Pirates Pushing NL Wild Card Spot
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have contineud to win throughout the month of July, pushing them closer to a National League Wild Card spot.
The Pirates have won seven out of their past eight games, nine of their past 11 games and 10 of their past 14 contests, splitting a home series with the New York Mets, taking two games out of three against NL Central rival in the Milwaukee Brewers, sweeping the MLB-worst Chicago White Sox, with the latter two series on the road, and winning two out of three against the MLB-best record holders in the Philadelphia Phillies.
With a 51-49 record through 100 games, it is also three months, April 23 exactly, since the Pirates were last two games over .500, at 13-11.
They opened up their home series against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday night with a 2-1 win to get them in better position for a place in the postseason.
Right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller went 7.0 innings, allowing just six hits and one earned run in another fantastic game. Left-handed Aroldis Chapman came in and shut down the eighth inning, while closer in right-hander David Bednar did the same in the ninth inning for his 18th save of the season.
Second baseman Nick Gonzales hit an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to score left fielder Bryan Reynolds, to give the Pirates the close victory.
NL Wild Card Standings (Team: Record + Games Ahead/Back +Win %)
No. 4 Atlanta Braves: 54-45/+3 games ahead/.545
No. 5 St. Louis Cardinals: 52-48/+0.5 games ahead/.520
No. 6 New York Mets: 51-48/level/.515
No. 7 Pittsburgh Pirates: 51-49/0.5 games back/.510
No. 8 San Diego Padres: 52-50/0.5 games back/.510
No. 9 Arizona Diamondbacks: 51-50/1 game back/.505
No. 10 Chicago Cubs: 49-53/3.5 games back//.480
No. 11 San Francisco Giants: 48-53/4 games back/.475
No. 12 Cincinnati Reds: 48-53/4 games back/.475
The Pirates end up staying just a half game out of the final wild card spot and the No. 6 spot in the National League.
They are also No. 7 in the NL, putting them in prime position to get into that spot sooner rather than later, as they are facing the Cardinals, who are in No. 5 spot and a game ahead of them. If they win the series or even sweep, the Pirates will finally make it back into a wild card position.
The Mets are in that No. 6 and final wild card spot and a half game ahead of the Pirates, as they recently split a four game series with the NL-worst Miami Marlins.
The San Diego Padres took two out of three against the American League Central leaders in the Cleveland Guardians this past weekend and sit in No. 8, also a half game back. They face the Washington Nationals this week.
The Arizona Diamondbacks dropped a few spots after losing their past two games to the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds are all in need of some wins fast, otherwise their chase for a wildcard spot will come to an end quickly.
Pirates Schedule Ahead
The Pirates have an incredibly difficult schedule ahead, including two more games at home against the Cardinals
They then travel to face the Diamondbacks and AL West leading Houston Astros on the road. They will take on the Diamondbacks and Padres at home, then they'll head back out west to face the NL West leading Los Angeles Dodgers and the Padres. They return home to face Seattle Mariners, then travel to the reigning World Series Champions in the Texas Rangers.
Two series at home against the Nationals and the Marlins at home in September will serve as the only teams that aren't in postseason contension the rest of the season.
While the schedule ahead is daunting, the Pirates have a great pitching staff that have played an important role in their recent winning ways.
This includes starters in rookies in All-Star Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, Mitch Keller and Bailey Falter, plus bullpen arms in David Bednar, Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski, Kyle Nicolas and Dennis Santana that all work together to make one of the best pitching staffs in the MLB.
If the Pirates can get some more offense going in the coming series, they have a chance to make a run at their first postseason since 2015.
DOMINIC CAMPBELL