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Marauders Drop Game One as Tyler Glasnow Struggles With His Control

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The Pittsburgh Pirates wanted to keep Tyler Glasnow in Bradenton this year, in part to get additional playoff experience. Tonight, Glasnow started the first game of a best of three series against the Fort Myers Miracle, and the experience didn’t go well. The right-hander gave up six runs on two hits and six walks in three innings, leaving with the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth inning. The Marauders ended up losing 8-7, dropping their only home game of the series.

“It got fast on him tonight, and he didn’t have the ability to slow it down,” pitching coach Justin Meccage said after the game. “In a game like this, it’s really important. During the season there’s not quite as much at stake. I think things got a little fast on him today.”

Glasnow looked great in the first inning, striking out the side on 15 pitches. The second inning didn’t go so well. He walked two batters, including the leadoff batter on five pitches, and gave up two hits, leading to three runs.

“My bullpen before the game was pretty bad. Just one of those games. Kind of wasn’t feeling it from the start,” Glasnow said on his performance. “Did a good job in the first inning forgetting about everything and just going out. It kind of creeped back into my head. I got a little too mechanical.”

The Marauders bailed him out in the bottom of the second inning, batting around the order and scoring seven runs, thanks to two key errors by Fort Myers third baseman Niko Goodrum. Jacob Stallings had a big two-run double to get things started, then Jordan Steranka broke the game open with a three run double with the bases loaded and two outs, giving the Marauders a 7-3 lead.

Glasnow couldn’t capitalize on the fresh start. After a broken bat groundout in the third, he walked the second batter of the inning on four pitches. That was followed up by two strikeouts, giving him eight on the night. But the control problems showed up again in the fourth inning. Glasnow walked the first two batters, which prompted a visit to the mound from Meccage, who told him to throw a few changeups to try and slow the game down. That didn’t work, and Glasnow walked the next batter on eight pitches, loading the bases with no outs. That ended his night, with Marauders manager Tom Prince lifting him from the game.

“It was just one of those days. Really sucks it had to be in a playoff game,” Glasnow said. “Emotions were all the same. Everything was the same. I wasn’t out there feeling scared or anything. Just one of those days I wasn’t really throwing it over well.”

Things got worse when Glasnow left. Jhondaniel Medina, who hadn’t allowed a home run all year, and hadn’t allowed an earned run since April 30th, gave up a grand slam on the first pitch he threw, which tied the game at 7-7. Medina also had issues with control, walking four batters in two innings of work.

The game had a 58 minute delay due to rain, right after Joan Montero was set to come in during the sixth inning. Montero entered the game after the rain delay, and after striking out the first batter, he gave up a double and a single, leading to the eventual winning run. Despite the run, Montero had the best line of the night, giving up just the one run on two hits and a walk in three innings of work.

Bradenton threatened in the eighth inning, with runners on first and second and one out. Jacob Stallings couldn’t capitalize this time, grounding into a double play. The Marauders went down in order in the ninth inning, losing the game 8-7.

The Marauders will travel to Fort Myers tomorrow, with Shane Carle on the mound. If Bradenton can extend the series, Jason Creasy would take the hill on Thursday in Fort Myers for the deciding game.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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