Pirates' Opening Loss: Pitching, Fielding Struggles

On March 27, the Pittsburgh pirates opened their season with an ugly 11-7 loss to the New

York Mets at City Field on national television.

Their pitching staff, usually a strength, surrendered double-digit runs in nine walks, setting

a rough tone right away.

Paul Schienes, the young Ace, couldn't escape the first inning after giving up five earned

runs on just two hits in 37 pitches.

Schienes entered with back-to-back seasons of earned run averages under two, including a

sigh-young win last year, so this flop caught everyone off guard.

Control issues and some defensive miscues behind him played a part, but it marked his

worst career start by far.

Still, his strong spring in international play suggests this is just a blip.

O'Neill Cruz drew heat for two bashed plays in centerfield that led in four runs during

that brutal first inning.

The pirates' defense overall raises red flags, with new additions like Marcella Zuna limited

to designated hitter duties and other shifting positions, where they're unproven.

Last year Cruz ranked near the bottom there too, despite offseason training.

The bullpin offered some hope, with a few arms tossing scoreless frames late, but middle

relievers coughed up six runs amid walks and homers.

On a brighter note, the offense exploded for seven runs, led by newcomers Brandon

Lowe's two homers and Ryan O'Hern's solo shot, showing the revamped.

Line-up can produce.

Pirates fans hope this wake up call sparks quick fixes in pitching and fielding, especially

with playoff hopes riding on it.

If the bats keep humming and the staff settles in, Pittsburgh could turn things around fast.

I'm Corey with the story, and you've been listening to MLB News today, AI-powered baseball

coverage.