Pirates' Series Recap: It's Gotta Be the Phitens

As the great Michael Scott once said, "I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious." Well, if Pirates fans aren't feeling the same way after Andrew McCutchen brought the Phiten necklaces out of the early 2010s, I don't know what to say. I think I speak for most, if not all of Pittsburgh when I say, WEAR THE DAMN NECKLACES.

The Pirates debuted the Phitens with a ten-run 14-hit outburst on Monday night, and well, we knew that the bats weren't going to sustain that. However, a six-run victory off the back of an Oneil Cruz grand slam shortly after Jorge Lopez had to be taken down a notch while throwing at Bryan Reynolds and McCutchen, and then another home run by Cruz almost 12 hours later, I don't care what it takes. The Pirates are 3-1 and won their second series of the season with these rope necklaces. Let's take this as far as we can go!

I feel much better writing this recap, especially compared to the one for the Reds' series last Sunday. I couldn't find a single positive in that series. Well, what a difference four games can make! We are all sunshine and rainbows going into Easter Weekend.

MORE QUALITY THAN ESQUIRE

So far, Paul Skenes has two spreads in fashion magazines as he takes over as "The Gen Z Baseball Superstar." Well, Paul might want to tell Livvy to step aside and get his starting rotation some pub if they keep throwing quality starts like they did against the Nationals. Four games, four quality starts for the Pirates rotation with Skenes, Mitch Keller, Bailey Falter, and Andrew Heaney all dicing up the Nationals' young lineup. 

Combined, the four starters gave up four earned runs over 26.1 innings. That is good enough for a 1.37 ERA. While the strikeout numbers weren't necessarily eye-popping —15 strikeouts were recorded —the Pirate pitchers were efficient. Falter had just two strikeouts, but he faced the minimum batters through seven innings, and the team was just three outs away from eclipsing that feat.

Mitch Keller earned the lone loss, and had a rough start to the game, giving up a moon shot to James Wood in the first at bat, but came back and gave up just two runs and went six innings to record a quality start. Ain't bad.

ONEIL THE TABLE SETTER

OK. It was Monday when I went on a rant about Isiah Kiner-Falefa being the Pirates' leadoff. I thought it should be his job. It turns out I was wrong *shocker*. Derek Shelton gave the reins to his 6-foot-7-inch center fielder to set the table for the rest of the lineup, and boy, did he deliver. Two home runs, five runs batted in, and three runs scored. Cruz elevated his batting average to .228 on the season and has the most consecutive steals without getting caught (29) dating back to last season. The next closest player to Cruz has just seven.

Cruz hit Thursday's home run, which was launched into orbit at 114.5 MPH and went 442 feet. His grand slam was hit at *yawn* 105.2 MPH and 385 feet. Cruz's four home runs led the Pirates, but even better for a leadoff hitter, his 11 walks also led the Pirates. With Cruz's ability on the bases, a walk can turn into a runner in scoring position in the blink of an eye. 

HE KEPT HIS GLOVE, BUT NOT THE BALL

Could the benches clearing as a result of Jorge Lopez throwing at Reynolds and McCutchen lead to some momentum as we advance? After the two Pirates hit tanks off him in back-to-back at bats last season when Lopez was with the Cubs, the jabroni decided to get some revenge in a two-run ballgame. Good move, probably not his best. Lopez was then ejected after calling Cutch "Soft" for getting upset about a fastball whizzing past his head. Well, you know what isn't soft? The pine you're going to be sitting on during your three-game suspension, Jorge.

While this may seem like nothing to a casual fan, the way the team rallied around their Captain in McCutchen may have lit a fire. It may be a coincidence that Cruz had two home runs and five RBI in his next two at-bats, but this team has seen what Cutch means to Pittsburgh. He is one of us. And when you mess with a Yinzer, you mess with the whole damn City.

UP NEXT

The Pirates will welcome the Cleveland Guardians and old friend Luis Ortiz to PNC Park on Friday, fresh off Ortiz throwing a one-run, ten-strikeout gem against the Royals last Saturday. Carmen Mlodzinski will look to bounce back for the Pirates. 

Saturday will be the ultimate Yinzer SKenes Day, as the phenom will not only be on the mound but also be all around the stadium. The Pirates will give away a Skenes Rookie of the Year Bobblehead to the first 20,000 in attendance. Skenes will be opposed by the Guardians' Blake Lively, who is 0-2 with a 4.87 ERA.

Those at the game on Sunday will hope the Guardians get Mitch Slapped by the Pirates' Veteran Pitcher in the final game of the series. Calling Mitch Keller a veteran? That's weird. Keller will go up against the Guardians' Loan Allen. Allen is 1-1 with a 2.30 ERA on he season.