Pirates start Phillies series off with 7-4 defeat

The Pittsburgh Pirates are losing, losing, and losing down the stretch, as three home runs couldn’t save them in Friday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies on their way to a 7-4 defeat.

The Phillies got off to a fast start, getting four runs in the first inning off of starter Bryse Wilson, who was completely ineffective. He quickly loaded the bases and gave up a two run single to Bryce Harper to get the scoring going and only lasted a single inning, giving up four runs on five hits with no walks and a strikeout.

The Phillies would extend it to 6-0 in the second inning with two runs off of Zach Thompson, including one due to a Kevin Newman throwing error, putting the Bucs in a huge early hole.

Then the long balls started for Pittsburgh. First, they got a two-run shot from Bryan Reynolds in the fourth, his 21st homer of the year.

Rodolfo Castro then followed that up with a solo shot in the fifth.

And the Ben Gamel also had a solo shot, this one in the seventh, to bring the Bucs to within two runs.

The Bucs would get no closer, however, as Jason Delay grounded into a double play later that same inning to end another scoring threat, and the Phillies would add another run in the eighth off of Yohan Ramirez to get to your final tally.

Castro and Newman were your multi-hit Buccos, both going 2-for-4, while Zach Thompson wasn’t awful out of the bullpen, going five innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits after Wilson was chased.

The Bucs have now lost five games in a row, but will look to get back into the win column again tonight in Philadelphia.