PITTSBURGH — A few hours before first pitch, Austin Hedges delivered a softly spoken message that was just audible enough for those in the clubhouse to hear.
“Let’s win a series today, boys.”
The Pirates’ quest to make good on Hedges’ request will have to continue into their next trio of games starting Monday evening. In Sunday’s rubber match at PNC Park, the Pirates fell 8-3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, extending their run without a series victory in the month of May.
The Bucs appeared to be turning a corner after a shutout victory on the road against the Tigers on Wednesday that split that quick series and a riveting start to their six-game homestand with Friday’s 13-run outburst. Any good vibes from those pair of performances evaporated in light of Sunday’s sloppiness.
The Pirates’ collection of five different pitchers struggled to strand the many baserunners they allowed. Dauri Moreta was the only Pirates reliever who didn’t allow an earned run, but his may as well have been, considering he airmailed a throw to first on a check-swing dribbler by the Diamondbacks’ Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Moreta’s throwing error, which brought home the go-ahead run in what was a 3-3 ballgame in the sixth inning, came immediately after a rare miscue by third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who one-hopped a deep throw past first baseman Carlos Santana.
Though the Diamondbacks didn’t fully take advantage of their extra outs in the sixth, they certainly obliged with the extra 90 feet they often received the rest of the way.
Reliever Rob Zastryzny, who made his first appearance since April 15, showed signs of rust by throwing a pair of wild pitches past catcher Jason Delay, the second of which came in the seventh. In total, Pirates pitchers produced a combined five wild pitches, as well as a hit by pitch.
After Zastryzny departed, the Diamondbacks once again went to work on reliever Robert Stephenson, who was tagged for two runs during Saturday night’s one-run loss. In just ⅓ of an inning, Stephenson allowed two of his runs to score and another that was Zastryzny’s.
A Ketel Marte single to right plated Zastryzny’s baserunner and two more came across on a Christian Walker double down the left-field line, which sent the PNC Park crowd into a slumber with an inevitable series loss once again looming.
ON THE MOUND
For the second start in a row, Roansy Contreras turned to his four-seam fastball quite frequently, using it nearly 52% of the time on Sunday, per Baseball Savant. Unlike his last outing, when Contreras worked his way through seven innings of two-run ball against the Baltimore Orioles, he struggled to maneuver through the Diamondbacks’ lineup.
Though Contreras only yielded three hits, one was a solo shot from Corbin Carroll on a hanging slider. Contreras’ money pitch was used at its second-lowest clip this season, perhaps because it wasn’t particularly effective.
Contreras spiked a slider in the third inning with two outs and a runner at third in catcher Jose Herrera, who scored relatively easily on the wild pitch. Contreras’ curveball wasn’t much better, as he threw one in the dirt earlier in the frame that proved too much for Delay to corral, which allowed Herrera to advance from second to third following his leadoff double.
It wasn’t all bad from Contreras, who again demonstrated the ability to rear back with his four-seamer that was north of 95 mph numerous times. But as was the case against the Orioles, Contreras primarily worked with just his slider and fastball, though this time receiving lesser results.
AT THE PLATE
For the first time since May 6, Rodolfo Castro drew back into the starting lineup against a right-hander in Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. The switch-hitting Castro has been subject to some of the most drastic splits in baseball this season.
Entering Sunday, Castro was slashing a scorching .326/.418/.717 with five home runs in 46 at-bats against left-handers. Meanwhile, Castro had struck out 21 times in 59 at-bats against righties with only two extra-base hits to show.
Facing a tough hurler in Kelly, Castro turned in some solid plate appearances. He ripped a lineout in the second that Walker had to climb the ladder to snare at first base and singled in the fifth after Connor Joe broke up Kelly’s no-hit bid in the fifth. Both of those balls put in play came off Castro’s bat at over 100 mph, per Statcast.
Castro’s final two at-bats were certainly less prosperous, though, as he struck out swinging in the seventh and looking in the ninth.
UP NEXT
Right-hander Luis Ortiz will make his third start of the season for the Pirates, who begin a three-game set with the Rangers on Monday. Dane Dunning, who has been pressed into a starting role with Jacob deGrom sidelined, possesses a stellar 1.69 ERA and will take the hill for the Rangers.
