Morning Rundown: Pirates win in extra innings, Hudson Head hits walk off home run in Greensboro
Pirates blow lead, rally for extra-inning win.
After losing their second game of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates bounced back and defeated the Baltimore Orioles in extra-innings.
It wasn’t all smooth, as the Pirates blew a ninth-inning lead and only managed to tie the game back up in the 10th despite having the bases loaded with nobody out. They did get a run when Edward Olivares drew a walk, but the next three hitters got out to send it to the 11th.
In his second start of the season, Bailey Falter pitched six shutout innings, allowing just one hit and one run while striking out a single batter.
Luis Ortiz pitched 1.2 innings - all of which came after the ninth - and allowed just one unearned run and struck out two.
Playing his first game with the Pirates, Joey Bart went 2-5 with a double and home run. Oneil Cruz picked up a pair of hits, including the game-winner in the bottom of the 11th inning.
The Pirates and Orioles finish up their three-game series on Sunday. Marco Gonzales and Dean Kremer will face off on the mound.
The Greensboro Grasshoppers won their first game of the season, with Hudson Head hitting a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth, completing a comeback that was started the previous inning when Lonnie White Jr. also hit a three-run home run.
Heading into the eighth inning, the Grasshopper’s offense had put together just two hits.
Playing a doubleheader on Saturday, the Indianapolis Indians picked up a pair of wins, guaranteeing them a winning record in their first full-week series.
Wily Peralta picked up the win in game one, with Liover Peguero staying hot, going 2-3 with a double and 2 RBI. He had five hits in the game on Friday.
Matt Gorski led the offense in game two, going 2-3 with a double and his first home run of the season, driving in three runs altogether.
Top Exit Velocity
Joey Bart - PIT - 110.7 MPH - Double
Matt Gorski - IND - 110.2 MPH - Home Run
Joey Bart - PIT - 109 MPH - Home Run
Matt Gorski - IND - 109 MPH - Lineout
Jack Herman - BRD - 108.5 MPH - Double
Top Pitch Velocity
Aroldis Chapman - 100.6 MPH
Aroldis Chapman - 99.5 MPH
Aroldis Chapman - 99.5 MPH
Aroldis Chapman - 99.5 MPH
Aroldis Chapman - 99.5 MPH
Most Whiffs (Whiff%)
Bailey Falter - PIT - 9 (20%)
Quinn Priester - IND - 8 (21%)
Michael Kennedy - BRD - 6 (23%)
Fineas Del Bonta Smith - BRD - 5 (83%)
Hunter Furtado - BRD - 5 (50%)
Game 1 - Indianapolis Indians vs 5 vs Memphis Red Birds - 4
Top Hitter - Liover Peguero: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B
Top Pitcher - Quinn Priester: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
Game 2 - Indianapolis Indians vs 7 vs Memphis Red Birds - 5
Top Hitter - Matt Gorski: 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR
Top Pitcher - Brent Honeywell Jr.: SV, 2 IP, BB, 2 K
Altoona Curve - 2 vs Akron RubberDucks - 5
Top Hitter - Jase Bowen: 1-4, 2B
Top Pitcher - Brad Case: IP, K
Greensboro Grasshoppers - 6 vs Greenville Drive - 5
Top Hitter - Hudson Head: 1-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, walk-off home run
Top Pitcher - Patrick Reilly: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 8 K
Bradenton Marauders - 2 vs Clearwater Threshers - 13
Top Hitter - Jack Herman: 1-4, 2B
Top Pitcher - Peyton Stumbo: 2 IP, 2 H, 4 K
I got home just in time to see last two outs in the top of the 11th so missed most of the drama, but the contrast in emotions on the two consecutive pitches that led to Mullins' catch and Cruz's hit was remarkable.
In watching highlights, I saw that Orioles' outfielders robbed a couple of other hits and was also impressed with Cruz's perfect throw to keep the game tied in the 9th--there have been so many times when his throws have not quite been on target but he needed perfection there and came through.
7 down. 74 to go.
Pirates win 5-4 in 11 innings. They are in first place with the best record in baseball.
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Living in a hole, as a rabbit is want to do, it can get a bit damp when it rains this much. This is a mixed blessing because the roof of my domicile is covered with a vegetable garden. This means that April showers bring CARROTS ON THE HOUSE!!!!
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@> One Rowdy Carrot for Tellez: 3 for 4 with a run, an rbi and a base on balls.
@> @> Two Joey Carrots for Bart: Welcome home, kid, if'n yer gonna hit the ball that HAAARRDD! 2 for 5 with a homer and a double. Nice dumpster dive, B.C.!
@> @> @> And Three Bailey Carrots for Falter: Who faltered all spring training long, fading us out of position into thinking he was terrible and THEN HE COMES BACK and pitches six innings of one hit baseball. Dang. Nice dumpster dive, B.C.!
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A batch of sour persimmons for the Renegade for his second blown save of the season. Perhaps his light spring was a result of overuse in 2023 and we're seeing his decline now. Da Wabbit hopes not, but we are wondering if his underlying stats reveal anything about this alarming early season run.
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"What do they do on a rainy night in Rio, a-rink-a-dink-a-dink?
What do they do when there is no starry sky?"
-Wabbit