PITTSBURGH — As much fun as the Pirates’ previous two games had been, with Bryan Reynolds and Michael Perez delivering back-to-back three-homer performances, Friday’s 19-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers represented the other end of the spectrum.
The depressing and frustrating side. A reminder to savor the sweet moments of this season.
A three-pack of homers once again played a sizable role in determining the outcome of the game, but this time they came off the bats of Brewers during a seven-run second inning that turned Friday’s contest into a rout shortly after it started.
By the time the Pirates and Brewers reached a calamitous eighth, where the first out was recorded on the 48th pitch thrown by Cam Vieaux — yes, seriously — it had devolved into one of the most lopsided, embarrassing and frustrating losses for the Pirates (31-46) this season.
Vieaux walked three, allowed a grand slam to shortstop Willy Adames, and Oneil Cruz missed a popup that he absolutely should have had. Worse, the Pirates offered no help for Vieaux, leaving him out there to wear it, to finish the inning and preserve arms for another day.
Depressingly enough, Vieaux threw more pitches (56) than the guy who started the game for the Pirates, Roansy Contreras, who struck around for just 52. Friday was equally as rough for the Pirates’ 22-year-old right-hander, who hadn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a start this season.
In the second inning alone, the Brewers collected five hits off Contreras — who entered the game with a 2.76 ERA, best among MLB rookies with seven or more starts — and put three balls over the fence: a two-run shot from third baseman Luis Urias, designated hitter Keston Hiura’s solo homer and a three-run blast courtesy of first baseman Rowdy Tellez, who brought the curtains down on the shortest start of Contreras’ young career.
As much money and effort as the Pirates and all MLB teams spend on ways to analyze the performance of pitchers, this one was pretty simple: Contreras threw fastballs down the middle of the plate, and the Brewers didn’t miss.
Urias saw on a 2-1 heater. Hiura did the same with a 1-1 count. In a 1-2 hole, Tellez turned on an inside fastball — one that was off the plate but also, clearly, in the 255-pounder’s wheelhouse.
All three went at least 400 feet. They left the bat at 99.4, 107.6 and 104.1 mph, respectively.
Although Contreras certainly hasn’t been perfect when it comes to home runs allowed, giving up four in his seven starts this season before Friday, this was an outlier.
Just seconds after a fan casually snagged the Tellez homer on the far left of the Clemente Wall, manager Derek Shelton emerged from the Pirates dugout and lifted Contreras. Given what later happened to Vieaux, it was a stark contrast in how the Pirates must feel about the two pitchers.
Austin Brice took over and threw reasonably well, giving up two earned runs over 2 1/3 innings thanks to a two-run double from Tellez crushed at 113.9 mph. Aaron Fletcher, making his first appearance with the big club since April 29, also helped the Pirates cover some innings.
Fletcher was actually really good, facing one over the minimum while working the fifth, sixth and seventh and showing off his improved slider.
What Fletcher does could be important for the Pirates because they really need an experienced, productive lefty in the bullpen. If he keeps pitching like he did on Friday, there will be opportunities.
On the opposite side, however, was Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee’s ace, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner and someone who was among the top three in the NL in pretty much every meaningful statistical category.
Burnes walked four and hit a batter, but he also didn’t allow a hit until Bligh Madris’ double in the sixth inning. That pushed Ke’Bryan Hayes to third, and the Pirates' third baseman scored on a wild pitch.
Burnes cruised to his 12th quality start — the same as the Pirates’ entire pitching staff — by allowing just that one hit and striking out five.
The eighth inning, again, featured all kinds of misery. Passed ball, run scored. Bases loaded single. The grand slam. The Cruz error. Mike Brosseau’s two-run double. Poor Vieaux couldn’t have liked the view of a quiet bullpen.
What happened the past three days is probably a lesson in baseball brutality as much as anything. On top of the world one minute, you’re capable of being bopped over the head by seven- and eight-run innings at any time. The vibe around the ballpark was so depressing that even folks waiting around for free fireworks started to cut bait and call it a night.
