Morning Rundown: Bubba Chandler pitches 7.2 shutout innings, Pirates win in extras, Axiel Plaz hits home run

Bubba Chandler continues incredible run, Pirates win, Plaz stays hot with bat

Jul 04, 2024

Bubba Chandler may not have put up double-digit strikeouts for the third straight start, but he did manage to set another career high in another category—innings pitched.

Pitching against the Harrisburg Senators on Wednesday, Chandler threw a career-high 7.2 innings pitched, striking out seven while allowing just two hits and zero walks.

His last pitch of the night was a 97 fastball that he blew by a hitter to get a strikeout.

In his last three starts now, Chandler has allowed just two earned runs while walking two and striking out 28 in 21.1 innings pitched.

The Pittsburgh Pirates won on a Oneil Cruz walk-off hit in extra innings, tying their series with the Cardinals at a game a piece.

Jared Jones pitched five innings of one-run baseball, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out five. Kyle Nicolas, Carmen Mlodzinski, Colin Holderman, and Aroldis Chapman came in behind Jones and pitched.

After allowing a run in the top of the 10th, the Pirates tied it up on a Bryan Reynolds single, scoring Jared Triolo.

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Oneil Cruz took the first pitch he saw and sent it to right field for a single that scored Andrew McCutchen, winning the game for the Pirates.

The Pirates and Cardinals wrap up their series on Thursday, the Fourth of July, with a day game at 12:35 pm ET. Martin Perez is the expected starter for the Pirates.

Axiel Plaz hit his 10th home run with the Bradenton Marauders on Wednesday. He has 13 total extra-base hits in 123 plate appearances since moving to Single-A.

He’s one of five players in the Florida State League to have double-digit home runs, and he’s played in half of the games the others have.

The Marauders have three players in the top 10 regarding home runs in the FSL—Shalin Polanco and Esmerlyn Valdez have nine currently.

There is no feature article today for the holiday, just the morning rundown and gameday article.

I will have something on Mitch Jebb on Friday, and I also plan to do some draft-related stuff next week.

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