PITTSBURGH — On Monday and Tuesday, Oneil Cruz and Bligh Madris took turns achieving things not seen from a Pirate in decades. First with a hit, RBI and stolen base in their first game; hardest thrown ball on the infield in the Statcast era; first player with seven RBIs in their first three games. The pair had helped put a charge into a team that was in desperate need of some positive momentum.
On Wednesday in a 14-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs, the Pirates had a player make the sort of history they would have liked to avoid.
With right-hander Zach Thompson on the 15-day injured list, the team needed a spot starter. They called on right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, who had a 4.84 ERA in 48 1/3 innings with Class AAA Indianapolis this season. Eickhoff allowed 10 earned runs, including a seven-spot in the second inning, becoming the first pitcher in Pirates history to allow 10 earned runs in his team debut.
