Pirates Lose to Rays in Series Opener
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates struggled massively at the plate and lost their series opener to the Tampa Bay Rays, 6-1 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla.
The Pirates are now 1-4 on the season, as they lost three games to the Miami Marlins on the road on walk-offs, 5-4 on both March 27 on Opening Day and then March 29 in 12 innings, plus 3-2 on March 30. Their only win came 4-3 on March 28.
Pittsburgh's 1-4 start is their worst through five games since they started 1-6 in the 2021 season, when they ended up with a 61-101 record.
The Pirates had a chance to take the lead in the top of the third inning, as shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled on a bunt with one out.
Kiner-Falefa stole second base and made it to third base on a groundout from left fielder Tommy Pham, but designated hitter Bryan Reynolds would also ground out, ending their chances.
The Pirates had right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski start his first game of the season, in place of right-handed pitcher Jared Jones, who is currently on the 60-day Injured List.
Mlodzinski, who spent most of his past two seasons with the Pirates in the bullpen, started off well, with three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk and striking out three batters.
He started the bottom of the fourth inning poorly, allowing a lead-off single to Rays third baseman Junior Caminero and then a double to first baseman Jonathan Aranda.
Left fielder Christopher Morel got the Rays on board, as his single scored Caminero, and then center fielder Kameron Misner doubled, scoring Aranda, making it 2-0.
Mlodzinski struckout catcher Danny Jansen, but then allowed a double to right fielder Jake Mangum, scoring Morel and Misner and doubling the Rays lead at 4-0.
Left-handed pitcher Tim Mayza would come in for Mlodzinski, who soon loaded the bases, ending his night after 3.2 innings, and got out of the inning without allowing another run to score.
Mayza got to the sixth inning, until he allowed back-to-back doubles to Mangum and infielder Jose Caballero, making it a 5-0 lead.
Left-handed pitcher Ryan Borucki came in for the Pirates and put in a solid performance, with three strikeouts over 1.2 innings of work.
The Pirates struggled immensely from the plate, with no hits from the fourth inning through the seventh inning.
Pittsburgh finally got something going, when first baseman Endy Rodríguez doubled with one out in the eighth inning, ending a hitless streak over 15 batters.
Second baseman Adam Frazier would single through to center field and Rodríguez scored, just beating out the tag at home plate.
The Rays added a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, as first baseman Yandy Diaz hit a deep sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Jansen from third base, who opened with a walk and made it to third base on a single from Caballero.
Pittsburgh will face Tampa Bay for the second game of their series on April 1 with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.