Pirates swept by Cubs, waste Steven Brault's strong start

When analyzing the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs in 11 innings Sunday, you must consider the painful truths:

• The Pirates (2-7) are not taking advantage of the gift runner rule inserted into baseball in this 60-game season. They have started four extra innings in two games (both losses) with a runner on second and scored zero runs.

• The loss was the fourth by one run and the fifth when the offense — last in the majors with a .177 batting average — scored three or fewer.

• But don’t forget the perfect three innings thrown by starting pitcher Steven Brault, or the six scoreless innings strung together by the bullpen before Javier Baez’s winning single in the 11th completed the three-game sweep. Brault was perfect with his 35 pitches: no hits, no walks, plenty of weak contact by Cubs batters and only one ball hit out of the infield.

“The job he did, his tempo, his execution, everything. That was really fun to watch,” manager Derek Shelton said.

Chad Kuhl, who is Brault’s piggyback partner, entered the game and lost the no-hitter and shutout on back-to-back doubles by Willson Contreras and Kyle Schwarber in the fifth.

Neither Brault nor Shelton second-guessed the decision. The plan was for Kuhl to enter the game in the fourth, and because of both pitchers’ injury history, Shelton refused to deviate from it.

“The fact that he had thrown only two innings the last time because of the rain delay (in Pittsburgh last week), no way were we going to extend it.

“When you tell the second guy who has been trained as a starter that he’s got to get ready for the fourth inning, he’s already started his ramp-up work.”

Brault said knowing the plan before the game made getting yanked easier to accept.

“I understand Shelty is trying to keep me healthy, trying to build (innings) up,” he said. “I would rather be safe and make sure I don’t aggravate anything.

“When you have a plan going in, it’s different. It’s not like I was cruising, and I had no idea I was coming out of the game.”

Brault was pleased with his effort, as short as it was, because he allowed 10 runs, eight hits and five home runs in his most recent outing at Wrigley Field last season.

“A little revenge there,” he said. “My last outing, I gave up 10 runs in fewer innings than I threw today.

“I wanted to come out and show they didn’t own me, and I’m a new pitcher going forward. They got me. It’s my turn.”

As it turned out, Kuhl had to leave the game in the fifth inning with an abrasion on the cuticle of his right index finger. He became the third Pirates pitcher in 18 hours forced to leave a game with an injury.

But the bullpen was up to the challenge as Geoff Hartlieb, Nik Turley, Dovydas Neverauskas, Richard Rodriguez, Sam Howard and Cody Ponce allowed one hit from the fifth inning until Baez singled in the 11th. Howard and Ponce were activated from the taxi squad hours before game time.

Cubs pitchers were just as effective. The Pirates’ only run was Kevin Newman’s homer in the first inning against starter Jon Lester. Overall, they collected six hits.

The Pirates also helped the first-place Cubs (7-2) with questionable decisions on the basepaths in the 10th and 11th innings.

Stallings started the 10th on second base but was thrown out at home by a wide margin after Josh Bell’s pinch-hit single. Shelton said he had no problem with third-base coach Joey Cora sending the catcher, who was running — by rule — because he had made the last out in the ninth.

“We give more credit to (Kyle) Schwarber (the left fielder),” Shelton said. “The throw had to be right on the money.”

Of Cora, he added, “He’s aggressive. He’s consistent. I think he’s one of the better third-base coaches in baseball. I had no problem with that send.”

In the 11th, Newman was thrown out at third when Jose Osuna grounded to shortstop Baez. Shelton wasn’t as forgiving of that play.

“We have to be a little more aware of where Baez is, how well Javy moves and how well he throws,” he said.

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Another problem was a rain shower that halted play before the start of the bottom of the ninth after closer Nick Burdi had been announced into the game. He didn’t throw a pitch. Because of Burdi’s injury history, Shelton didn’t want to risk his arm with another a second warm-up session after an hour of inactivity.

“Health is something that is extremely important,” Shelton said. “There is no way we were going to risk sitting for (an hour) and throwing him back out and having some risk of injury. It’s not worth it.”