The Pirates had Monday off and certainly weren't complaining about a break in the schedule.
The Pirates finished an 0-5 road trip to St. Louis and New York on Sunday with an 8-4 loss to the Mets. The Pirates have lost eight games in a row and 12 of 13 as they get set to face the Cardinals in a three-game series beginning Tuesday that starts a six-game homestand. "We're struggling to score runs and we're giving up a lot of runs late," Pirates manager John Russell said. "Hopefully we can refocus at home."
What makes the Pirates' tailspin so frustrating is that they opened the season 11-7. However, they now find themselves at 12-19 as they try to avoid a 17th straight losing season, which would break the tie with the 1933-48 Phillies for the longest sub-.500 streak in American professional sports history.
Russell has been preaching a change of culture since taking over as manager before last season, and he believes his team has not quit during its brutal two-week stretch.
"We started out well and there was a lot of energy," Russell said. "The players are still fighting, but each day you lose is not fun. It's a strong group, though. As a staff and players, we'll keep pushing."
