CHRISTOPHER PANSINO – OVATHLETICS.COM
The Pirates fortunes change so quick from day to day. What the Pirates had going in Monday’s 7-1 win did not carry over at all in a 6-0 loss Tuesday.
Florida starter Ricky Nolasco gave up five hits in his six shut out innings on the mound. Nolasco struck out 9 Pirate batters as he cruised to his 14th win of the season. His opponent Zack Duke was charged with his 12 loss of the season as he gave up 5 earned runs on nine hits. Duke had one bad inning, which was all he needed for the loss. Most notably was the fifth inning when he allowed four straight singles that drove in all four runs in the inning.
Bad defense accounted for some of the problem as a poorly fielded ball by shortstop Diaz cost the Pirates a double play and set up for the eventual four run in the fifth. The Marlins would tack on two more runs, one in the sixth off of Duke and one in ninth off of Chan Ho Park. Not that the Marlins needed the insurance runs, as their bullpen had no trouble shutting down the Pirates after
Nolasco was pulled in the seventh. Their bullpen gave up just one hit in the last three innings to get the shutout. The Pirates will hopefully channel some Monday magic for their game Wednesday evening as they continue the four game series.
