A 27-year-old mark is gone
It took until the fourth inning on Wednesday for Pittsburgh to make a little history. Oneil Cruz’s solo blast was the Pirates’ 172nd homer of the season, one more than the 171 they hit in 1999. A franchise record that had stood for 27 years was finally wiped out.
Brandon Lowe and Rafael Flores Jr. then chipped in too. By the end of the night, the Pirates had clubbed 174 homers, three in a single game.
Don Kelly still isn’t buying the idea that this is some kind of home run hunt. “I don’t think the guys are going up there trying to hit homers,” the manager said, pointing instead to the way his hitters are going about their business.
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The record still wasn’t enough
Flores explained his approach after his big blast in the sixth inning against JoJo Romero. “After I missed that first sinker, my thought was just to drive it to right field. I was late the first time, so I tried to get out a little earlier and not swing quite so hard.”
But the night still ended badly. Pittsburgh were in front after three straight runs, before Christian Yelich flipped it all with a two-run single in the seventh. Milwaukee won 5-4.
At 75 wins and 77 losses, the Pirates have set their best-ever offensive mark in a season without a playoff berth. That is the contradiction of this team: plenty of pop, not enough wins.
One last game to decide the series
Thursday afternoon means more than just another line in the standings. The two sides are tied six wins apiece this season. Whoever takes this one takes the series.
Pittsburgh will send Wilber Dotel out as an opener, with the game managed from the bullpen. The pitcher is 1-5 with a 4.84 earned-run average. His last start came on Friday, when he gave up three runs in two innings in a 12-2 loss to the Cubs. He was spotless on Tuesday against Milwaukee, throwing two-thirds of an inning without allowing a run.
On the other side, the Brewers clinched the NL Central on Tuesday night and are now chasing the best record in the Majors. The mood on each bench is hardly the same.
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