BY JOHN PERROTTO
In some respects, it seems A.J. Burnett tilts at windmills when it comes to his changeup.
Burnett is 38 and insists he is in the final year of his career. Yet he’s still trying to perfect the change, something that has eluded him for more than a decade of trying.
However, the right-hander’s changeup was his best pitch Monday night as he took a tough-luck loss, giving up one run in seven innings as the Pirates fell, 2-0, to the Brewers on a wet evening at PNC Park that included two rain delays. The last out was at 12:28 a.m.
That is why he could take something positive away from a night when his six-start winning streak ended and the Pirates lost for the just second time in seven games, dropping the opener of a three-game series after going 7-3 on their just-completed road trip.
“I mixed it in quite a bit,” Burnett said. “They’re an aggressive team and it worked to my advantage. It’s a good pitch to have, especially when the hook isn’t working so well.”
• Andrew McCutchen got the night off, just the second full game he has sat out this season despite playing with a problematic left knee.
McCutchen limped down the first-base line Sunday after grounding out in his final at-bat in a win at Atlanta. Clint Hurdle felt that was a sign that McCutchen needed a break.
Hurdle had planned to give McCutchen an off day during the road trip but the star center fielder didn’t want one. McCutchen has lifted his batting average 102 points to .287 from .185 in 30 games since May 6 by hitting .373 in that span.
“Andrew had a day scripted out before but he got so hot, he just came to me and said, ‘I need to go,’ ” Hurdle said. “I said, ‘I can’t argue with that.’ ”
• It is becoming more and more difficult for the Pirates to justify keeping Antonio Bastardo as the second left-hander in the bullpen behind Tony Watson. Bastardo gave up the game’s second and last run in the eighth inning on a single by Ryan Braun. Bastardo allowed three hits in 2/3 of an inning, and his ERA rose to 4.91.
The Pirates gave up a decent prospect in left-hander Joely Rodriguez to the Phillies in a trade for Bastardo in December. It is looking like Neal Huntington’s worst trade of an otherwise good offseason.
• Jordy Mercer was wearing an icepack on his right shoulder prior to the game but said it was for nothing more than mild soreness. Mercer handled seven chances in the field flawlessly and also went 1 for 3.
• Rob Scahill retired all three batters he faced in the ninth and struck out two, providing living proof that there is always a silver lining, even on an evening filled with dark clouds.
Storm clouds gathered over Downtown across the Allegheny from PNC Park. -- GETTY
June 9, 2015
Coverage: It was a dark and stormy night
by John Perrotto • Coverage • Pirates
BY JOHN PERROTTO
In some respects, it seems A.J. Burnett tilts at windmills when it comes to his changeup.
Burnett is 38 and insists he is in the final year of his career. Yet he’s still trying to perfect the change, something that has eluded him for more than a decade of trying.
However, the right-hander’s changeup was his best pitch Monday night as he took a tough-luck loss, giving up one run in seven innings as the Pirates fell, 2-0, to the Brewers on a wet evening at PNC Park that included two rain delays. The last out was at 12:28 a.m.
That is why he could take something positive away from a night when his six-start winning streak ended and the Pirates lost for the just second time in seven games, dropping the opener of a three-game series after going 7-3 on their just-completed road trip.
“I mixed it in quite a bit,” Burnett said. “They’re an aggressive team and it worked to my advantage. It’s a good pitch to have, especially when the hook isn’t working so well.”
• Andrew McCutchen got the night off, just the second full game he has sat out this season despite playing with a problematic left knee.
McCutchen limped down the first-base line Sunday after grounding out in his final at-bat in a win at Atlanta. Clint Hurdle felt that was a sign that McCutchen needed a break.
Hurdle had planned to give McCutchen an off day during the road trip but the star center fielder didn’t want one. McCutchen has lifted his batting average 102 points to .287 from .185 in 30 games since May 6 by hitting .373 in that span.
“Andrew had a day scripted out before but he got so hot, he just came to me and said, ‘I need to go,’ ” Hurdle said. “I said, ‘I can’t argue with that.’ ”
• It is becoming more and more difficult for the Pirates to justify keeping Antonio Bastardo as the second left-hander in the bullpen behind Tony Watson. Bastardo gave up the game’s second and last run in the eighth inning on a single by Ryan Braun. Bastardo allowed three hits in 2/3 of an inning, and his ERA rose to 4.91.
The Pirates gave up a decent prospect in left-hander Joely Rodriguez to the Phillies in a trade for Bastardo in December. It is looking like Neal Huntington’s worst trade of an otherwise good offseason.
• Jordy Mercer was wearing an icepack on his right shoulder prior to the game but said it was for nothing more than mild soreness. Mercer handled seven chances in the field flawlessly and also went 1 for 3.
• Rob Scahill retired all three batters he faced in the ninth and struck out two, providing living proof that there is always a silver lining, even on an evening filled with dark clouds.