LONG NIGHT FOR BUCS AS WILLIAMS AND PEN STRUGGLE

PIRATES GIVE UP 17 RUNS FOR 2ND TIME IN 4 GAMES; MARTE PASSES MILESTONE

The Pirates' 17-5 loss to the Phillies on Friday night set a few records. It was the longest nine-inning game ever played at PNC Park and in the history of either club. The four-hour, 30-minute affair was, in fact, tied for the longest nine-inning game in National League history.

It also may have made Pittsburgh's current losing streak feel longer than four games.

After being swept at Dodger Stadium, the Pirates began an 11-game homestand with a demoralizing defeat against the Phillies. Right-hander Trevor Williams gave up five runs in the Pirates' second straight 2 1/3-inning start before the bullpen struggled through the final 6 2/3 innings.

The Bucs have lost 30 of their last 44 games. They've been outscored, 48-13, over the last four games while twice allowing 17 runs.

The Pirates rotation has played a large part in their recent skid. Since Joe Musgrove threw seven scoreless innings against the Padres on June 29, Pittsburgh's starters have allowed 31 runs (28 earned) while pitching only 22 innings over six games.

As a result, the bullpen has been asked to cover a lot of innings, and the Pirates have had to shuffle personnel to make that possible while still keeping everyone rested. Steven Brault did his part for 2 2/3 scoreless innings on Friday, then Richard Rodriguez (two runs, two outs), Dovydas Neverauskas (four runs, two outs), Josh Smoker (three runs, two outs) and Tyler Glasnow (three runs, two innings) let the game slip away.

Still, the Pirates rallied after Williams left the game. Elias Diaz drove in one run on a groundout in the third, and then Corey Dickerson finished a 12-pitch at-bat against Nick Pivetta with an RBI single to left. Starling Marte added an RBI single in the fourth to make it a one-run game. They had a chance to tie it in the fifth, but Dickerson was thrown out at home after breaking on a contact play off a Josh Harrison grounder.

Then came the bullpen struggles. Rodriguez lost his command for the first time all season, walking three batters and throwing only half of his 28 pitches for strikes. Neverauskas escaped the sixth, but the Phillies methodically pounded out seven runs against Neverauskas and Smoker in the seventh, capping their rally with Andrew Knapp's three-run homer. After a scoreless eighth, Glasnow allowed three runs in the ninth.

At the end of a long night, Harrison admitted some players were frustrated even if they weren't showing it. But how can they put this stretch behind them?

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

BIG BLAST: Williams said his outing boiled down to "poorly executed pitches to the wrong guys." That proved to be his undoing in the third inning. He plunked leadoff man Cesar Hernandez, walked Rhys Hoskins, and then gave up a three-run homer to Odubel Herrera.

SOUND SMART

Marte swiped second base in the fourth and sixth innings, and then stole third in the sixth for the 200th, 201st and 202nd steals of his Major League career. Since 1900, only seven other Pirates have stolen 200 or more bases. Barry Bonds was the last to do so, stealing 251 bases during his time with Pittsburgh. Marte, who has swiped at least 21 bags in each of his six full Major League seasons, ranks ninth all-time among Pirates players in stolen bases.

HE SAID IT

"Baseball [doesn't] care about your feelings. It does not. You've got to keep pushing. You've got to show up every day. All you can count on [are] the guys next to you. Baseball doesn't care." -- Harrison, on the losing streak

ROSTER MOVES

PHILLIES: Ramos had been out since June 25 with a right shoulder impingement. Fellow RHP Jake Thompson was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

PIRATES: OF Jordan Luplow was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis and RHP Clay Holmes was optioned to Class A Bradenton. Holmes was sent to the Florida State League to stay on a normal schedule because the Triple-A All-Star break is next week.

MARTE MILESTONE

Marte stole his 200th career base in the fourth inning and added two more steals in the sixth. He is the eighth Pirates player since 1900 to reach that milestone.

TRAINER’S ROOM

PHILLIES: RHP Vince Velasquez (bruised right forearm) will throw a bullpen Saturday and likely start Wednesday night against the Mets at New York. . RHP Jerad Eichkoff (right lat strain) felt tingling in his fingers during a live batting practice session Friday at the spring training complex in Clearwater, Florida. . INFs J.P. Crawford (broken left hand) and Pedro Florimon (broken right foot) will be examined by specialists next week.

PIRATES: RHP Joe Musgrove (infected right index finger) is scheduled to throw a bullpen Saturday. . C Francisco Cervelli (concussion) is 1 for 5 with three walks through the first two games of his rehab assignment at Double-A Altoona. . INF/OF Sean Rodriguez (strained right quadriceps) is 5 for 20 with a double in five games with Indianapolis.

UP NEXT

PHILLIES: RHP Jake Arrieta (5-6, 3.54 ERA) is 0-4 with a 6.16 ERA in his last six starts.

PIRATES: RHP Jameson Taillon (5-6, 4.05) is 3-6 with a 4.93 ERA in his last 14 starts after going 3-0 with a 0.89 ERA in his first three.