Pirates know close isn't cutting it when it comes to games decided by 2 runs or fewer

As their season spirals out of control, the Pittsburgh Pirates know that they can count on one constant: Win or lose, the games will be close.

And they will lose a majority of them.

The Pirates (45-70) have had 70 games decided by two runs or fewer but have won only 29 (41.4%) of the close contests. Of their last 21 games, 16 have been decided by two runs or fewer, and half of those were decided by one run, including the 8-7 loss Sunday at San Francisco.

“I think every day we go into (the game knowing) we play more close games, two-run games than anybody in baseball,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Sunday on AT&T SportsNet’s pregame show. “My plan is, every day is going to be a game we’re in. We have to figure out ways to score more runs.”

Most important, the Pirates have to figure out ways to win the close games. Of their 75 games since May 23, 52 (69.3%) have been decided by two runs or fewer. That includes 34 of their 46 losses in that span and all three defeats in the three-game sweep by the Giants.

Shelton has attempted to put a positive spin on the close outcomes, saying it shows signs of battle by a team that has relied heavily on rookies. The Pirates are learning to have short memories, figuring out new ways to flush the bad losses and move on to the next game.

“It’s behind us,” Pirates reliever Wil Crowe said Sunday after giving up a two-run walk-off home run to Thairo Estrada in the bottom of the ninth. “There’s nothing we can do about it now.”

After going 2-8 on their 10-game road trip, the Pirates return to PNC Park for a nine-game homestand that starts Tuesday with three games apiece against the Boston Red Sox (57-59), Cincinnati Reds (45-68) and defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves (70-46).

The Pirates play 28 of their final 47 games at home, where they have fared far better (.453 winning percentage) than on the road (.344).

The Pirates are 17-18 in one-run games this season. Reverse their record in close games — going 41-29 instead of 29-41 — and they would be pushing .500 and staying within wild-card contention, if not competing for the title in an NL Central that is baseball’s worst division.

Their record isn’t reflective of the injuries the Pirates have endured this season. At one point, they had five regulars on the injured list and started a lineup featuring a handful of rookies.

Trading their RBIs leader — designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach — and most consistent starting pitcher — left-hander Jose Quintana — didn’t help matters, nor has the recent absence of key performers. On the 10-game road trip to Baltimore, Arizona and San Francisco, the Pirates were without All-Star closer David Bednar (back) and lost rookie high-leverage reliever Yerry De Los Santos for the rest of the season to a shoulder injury. They played the Giants series without third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes (back spasms), who remains day to day.

But, as Crowe said, the results are what they are.

It hasn’t helped that the Pirates went 16 innings without scoring a run, including an 0-for-20 stretch with runners in scoring position, in the Giants series. Even after rallying from a five-run deficit Sunday thanks to a breakthrough performance by Bryan Reynolds, who snapped out of a 7-for-34 funk with a five-RBI game, the Pirates still found a way to lose.

“It’s been a grind, but we showed what we’re made of,” said Reynolds, who went 3 for 4 with a two-run double and three-run homer. “We’re always getting in there and fighting. We just didn’t pull it out.”

If the fight is a sign of improvement, it isn’t showing in the standings. The Pirates slipped into last place in the NL Central, a full game behind a Reds team that started the season 3-22. After finishing 61-101 last year, the Pirates are on a 63-win pace this season.

“We’re in lot of games,” Shelton said. “We play a lot of close games, and you saw the fight out of them. They continue to battle. With a young group, we have to make sure we execute plays and finish plays. It’s something we have to get better at.”

The Pirates know they can’t get much worse.