Well, at least Jose Osuna and Jacob Stallings provided a diversion in their first-ever pitching appearances in the major leagues.
Osuna worked the seventh and eighth innings and allowed just one run. Stallings finished with a 1-2-3 ninth.
It made everyone in the Pirates’ dugout smile and forgot their second-half woes for a moment. However, in the end, it did not mask the fact that the season is beginning to spin out of control.
The ugly truth Wednesday night at PNC Park was that the two position players allowed one run in three innings to help the bullpen from being overworked.