PITTSBURGH — The streak the Pirates had going was equal parts emblematic of their new pitching philosophy and the byproduct of playing sub-.500 baseball. It was also just pretty darn strange. Nearly 30 games, and a starting pitcher didn’t have a single win? Yeah, never happened before.
Last time it came close: the 1988 Orioles, who lost their first 21 games.
But thanks to a throwback pitching performance from Jose Quintana — 100-plus pitches over six innings, gasp — a Pirates starter finally earned a win, as Pittsburgh knocked off the big, bad Dodgers, 5-1, at PNC Park on Monday night.
