The early rise of the Pittsburgh Pirates is unusual.
On the 30th (Korean time), Pittsburgh swept a double header against the home team, the Washington Nationals, at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. With four consecutive victories, he became the first player in the National League to reach 20 victories. It is the second 20 wins (8 losses) in the MLB following the Tampa Bay Race in the American League.
The two teams메이저사이트 played a double header that day as the scheduled game was canceled due to rain in the Washington DC area the day before. After winning the first game 6-3, Pittsburgh won the second game 16-1 with 17 hits, including a grand slam by Jack Sewinsky. The Nationals, lowest in the NL East Division, fell to 9-17.
Bae Ji-hwan played as center fielder in the first game and recorded 1 hit in 4 at-bats with a hit and 1 run in the last at-bat. In the second game, he played center field defense in the second half of the game, and his batting average was 0.250 with no hits in one at-bat.
In the first game, veteran left-hander Rich Hill won 3 straight games with 8 hits, 5 strikeouts and 3 runs (2 earned runs) in 6.1 innings. The average ERA was also lowered to 3 wins, 2 losses and 4.18. Closer David Bednar finished the game cleanly with two strikeouts in one inning, moving up to a tie for the lead in the category with nine saves (0.69) on the season.
In the second game, Vince Velasquez, who was supported by a hot attack, started the mound and recorded 4 wins, 2 losses, and 3.06 in the season with 5 hits and 5 strikeouts in 6 innings. Drew McGee, who was promoted from the minor leagues to the big leagues after 13 years, played as a pinch hitter in the 7th inning and hit the first heavy hit in his career.
Pittsburgh’s unexpected early flight is the balance of pitching. Pittsburgh, which has increased its winning streak to four, ranks first in the NL with a +54 point difference, an important measure of pitching power. In MLB, it is third after the Tampa Bay Rays +97 and the Texas Rangers +59. Last season, Pittsburgh’s goal difference was -226, 29th after the Washington Nationals (-252). The team has changed 180 degrees in 7 months.
What stands out in the offense is the runner scoring position. His batting average is 0.312, which is second in MLB. The home run category is ninth with 34. The mound is of a high standard. With an overall ERA of 3.41, he ranks 6th in MLB. The starter is 3.48 (7th) and the bullpen is 3.29 (8th). Both the starting pitcher and the bullpen are stable.
Pittsburgh’s last offseason free agent deal was six. Outfielders Andrew McCutchen, Rich Hill, and Vince Velasquez (above selections), catcher Austin Hedges, bullpen Harleen Garcia, and first baseman and DH Carlos Santana. A total of 30.375 million dollars (41.2 billion won) was invested. This amount is less than the annual salary of Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees ($39 million). Hill and Velasquez, who won the start on the 30th, recruited pitchers as free agents in the offseason.
It was their best performance since 1992 with a 50% plus 12 win rate while sweeping the doubleheader. Coincidentally, when advancing to the National League Championship in 1992, when they played 28 games, they marked the same 20-8 loss as they are now.
It is interesting whether Pittsburgh’s history will repeat itself.