Pittsburgh Review

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates faced a challenging situation early in Thursday afternoon’s series finale against the Padres. After losing the first two games of the set, one due to a rain delay and the other in extra innings, they needed a statement win before heading to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers.

The Pirates rallied from an early four-run deficit to take the lead in the seventh inning but ultimately lost 7-6 at PNC Park. With this loss, their record fell to 56-58. Starting their homestand against the D-backs and Padres, who are ahead of them in the standings, they were 2 1/2 games out of a National League Wild Card spot. Now, they trail by 4 1/2 games behind the Mets for the final postseason berth.

Thursday’s defeat marked the Pirates' 22nd one-run loss this season, with only the White Sox (24) and Cubs (23) having more. Additionally, they blew their 24th save of the season, second only to the White Sox's 29 blown saves.

David Bednar blew his save opportunity for the second consecutive game. On Wednesday, he allowed a tying run with a 6-5 lead, resulting in a loss in extra innings. On Thursday, protecting a 5-4 lead, he struggled with his fastball control, leading to a three-run ninth inning for San Diego.

“That’s just unacceptable,” Bednar stated. “The guys battle back both games, and it’s just a big-time letdown on my end. Today was incredibly frustrating. Just a lot of free stuff, and that just can’t happen.”

The Pirates have limited options outside of Bednar for closing games. Colin Holderman was placed on the 15-day IL on Thursday with a right wrist sprain after allowing runs in each of his past five outings. Carmen Mlodzinski is also on the IL.

Aroldis Chapman could be considered next-best option but has shown inconsistency with a 4.22 ERA in save situations compared to a 2.95 ERA otherwise. Kyle Nicolas has emerged as another potential candidate over recent weeks.

Nicolas’ usage on Thursday highlighted ongoing bullpen challenges for Pittsburgh ahead of their series against Los Angeles. A rain delay during Tuesday's game forced extended bullpen use earlier than planned; Nicolas contributed significantly by pitching nearly three innings after Mitch Keller's early exit due to another rain delay last Saturday against Arizona.

Manager Derek Shelton acknowledged these difficulties: “Today we were strapped,” Shelton said. “I give Kyle Nicolas a ton of credit... [Dennis] Santana did well... [Jalen] Beeks performed admirably again... Chapman managed after pitching last night."

Shelton noted managing personnel amid delays will be challenging as they face upcoming games against strong opponents like Dodgers and Padres while emphasizing need creativity within current roster constraints.

Bednar expressed determination despite recent setbacks: "These guys battled their butts off... I should be able convert those [saves]... I'm confident I'll get through this."

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