Priester Struggles, Offense Flounders as Pirates Blanked 9-0 by Angels

Quinn Priester pitched well over his last two outings but struggled on the mound at PNC Park on Tuesday night in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 9-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

Priester (0-3) eased through the first three innings but the Angels (13-23) sent eight men to the plate against the Pirates’ right-hander in the fourth. Kevin Pillar belted a three-run home run with one out in the inning to put the Angels ahead 3-0.

Pillar collected his fourth RBI of the night on a fielder’s choice in the fifth inning. Logan O’Hoppe followed with an RBI-single to give Los Angeles a 5-0 lead. 

Priester allowed five runs (three earned) on seven hits, a pair of walks and one strikeout in 4.1 innings pitched.

Pillar belted his second home run of the game, a solo shot off of Roansy Contreras to give him the seventh multi-home run game of his career. 

The veteran Pillar came through again for the Angels in the eighth inning with an RBI-double against Josh Fleming. He finished the game with three hits and six RBIs.

O’Hoppe put the Angels up 9-0 with a run-scoring single after Pillar’s two-bagger. It was the fourth hit of the game for O’Hoppe. 

The Pirates (17-20) had no answer for Angels starter Patrick Sandoval, who threw seven-shutout innings. Sandoval (2-5) scattered three hits, walked one walk and struck out seven batters. 

On the night, the Angels out-hit the Pirates 15-3. 

The loss snaps the Pirates’ modest three-game win streak. 

Up Next

Martín Pérez (1-2, 3.15 ERA) will start for the Pirates in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon. José Soriano (1-4, 3.77 ERA) will get the ball for the Angels. First pitch: 12:35 ET.

Housekeeping

• The start of the game was delayed by 20 minutes due to a threat of rain in the area.