Pittsburgh Review

CLEVELAND -- Manager Derek Shelton announced before Friday’s game against the Guardians that the Pirates would be removing David Bednar from the closer role for the short term, hoping to give the struggling right-hander some time to regroup in lower-leverage situations.

That didn’t solve the Pirates’ bullpen woes, though. Instead, it was Carmen Mlodzinski who took the loss after allowing home runs on consecutive pitches, the deciding blows in a 10-8 loss at Progressive Field.

The Pirates’ pitching troubles extend well beyond Mlodzinski’s fifth inning. Bailey Falter was candid about his four-inning, four-run performance, calling it “absolutely piss poor. Terrible, absolutely terrible.”

“Can't afford to have the bullpen in there in the fifth inning,” Falter said. “Like I said, just piss poor by me. Did not do my job tonight.”

Thanks to three consecutive two-run hits in the top of the fifth by Oneil Cruz and Andrew McCutchen plus a Rowdy Tellez two-run homer, the Pirates went to the bottom of the frame with a 6-4 advantage. However, Jhonkensy Noel jumped on a Mlodzinski four-seamer to give the Guardians the lead again before Andrés Giménez hit a cutter on the next pitch for some insurance.

Domingo Germán covered three innings but couldn’t keep it an 8-7 game in the eighth, allowing two runs. Had he posted another zero, McCutchen’s ninth-inning home run could have tied the game.

It has been another chapter in a difficult week for Pittsburgh's bullpen, which has allowed 36 runs (34 earned) during their four-game losing streak. This inflates their bullpen ERA to 4.65 -- fourth-highest in Major League Baseball -- while Mlodzinski took their bullpen's 30th loss this season, tied with Miami for most losses by a National League bullpen. The Pirates' 26 blown saves are also tied for most in their league.

"I think we're looking for consistency from our bullpen,” said Shelton, who was ejected mid-fourth inning after arguing a strike-three call. “We're looking for consistency. [We] thought it was right decision to go to Carmen there. His stuff should play there... We get [José] Ramírez 0-2 to start inning; we don't execute and then inning gets away from us."

The bullpen was expected to be one of baseball's strongest coming into this season but has not met expectations due partly to injuries and underperformance from key players like Bednar.

Bednar has struggled this year with a record of 3-7 and an ERA of 6.32 alongside six blown saves compared with seven over his previous two years combined.

Health issues have plagued him throughout this season; he missed almost all Spring Training due right lat tightness but started on active roster only struggle early recording an ERA of 11.45 through first thirteen games yet managed nineteen consecutive saves later before hitting injured list again June twenty-third since returning allowed sixteen runs fifteen earned last fifteen two-thirds innings including five runs against Cubs Wednesday fourteen-ten loss as Pirate blew seven-run lead final three innings

“It’s something that will take little pressure off him,” Shelton said pregame “We know guy really good over last couple years Right now scuffling little bit So adjusting up bit take little off him”

Pirates will adopt closer-by-committee approach with Bednar out closer spot options include Aroldis Chapman entire unit needs improve protect leads

"It's like talked other day gotta finish innings," Shelton said "Gotta execute Didn't do today"