When manager Clint Hurdle embraced Jeff Locke following Locke’s shutout of the Miami Marlins May 30, the Pirates were 29-21. They trailed the Chicago Cubs by a manageable 6½ games in the NL Central and held one of two NL wild-card spots. They had won six out of eight games and 11 of 15.
They entered the weekend at five games under .500 and 14 games out of first place in the division and five games back in the wild-card race.
What happened?
A different Pirates team took the field in the month of June, one that struggled to hit or pitch with any consistency.