A bad inning

The Pirates 6th inning was as dismal as the Civic Arena future. Charlie Morton pitched 5 scoreless innings and then came the 6th. The Astros scored 5 runs in the 6th to end the game and the Pirates win streak. In that 6th inning the sinker that Charlie had found this year did not sink and the velocity didn't seem to be there. This raises questions about Morton's health. Of course, he and the Pirates both say he is fine and his arm feels good, but comparing his last several outings to his early success raises some red flags.

The All Star break will give him some more time to rest the arm, but the Pirates will need a healthy Morton to continue the success they've had this year. I'm hoping the Pirates future looks a lot brighter than the Civic Arena future.