Sooner or later, they will win again at Turner Field. Sooner or later, they will beat Greg Maddux. Sooner or later, they will provide run support for Todd Ritchie.
It looked like sooner might happen instead of later Friday night. But the Atlanta Braves broke a scoreless game with a two-out, eighth-inning run and that was enough to send the Pirates to a 1-0 loss.
The Pirates, who extended their losing streak to four games, are 1-12 at Turner Field since 1997.
With two outs in the eighth and Ritchie working on a three-hitter, Quilvio Veras singled, stole second on a questionable call and scored on Rafael Furcal's double off the center-field wall.
That was enough to send Ritchie (0-6) to another hard-luck defeat. He took the loss despite pitching a five-hitter and working past the seventh inning for the first time this season.
The Pirates are winless in Ritchie's 10 starts, scoring 23 runs for him in those games.
'It's a shame we had to lose with the way Todd pitched today,' shortstop Abraham Nunez said. 'Maddux pitched good, but I think Todd pitched better. He deserved to win this game tonight.'
Although Ritchie has a 4.62 earned run average, he is the first Pirates pitcher since Jose DeLeon in 1985 to lose his first six decisions.
Maddux, meanwhile, is 9-0 with a 1.49 ERA in 13 starts against the Pirates since April 30, 1994.
In his previous three starts and 20 innings, he had permitted 11 runs and 25 hits. He also was 1-4 with a 3.62 ERA in his previous seven starts.
'He was his usual self,' Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. 'Nothing has changed.'
Through seven innings, Maddux permitted four hits and Ritchie three.
The Pirates put a runner in scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings, but each time with two outs.
Ritchie, who was coming off a 10-run outing, gave up one-out doubles to Paul Bako in the third and Rico Brogna in the fifth, plus a one-out single to Dave Martinez in the seventh.
Brogna's double was a gift. Center fielder Brian Giles lost the ball in the twilight, and it dropped about 10 feet in front of him. But Ritchie induced a pair of ground balls to take Giles off the hook.
'Command-wise, that was as good as I've seen Todd since I've been here,' McClendon said. 'I've seen his velocity better, but command-wise he was as good as ever.'
Aggressive baserunning caught up with the Pirates in the eighth inning. Two stolen base attempts were foiled, the second one resulting in an inning-ending double play.
Jason Kendall, starting in left field for the second time in three games, opened with an infield single. Kendall, who stole second successfully in the third inning, tried again. This time, Bako's throw arrived in time.
'There was a miscommunication,' McClendon said, declining to elaborate.
John Vander Wal and Aramis Ramirez followed with singles, putting runners on first and second. That brought up Giles, who was 6 for 12 against Maddux heading into the at-bat.
With a full count on Giles, McClendon sent the runners.
'I thought Brian's chances of putting the ball in play were good,' McClendon said. 'Maddux made a great pitch and froze him.'
Giles took a called third strike, and Bako fired to third to nip Vander Wal.
'The pitch started at my hip and ran back over the plate,' Giles said. 'It was right where he wanted to put it.'
Ritchie got two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth. Then, Veras singled to left.
Mindful that Veras was a threat to steal, Ritchie threw over to first base on three occasions, once nearly picking off the runner.
Veras ultimately broke for second. Ritchie's pitch short-hopped catcher Keith Osik, whose throw was to the right-field side of second base.
As Veras dived for the base, Nunez caught the ball and swiped at the runner's foot. Second base umpire Brian O'Nora called Veras safe, much to Nunez's displeasure.
'I thought I tagged his foot before he touched the bag,' Nunez said. 'That was the play right there.'
Furcal provided Maddux with the only run he needed by driving Ritchie's 1-1 pitch off the base of the center-field wall.
''I thought he was out,' he said. 'I'm sure replays will bear that out. But that's the way things are going for us.'
