-10 on the season after the 8-4 loss yesterday. This puts him among the other starters for double-digit losses. Zach Duke (6-12), Paul Maholm (7-12), and Ross Ohlendorf (1-11) all have double-digit losses making this pitching rotation one of the worst in Pirates history. Not since 1954 have the Pirates had this many pitchers with double digit losses in a season. The rotations combine record of 24-72, also ranks as one of the worst.
And with all the doom and gloom surrounding the starting pitching, there was almost more bad news to report The Pirates only All-Star, Evan Meek, injured his hand after being struck by a line drive in the eighth. Later reports said the reliever did not have a fracture and should return to the bullpen soon.
Good news as the Pirates have already lost Ross Ohlendorf and Chris Jakubauskas to comeback balls this season, as both suffered concussions after being hit in the head.
The Pirates got off to a strong start on offense as a first inning two run homer gave the Pirates the premature 2-0 lead.
The Brewers would score three runs in the bottom of that very same inning and would never look back, trouncing Morton for eight runs in the first four innings.
The Pirates would add two more runs in the game, a solo homer by Doumit in the fourth and a solo shot by Young in the eighth to cap the game at 8-4.
The Pirates next travel two hours south to Chicago for their next road series with the Cubs.
