The set up was golden. The execution was not.
Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the eighth Friday, the Pirates had loaded the bases and plated a run before recording an out. Up came their cleanup hitter, representing the go-ahead run. If a team had to be down, it’s about as favorable a position they could be in to come back.
The problem for the Pirates this night is their cleanup hitter, Yoshi Tsutsugo, had a sub-.500 OPS on the season.
To Tsutsugo’s credit, he did bring home a run on a bouncing ball, but it was an easy fielder’s choice for an out.