2023 Game Thirty-Three: Blue Jays 4, Pirates 0

 

excuse me pardon me excuse me sorry

All of a sudden the Pittsburgh Pirates are a fun, exciting young team that runs like the wind. And yet at times they are also heedless! Consider Friday night, when they ran into three outs through the first four innings. Chris Bassitt, who looked perhaps very modestly shaky in the first, but who was on the whole fantastic afterwards, gladly accepted these proffered outs as a kindness. Beyond that, Vladdy singled in a Bo double, Varsho knocked in a Merrifield double (Merrifield had three stolen bases!), and George Springer hit a very badly needed (for him personally) two-run home run. I welcome and approve of Chris Bassitt's decision to allow just four hits (and four walks, in fairness) over seven shutout innings. The next time he so chooses, he will also have my full support. A great night, and everything always looks better on that gem of a ballpark in Pittsburgh, maybe the nicest on in either league? At least on television and in MLB: The Show (which can be quite revealing!).  

KS