Morning Rundown: Pirates lose on controversial call, Josh Fleming outrighted to Indianapolis
Pirates drop their game against the Cubs, Josh Fleming heads to Triple-A.
The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped a pitcher’s duel on Saturday by a score of 1-0 on a controversial call at home plate. Christopher Morel hit a single to Michael A. Taylor at the bottom of the ninth, with Cody Bellinger already at second.
Sending him home, it appeared that Joey Bart got the tag in just in time but was called safe by the home plate umpire. Upon further review, it seemed that Bellinger knocked the ball out of Bart’s hand and that the tag was applied beforehand regardless.
Still, Bellinger was called safe, and the Cubs walked away with the win.
It was quite the pitcher’s duel, as Shota Imanaga pitched seven shutout innings, lowering his ERA to 0.88.
Bailey Falter matched him, going 7.2 innings of shutout baseball, allowing just three hits. The Pirates’ offense only managed four hits on the day and dropped to 21-26 on the season.
They will still have an opportunity to take the weekend series with one last game on Sunday.
After being designated for assignment earlier in the week, Josh Fleming cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Indianapolis Indians.
Fleming, 28, was 1-1 with a 5.68 ERA in 19 innings pitched with the Pirates this season.
Making his second start in Double-A, Thomas Harrington pitched four perfect innings against the Akron RubberDucks.
Of the 53 pitches he threw, 40 were for strikes, and Harrington recorded five strikeouts in the start.
In two games at the Double-A level, Harrington has struck out nine in seven innings pitched, walking one, and has yet to allow a hit.
Pittsburgh Pirates sent LHP Josh Fleming outright to Indianapolis Indians
DSL Pirates Black released OF Rodolfo De La Cruz
DSL Pirates Black released RF Robert De Paula
DSL Pirates Black released LHP Ronal Gomez
DSL Pirates Gold released C Fabian Urbina
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Top Exit Velocity
Matt Gorski - IND - 114.3 mph - Home Run
Axiel Plaz - BRD - 112.5 mph - Home Run
Joey Bart - PIT - 107.4 mph - Groundout
Liover Peguero - IND - 107.4 mph - Single
Ji-Hwan Bae - IND - 107 mph - Home Run
Top Pitch Velocity
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 97.9 mph
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 97.7 mph
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 97.5 mph
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 97.4 mph
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 97.3 mph
Most Whiffs
Hunter Barco - GBO - 15
Patrick Reilly - GBO - 11
Khristian Curtis - BRD - 8
Isaac Mattson - IND - 8
Thomas Harrington - ALT - 8
Indianapolis Indians - 16 vs Toledo Mud Hens - 10
Top Hitter - Matt Gorski: 3-4, HR, 3B, 2B, 5 RBI, 3 R, SB
Top Pitcher - Isaac Mattson: 2 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K
Altoona Curve - 0 vs Akron RubberDucks - 4
Top Hitter - Tres Gonzalez: 0-2, 2B, BB
Top Pitcher - Thomas Harrington: 4 IP, 5 K
Greensboro Grasshoppers - 0 vs Hickory Crawdads - 3
Top Hitter - Hudson Head: 1-3
Top Pitcher - Hunter Barco: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, BB, 7 K
Greensboro Grasshoppers - 5 vs Hickory Crawdads - 7
Top Hitter - Charles McAdoo: 1-3, BB, 3 RBI, 3B
Top Pitcher - Jaden Woods: IP, K
Bradenton Marauders - 9 vs Tampa Tarpons - 10
Top Hitter - Braylon Bishop: 2-3, 2 BB, R, 3 RBI, 3B
Top Pitcher - Garrett McMillan: 2.1 IP, H, 2 K
FCL Pirates - 6 vs FCL Orioles 4
Top Hitter - Jhonson Pena: 3-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B
Top Pitcher - Zander Mueth: 3.2 IP, H, 2 BB, 5 K
Regardless of whether the Pirates win or lose there's big difference between the way they're playing now versus how they were playing a few weeks ago. They're into the game, hustling and focused instead of sleepwalking through every game. Maybe it's part of the Skenes excitement, maybe they see the way Gonzales approaches every at bat, maybe Shelton's finally learned how to motivate players or maybe it's something else but this is a winning attitude even if they lose. They still need more talented players and need to get rid of some of the dead weight on this roster but it's sure more entertaining to watch them now.
German to pitch for Indy today according to Noah Hiles