Francisco Liriano post highest ‘game score’ of season for a Pirates starter

The Pittsburgh Pirates rolled to their fifth straight win Monday night with an 11-0 thumping over the Chicago White Sox. While the Pirates put up five runs in the first inning and 11 runs on the night, the star of the game was Francisco Liriano on the mound.

Liriano threw 8 shutout innings, allowing 2 hits, while striking out 12 and walking 1. Liriano threw 100 pitches, 69 for strikes. His Bill James game score of 89 was the best score by a Pirates starter this season. It was also Liriano’s 10th quality start as Gerrit Cole, A.J. Burnett and Liriano have combined for 31 quality starts on the season.

Liriano inability to go deep in games is about the only knock on him this season but he had the fastball working vs the White Sox. “When I can’t throw my fastball for strikes, then I have to throw too many breaking balls,” Liriano said. “Then I don’t go that deep into games. Being able to throw my fastball for a strike tonight was a big thing for me.”