Pirates win streak over at two with 6-2 defeat to Padres

It was two wins in a row and some signs of real optimism, particularly behind the plate, but the Pittsburgh Pirates mostly reverted to form tonight, finishing with just six hits in a 6-2 defeat to the San Diego Padres.

Yu Darvish was in total control of the Pittsburgh hitting lineup, going seven strong innings for the Padres, giving up just three hits and a single run, when Phillip Evans knocked in Adam Frazier with a double in the third. Darvish also struck out six and walked one.

Right fielder Will Myers was the big man with the bat today for San Diego, as he finished 3-for-5 with a homer and five RBIs. He took Luis Oviedo deep for two runs off a fastball in the sixth then hit a liner off a slider that scored two more off Oviedo in the seventh.

Oviedo took the loss for the Pirates, as he went one and two-thirds, giving up five runs on five hits with two walks and no strikeouts. Not a good outing.

Unfortunately, it ruined a bounce back performance from Trevor Cahill. He was shelled in his last outing, but went five solid innings today, giving up just three hits and a single run, also coming from a Myers hit, this one in the first. But after that, Cahill really settled into a groove and finished with eight strikeouts on the night but a no-decision in the record book.

At the plate, the Bucs continue to get production from Evans, who finished 2-for-4 with n RBI on the evening, with the other Pirate run coming in the bottom of the eighth off of Austin Adams, when Adam Fazier scored Wilmer Difo on a sacrifice fly. It was the only other time Pittsburgh really ever threatened, as the Pirates sent the home crowd home with a loss.

Darvish got the win for the Padres to move to 1-0 on the year, while Oviedo also took his first decision, to fall to 0-1.

The Pirates as a team fall to 3-7 on the season, breaking the first win streak, while the Padres move to 8-3 and have now won four games in a row. These two teams will return to PNC park tomorrow, however, and have at it again, where we’ll hopefully get some better weather after tonight’s rain delay. And hopefully the Bucs back in the win column. It’s another 6:35pm start.

See you in the game thread!