Henry Davis' debut double not enough in Pirates' 8-0 loss to Cubs

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ hope Monday night was to make Henry Davis’ MLB debut a night to remember.

But there’s nothing memorable about the current state of the Pirates, who have dropped seven games in a row for the second time this season after an 8-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs (34-38) at PNC Park.

The Cubs moved within a half-game of the third-place Pirates (34-37) in the National League Central. It was the Pirates’ eighth shutout loss of the season, second in the past three games.

Davis, the overall first-round choice in the 2021 MLB Draft, was pleased to have a bevy of family and friends as part of the crowd of 23,083. But in the end, it was difficult for him to properly enjoy the moment.

Henry Davis, in the aftermath of his MLB debut and the Pirates’ 8-0 loss. pic.twitter.com/XL0sxmEmfn

— Jerry DiPaola (@JDiPaola_Trib) June 20, 2023

Leading off the third inning in his first major-league at-bat, he worked a 3-2 count against Cubs left-handed starter Drew Smyly and ripped a double – 106.2 mph off the bat — down the third-base line. With the double, Davis became the 11th Pirates player since 1984 to record an extra-base hit in his first plate appearance and the first to do so at PNC Park since Pedro Ciriaco in 2010.

Two outs and two walks later, the bases were loaded, but the result of the inning was all too familiar for the Pirates. Connor Joe flew out to left field – 104.8 mph off the bat — to strand three runners and maintain the Cubs’ 3-0 lead.

“There’s nothing you can do about that, really good at-bat,” manager Derek Shelton said.

Overall, the Pirates were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.

Related:

• Tim Benz: When it comes to onus of being a No. 1 pick, Pirates say Henry Davis will 'own it and wear it with pride'
• Fire drill: Henry Davis' family, friends scramble to see Pirates rookie make his MLB debut
• Promotion to Pirates comes at a new position for Henry Davis, who gets start in right field
• Henry Davis is a Pirate only 2 seasons after he was drafted in 1st round, but Gerrit Cole beat him by 8 days
• After stranding runners, Pirates searching for spark on offense amid 7-game losing streak

“It was exciting having my family here,” Davis said. “I just wish we won the game.”

The historic aspect of the game was not important to him, he said.

“I was just thinking about having a good at-bat, leading off the inning, trying to get something going. I wasn’t really thinking about (a first at-bat). I was thinking about getting on.”

He took the first three pitches he saw for balls, not allowing the moment to overwhelm him.

“I worked really hard for this. I really trust my approach, whether it’s spring training or whatever level we’re in in the big leagues,” he said

After the double, Davis walked, struck out and flied out to deep, straightaway center field, 392 feet from home plate with an exit velocity of 105.1 mph. But the Cubs’ Mike Tauchman tracked it down.

“I should have pulled it,” Davis said.

The double was one of five hits for the Pirates after they collected a total of only 20 in the previous four games.

Shelton said the solution to his team’s lack of offense sits with the players.

“The guys we have have to figure out a way to get it done,” he said. “I think that’s the most important thing, and right now we’re not.

“We’re looking for that big hit. We need that big hit to able to extend innings out, and we’re not doing that right now. We definitely need some hits to fall in, and we have to look at the pitches we’re swinging at and why we’re swinging at them.”

Shelton’s job includes making sure his players don’t get frustrated.

“We have a bunch of young kids that when things don’t go well, they try to do too much at times,” he said.

Shelton was pleased with the second major-league start for 27-year-old rookie Osvaldo Bido, who allowed three runs in the second inning in the midst of a brief, but intense, rain shower.

“I thought he threw the ball well,” Shelton said. “It was unfortunate that he had to stand out there in a little bit of a driving rainstorm for 15 minutes. That’s the only time he gave up runs.”

Shelton said he would have preferred the umpires pulling the teams off the field while it was raining, but that didn’t happen.

“From the information I got, because they thought it was going to pass through, they didn’t want to put the tarp on,” Shelton said.

Bido settled down through the next four innings, at one point striking out four in a row and five of eight. Overall, he lasted six innings and 96 pitches, striking out seven, walking two and surrendering only five hits, none after the second inning.

Bido is the seventh Pirates pitcher since 1901 to record six-plus strikeouts in each of his first two MLB appearances. He struck out six Wednesday in Chicago.

The Cubs scored twice in the seventh off relief pitcher Ryan Borucki and three unearned runs against Yohan Ramirez in the eighth.

“It was tough, definitely (pitching in the rain),” Bido said. “My hands were wet. I was trying to hide the ball the best I can, just to keep it dry. My mentality was to just keep attacking hitters, no matter the rain or not.”

The loss is what matters most, but Shelton liked Bido’s effort and Davis’ approach to his at-bats and how he handled two fly balls in right field.

“He did a good job. We knew at the plate, he was going to have good at-bats,” the manager said. “He got his first hit out of the way. He smoked the ball, had a walk.

“I think the anxiety for him was probably the two fly balls, and he did a good job with both of them.”