The game featured a matchup of promising young starters, and both pitched six innings and left with the game tied 4-4, so neither got a decision. It’s unwelcome news at any time, but especially after Tyler Glasnow exited his start with the big club on the same day with a shoulder issue.
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Pirates rookie Adam Frazier didn’t shy away from playing a guessing game when he was brought in to pinch-hit in the seventh inning Sunday. “I figured he was coming back with a fastball after just missing with two off-speed pitches”, Frazier said. On Friday he shut down the Pirates thanks to a 100 pitch complete-game shutout which saw him only allow three hits, while striking out six Pirates at the plate.
Philadelphia Phillies manager Pete Mackanin praises his starter’s determination after struggling in his big league debut. He had a 2-1 count on Philadelphia’s Peter Bourjos with runners at first and second when a Pirates trainer and manager Clint Hurdle visited the mound. It was followed by a first-pitch, two-run home run by Matt Joyce that tied the game. Marte led off the inning with a single and Elias Diaz drove him in with a groundout to record his first career RBI.
Jameson Taillon pitched quite well overall, with seven strikeouts and no walks in six innings, but his mistakes were pronounced, as extra-base hits led to all four Philadelphia runs. The Phillies wound up losing two of three games in the series and are 3-7 since the All-Star break to drop to 10 games under. Andres Blanco hit a solo homer in the first, Cesar Hernandez hit an RBI triple and then scored in the third, and the generally quite fun-to-watch Odubel Herrera hit a solo homer in the sixth.
Pittsburgh Pirates closer Mark Melancon delivers in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Pittsburgh, Sunday, July 24, 2016.
With the Bucs trailing 4-2, Starling Marte led off the bottom of the sixth with a double off the tiring Vincent Velasquez. He was 7-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 18 starts with Indianapolis.
With Pennsylvania’s interstate battle now in an eighth inning rain delay, Frazier remains a ideal 1-for-1 with the solo shot on the afternoon. Blanco took the throw from catcher Carlos Ruiz in plenty of time and tagged Polanco, who contacted Blanco’s glove with his foot. Blanco and Joseph hit run-scoring singles. He went 1 for 2 at the plate….
Glasnow, who was pulled in the fourth inning of Saturday’s game after what the Pirates called “right shoulder discomfort”, has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, the team announced Sunday. Catcher Cameron Rupp did not play as a precaution after being hit in the head with a pitch Saturday. In his last seven starts, he’s walked just seven batters and has a 0.98 WHIP while lowering his ERA by half a run. The Pirates won three of their past four games and five of their past seven.
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The Phillies open a three-game series against the Marlins on Monday night at Miami.
