Pirates dumped by Brewers 9-0

Well, so much for Luis Oviedo’s first start. Thrown into duty in light of the Tyler Anderson situation (traded to Philly in principle, only for the deal to be held up), the Pittsburgh Pirates had hoped to see something from the reliever suddenly in a starting job, but it just wasn’t in the cards.

Oviedo got smacked around, going just a single inning and giving up eight runs, six earned, on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts, including giving up a two-run dinger to Omar Narvaez in the first that was an unfortunate harbinger of things to come.

Narvaez drove in a couple more in the next inning on his way to a 2-for-5 night with 4 RBIs, as the Bucs were blown out early and never recovered on their way to a 9-0 loss in the series opener to the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Pirates finished with just four hits on the night — two each from Ben Gamel and Jacob Stallings — as the offense hasn’t looked quite this anemic in weeks.

Brett Anderson pitched six scoreless innings for Milwaukee, giving up three hits and one walk while striking out three, as the Brew Crew bullpen gave up just one hit and one walk the rest of the way in cruising to victory.

The post-Adam Frazier era got off to a disconcerting start, as leadoff replacement Kevin Newman went 0-for-4, while Ke’Bryan Hayes did the same while also striking out twice. When the top of your order can’t get on base, the team is usually going to struggle.

The big news on the night wasn’t an embarrassing mid-season loss for a last-place team, it’s the did they or didn’t they trade with Tyler Anderson and Philadelphia, which is reportedly being delayed due to a medical issue.

Whatever the trade result, expect more results like this on the field as the season drags on and the Pirates cash in their remaining moveable pieces before the Friday trade deadline.

The Bucs will be back in action at the same time tomorrow night.