Pirates Clinch Postseason Spot With 10 Games Left
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a goal that is much more than just reaching the MLB postseason. The Pirates have been ignored most of this season. They started slow and after 40 games were just 18-22.
Pittsburgh has not been in first place the entire season so all season in the National League the talk has been about their NL Central division rivals the St. Louis Cardinals and NL West leaders the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Then the New York Mets took center stage by pulling out to a multi-game lead over the Washington Nationals in the NL East.
However, since May 20, Pittsburgh has had the best record in baseball.
The Pirates scored six runs in the top of the night to blow open a lead of 7-6 and went on to win 13-7 Wednesday night to clinch at least a wildcard berth in the postseason. The Pirates have now reached the postseason three straight years.
Since their 41st game, Pittsburgh is 74-38 or .661 which is the best in baseball. They have won 92 games and have 10 left giving them the opportunity to match or pass 98 wins, which is a club record in 1979 and 1991.
Pittsburgh will win more games this season than the Dodgers and Mets and their likely reward will be a wildcard game versus Jake Arrieta and the Cubs. Arrieta has a 0.94 ERA in his last 18 starts.
Pittsburgh is not worried by the flaws in the system. They are a team that has climbed for despair into an organization that is one of baseball’s brightest examples. The team did not worry about a slow start. It understands it has both the talent and depth to compete during a long 162-game season.
This is the third consecutive winning season in Pittsburgh following 20 straight seasons of below .500.
The team used its scouts to find Jung Ho Kang in Korea, believed that A.J. Burnett a veteran had another good season left. Its minor league affiliates helped bring along Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte.
It has made trades to fill in holes like acquiring Francisco Cervelli at catcher after Russell Martin departed.
The season is not over and the Pirates will face strong competition on their road to the World Series, but the way they have played this season, they know they can get there.
No one in baseball will be surprised if the Pirates find a way to represent the NL in the World Series this season.
