Make that eight in a row.
For the second night in a row, the Pirates wasted a quality start from their starter because their offense failed to gain traction, resulting in a 4-0 loss to the Cubs at PNC Park Tuesday. It was their eighth straight loss, all against National League Central opponents, and given how wide open the division is, they have dropped from first place to fourth.
"Obviously the natural instinct is to want to push and rip this losing streak apart, but we can't do that," Josh Palacios was telling me.
Five hits and a walk was all the Pirates could muster against Marcus Stroman, the National League's ERA leader, who coasted through seven innings without much resistance.