This Pirates team is absolutely unpredictable. 

From the 20-8 run in April, to the epic crash afterwards, to how some of the young kids called up in these last few months have performed. 

Last night’s game against the Atlanta Braves was the latest in the unpredictability factor for the Pirates, accomplishing a unique feat in their 7-6 win. 

The game itself was rather close towards the end, but in the third inning, the Pirates’ bats absolutely lit up Atlanta. Pittsburgh was able to score six runs in the third inning, five of them coming with two outs. 

It was impressive enough for a team whose offense has disappeared several times during the season, but it was so much more impressive given the fact that the Pirates were facing one of baseball’s best pitchers in Spencer Strider. 

Strider is an up and coming stud in Major League Baseball, and leads the entire Major Leagues in strikeouts with 211, far above the second placed Kevin Gausman at 177. 

Strider, for his part in the strikeout department, added three Ks to his total, but that was definitely the only highlight from his outing against the Bucs. In contrast, however, he also issued three walks as well. 

Strider’s night was over after just 2.2 innings pitched, his shortest outing of the 2023 season. He ended the night with five hits and six earned runs against. He recorded his fourth loss of the season, and his ERA has now climbed up dangerously close to 4.00. 

It was not a good night for starting pitchers in general at PNC Park; Pirates starter Osvaldo Bido was chased after just four innings after giving up four runs. 

It was a crazy showing for this young and exciting Pirates team. They may not be good, but man can they be entertaining sometimes. 

The Pirates did almost blow the lead, allowing Atlanta to score six runs of their own, but Pittsburgh held on to win it 7-6. Connor Joe’s solo shot to deep left field stood as the deciding run in the game.

It’s not the first time Pittsburgh has taken an ace pitcher to the cleaners this season. The Pirates just a few weeks ago rocked the Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani by knocking in four home runs in the game. 

For the Braves, it’s now the third loss in a row for baseball’s best team, now dropping them to 70-40. 

For the Pirates, they’ve now won 9 of their last 15, as the young Bucs continue to grow and impress. They stand exactly 10 games under .500 at 51-61.