The Pirates' offense is going cold at the wrong time

CINCINNATI – The Pirates' calling card has been outhitting their opponent. But what happens when the bats turn cold? Thursday night continued a rare rough patch for one of baseball’s top offenses.

Pittsburgh tallied just two runs on seven hits in its 3-2 loss to Cincinnati to open a four-game set. The Pirates offense ranks first in baseball in hits (992), second in runs (565) and tied for third in OPS (.755). Yet over their last eight games, the Pirates are averaging just 2.75 runs per game after averaging over five per game on the season before then.

Every great offense reaches a rut at some point. But with the NL Wild Card race tightening, this surely isn’t the time for the Pirates' to do so.

“We’ve been through it at times. It’s the same type of thing where we’re just lacking the big hit,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said postgame. “Had a couple of opportunities with guys in scoring position tonight. Weren’t able to get the big hit. [Brandon] Lowe with the big hit to tie it up at two. We just couldn’t get anything else mustered up. Just have to stick with it. We’ve been really good as an offense for the whole year. We just need to get back to it.”

While the contest was gridlocked at 2-2 in the later innings, Pittsburgh had multiple opportunities to break through against another bottom-five bullpen in the NL. After Lowe’s game-tying homer in the sixth, he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh against left-hander Brock Burke.

Lowe has been sensational all season, a large reason for the Pirates' turnaround from one of the worst offenses in the Majors to one of the best. Yet against left-handed pitching, Lowe hasn’t produced nearly as well, hitting .215 with a .608 OPS. Versus Burke, Lowe chased after a slider in the dirt, not holding up on a check swing.

In the following frame, Esmerlyn Valdez doubled and speedster Billy Cook was brought on as the pinch-runner. Ryan O’Hearn and Nick Gonzales couldn’t move Cook up, ending another threat. In the ninth, Jhostynxon Garcia blooped a check-swing single with two outs. But Jake Mangum struck out to leave the eighth runner on base on the night.

“I don't know. Obviously, we need to score more runs. That's about it,” Gonzales said. “Score more than them. I think we held them to what, three runs? I think we should score more. Our offense can do better and we know that.”

Gonzales is right. The Pirates' offense can do better and has proven to do better all season. Though the last week has shown a different tone; Pittsburgh has not been able to get after opposing starters and is finally bearing the brunt of losing top contributors Spencer Horwitz, Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin to injury.

The Pirates were shut out just one time from the start of July to the 20th. Since game two of a doubleheader with the Yankees on the 22nd, Pittsburgh has scored zero runs in a game three times. It has scored three or more runs off an opposing starting pitcher only once in the last eight games.

Reds starter Rhett Lowder entered with a 5.61 ERA, yet held the Pirates down for the first four innings before allowing two. The Pirates’ offense of just a few weeks ago, with hitters like Bryan Reynolds, Valdez and O’Hearn, likely wouldn’t have posted a similar result.

“Obviously, we got some really good guys. Play 162 games, you're going to have a few, and you're going to have these little ruts,” Gonzales said. “Get back to it. These guys are working their tail off. Everyone is. We all are. Not worried about them. Not worried about anybody, honestly.”

With the offense running cold, Pittsburgh’s pitching has shown signs of improvement. Jared Jones continues to be stellar and Mitch Keller bounced back to find a groove. In the bullpen, Yohan Ramírez and Mason Montgomery are coming into their own as reliable leverage arms.

Against Cincinnati, Ramírez opened a bullpen game; the combination of him, Hunter Barco, Noah Murdock and Montgomery allowed only two runs before Gregory Soto allowed the game-winner in the ninth.

Horwitz and Cruz are nearing returns, which should give the lineup a needed boost. But as games grow in importance, Pittsburgh quickly needs to find its offense of old.