NEW YORK — On consecutive pitches in Thursday’s third inning, Erik Kratz settled into his squat and established the desired location for an off-speed pitch – low and on a corner. Both those pitches floated up around the belt and over the plate, and both subsequently left the playing field.
It was that type of night for Nicasio, and it’s been that type of season for the starting rotation. Nicasio, like Jeff Locke Wednesday, did not complete five innings and the Pirates lost to the New York Mets, 6-4, at Citi Field. In falling to .500 (33-33) the Pirates lost for the seventh time in eight games.