Pirates collapse under weight of Dodgers bats, suffer 3rd straight loss
Chris Archer threw one pitch that bounced wildly to the backstop, then another the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Corey Seager deposited over the fence.
Archer went to three balls on 10 batters while throwing 105 pitches in only five innings. Overall, 42 percent of them missed the strike zone.
That was for starters in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 11-7 loss to the Dodgers on Sunday in front of a crowd of 25,260 at PNC Park.
Replacements Montana DeRapau, Dovydas Neverauskas and Clay Holmes, all of whom have spent most of this season in the minors, provided no relief as the Pirates’ losing streak reached three.
Over the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings, the Dodgers marched 27 batters to the plate. Nine got hits, three got hit — each relievers plunked a batter — three walked and one reached base on an error.
The Dodgers scored 10 runs in those four innings, giving Pirates opponents a total of 48 runs during the six-game homestand.
No wonder the Pirates’ seven runs and 12 hits — the latter number matching the Dodgers — weren’t enough. No wonder the Pirates lost five of the six. No wonder they fell to 25-25.
Aside from fixing what ails at least some of the 11 players on the injured list and trying to help Archer find the arm stroke that has eluded him, the Pirates’ most difficult task going forward might be remaining relevant in the National League Central.
The good news: At least there doesn’t appear to be any panic.
“We’re going to give up runs sometimes,” said rookie left fielder Bryan Reynolds, who homered on a 3-0 pitch and singled to raise his average to .319. “(Opposing pitchers) are going to lock guys down, and we’re not going to score. That’s how it goes. Just pick each other up and keep going.”
That’s how Archer is looking at his situation. His role in the starting rotation has gained importance with the injuries to Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams, but he has been largely ineffective in his past five starts. In 22 2/3 innings, he has surrendered 24 runs (22 earned) on 28 hits and 17 walks while losing all five decisions.
In his eight starts, Archer (1-5) has reached the sixth inning only twice.
“Poor fastball command. At times, it was there. At times, it wasn’t,” he said. “Playing with fire the whole game. Finally, it all caught up to me in the fifth inning (when five of the first six hitters walked or singled).”
Manager Clint Hurdle said Archer continues to seek answers.
“Ray (pitching coach Searage) and Arch have continued to hunt good, watched him when he’s been good, the stroke when he’s been good,” Hurdle said. “It’s just nailing down the delivery consistently, getting the same stroke action and actually throwing more strikes.
“I think he’s working hard to get outs. His fastball command has been just off enough that it’s extended counts.”
Archer said he more frustrated than puzzled by his ineffectiveness.
“I’ve had rough patches in the past,” he said. “I’m more than equipped to get through it. Take these next 20 starts one at a time and pitch the way I know I can pitch.
“Just continue to work, continue to trust, continue to have conviction and faith in everything that I do.
“It’s been four starts that I haven’t pitched to my capability whatsoever. My next one could be a great one, and it will be a great one. It will be better than (Sunday).”
He said the thumb injury that put him on the injury list for nearly three weeks is not the issue.
“It’s more just me.”
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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