ATLANTA — The positive, glass-half-full storyline with the Pirates this season has been the infusion of youth, a bevy of rookies getting chances with the big club and actually doing something with them. Jack Suwinski, Roansy Contreras, Cal Mitchell and the recent addition of Travis Swaggerty. Even the conspicuous absence of Oneil Cruz has been a fun talking point.
On the flip side of that has been the offense, a fairly consistent sore spot for the club, the Pirates routinely staggering through sleepy stretches. That sort of thing happened again on Friday, as the Pirates produced too little too late during a 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, their second so far in this series and season-high-tying fourth in a row overall.
The Pirates (24-32) staged a two-run rally in the eighth inning, but that was it against the Braves, who have now won nine in a row and might be the hottest team in MLB. Worse, Pittsburgh did next to nothing against against right-hander Spencer Strider, a 23-year-old making just his third career start.
