Jameson
Taillon gave the
Pirates the start they needed on Saturday, but he didn't get the finish he
wanted.
After six straight
games in which Pittsburgh's starting pitcher didn't complete five innings,
Taillon began the night brilliantly by hurling six scoreless frames. The
right-hander was charged with three two-out runs in the seventh inning,
however, and the Pirates extended their losing streaking to five games with a
3-2 loss to the Phillies at PNC Park.
Taillon cruised
through six innings on just 65 pitches, giving up a pair of singles and
striking out six without issuing a walk. But after inducing a Rhys Hoskins flyout on his third pitch of the
seventh frame, he took notice of right-hander Edgar Santana warming up in the bullpen behind him.
Odubel
Herrera collected
the Phillies' third hit of the day with a single but was thrown out at second
on a Carlos
Santana fielder's
choice. With two outs recorded, Nick Williams tripled deep to the right-field corner,
plating Santana. Scott Kingery drove a slider that was low and away to
center field to score Williams and tie the game at 2.
Santana subsequently
took over on the mound, ending Taillon's day after 77 pitches -- the fourth
fewest pitches he's thrown this season. Taillon said he understands that
manager Clint Hurdle and pitching coach Ray Searage had the team's best
interest in mind when removing him, and that he would "get the reasoning,
shower it off and move on."
Santana's first
pitch was a four-seam fastball that Jorge Alfaro connected on for a double to center
field to drive in Kingery and put the Phillies in front, 3-2.
Taillon received run
support early on as Starling Marte ripped a single to right field in the
first inning and later scored on Colin Moran's two-out single. In the third, Marte
made Jake Arrieta pay for hanging an 81.2 mph curveball
over the middle of the plate, launching a 392-foot homer to right field to
double Pittsburgh's advantage.
MOMENTS THAT
MATTERED
KEEPING HOPE ALIVE: The Phillies looked as though they might break
the game open in the ninth inning when left-hander Felipe Vazquez started the frame by walking Santana
and giving up a double to pinch-hitter Aaron Altherr. After back-to-back outs, the Pirates
intentionally walked Maikel Franco before Vazquez struck out Andrew Knapp on three pitches to keep Pittsburgh in
the game.
HE SAID IT
"It happens quick at the big league level. It can change the shape of a
game really fast. We weren't too far off from getting Arrieta removed early in
the game. His pitch count was high. He stuck with it, got quick outs, went
deep. They put a couple hits together and ended up winning. That's all it
took." --- Taillon, on how quickly a game can change
TRAINER’S ROOM
PHILLIES: INF
Cesar Hernandez did not start after fouling a ball off his foot on Friday. He
flew out in the eighth as a pinch hitter.
PIRATES: C
Francisco Cervelli (concussion) returned from his rehab assignment and took
batting practice before the game. He hopes to be activated from the disabled
list on Sunday. . RHP Joe Musgrove (finger infection) threw a bullpen session.
He is eligible to return from the disabled list on Tuesday. . RHP Chad Kuhl
(right forearm strain) is getting a second opinion on his injury and expects to
be out until after the All-Star Game.
UP NEXT
PHILLIES: Have
not announced a starter for Sunday’s series finale. It would be Vince
Velasquez’s turn, but he went on the disabled list with a right forearm
contusion on July 1.
PIRATES: Nick
Kingham (2-4, 4.70 ERA) will try to shake off a career-worst appearance last
time out against Los Angeles on July 2, when he gave up seven runs in three
innings. The rookie is 0-4 over his last five starts.
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