Pirates make hard-to-believe MLB history with brutal back-to-back losses

The Pittsburgh Pirates lost two games in a row, both to the Colorado Rockies, dropping to 38-39 on the season and 8.5 games out of first place in the NL Central.

But the manner in which the Pirates lost these two games is absolutely brutal. Not only did the Pirates lose by one run in both games, including on a controversial interference call on Saturday night, but they had a chance to at least tie the game both times.

As OptaSTATS shared on Twitter/x, the Pirates made MLB history with these back-to-back losses, becoming the only team in the last 50 years to have a runner on third base, with a chance to tie the game, with no outs, and still not score.

Pirates make brutal MLB history with back-to-back losses

"The Pirates are the only MLB team in the last 50 years to have the tying run on 3rd with 0 outs in the 9th inning 2 gams in a row but lose both games," OptaSTATS shared.

During Friday night's 4-3 loss to the Rockies, Marcell Ozuna singled in the ninth, followed by a fielder's choice and an error, which sent Henry Davis, pinch-running for Ozuna, to third base.

A walk from Endy Rodriguez, and the Pirates had the bases loaded with no outs. Unfortunately, Tyler Callihan struck out, and Jared Triolo grounded into a game-ending double-play.

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Then on Saturday night, Brandon Lowe doubled, and Bryan Reynolds hit an infield single, sending Lowe to third. After a Ryan O'Hearn strikeout, a hit-by-pitch, another Callihan strikeout, the controversial play on the Jake Magnum grounder resulted in a loss.

Over the past two games, against the lowly Rockies, the Pirates were down one run in the ninth inning, with the tying run on third base with no outs, and failed to score them both times.

Doing that once is already a brutal way to lose a game. But two games in a row? As OptaSTATS noted, that made some MLB history not seen in at least the last 50 years.

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