Pirates' Josh Bell hopes to come back stronger after starting streak ends

True to his nature, Josh Bell took the news calmly and without much comment.

Perhaps that’s because he didn’t know what to say or how to react to sitting and watching a baseball game.

When you start every one of your team’s first 58 games for more than two months and then sit and watch the beginning of the 59th, what are you supposed to say and do?

“I don’t know,” said Bell, who had played in 365 of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ previous 382 games before Tuesday. Manager Clint Hurdle kept Bell, his first baseman, on the bench for the start of a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park.

“It’s one of those things, the first one this year, so it’s something I guess it will sink in once the game starts,” Bell said before the game. “For the most part, I’m going to use this to refresh my legs and, hopefully, come back stronger.”

Jose Osuna started at first base for the first time this season and batted sixth. Melky Cabrera, who has hit three home runs, was fourth in the order, with Gregory Polanco also getting the night off as Hurdle monitors Polanco’s surgically reconstructed shoulder.

Hurdle said he started discussions with Bell about taking a day off last weekend, but Bell insisted on playing Sunday.

“He was very steadfast, Brewers in town, down one game (in the series), all of it. He doubled and drove in a run and everyone else keeps reminding him about the funny swings he took,” Hurdle said.

But with the Braves starting left-hander Max Fried (7-3, 3.19 ERA), it was time.

“We both got to the same point,” Hurdle said.

Bell, a switch-hitter, has 108 fewer at-bats and is hitting 59 points lower (.347/.288) against left-handers.