Morning Rundown: Pirates win thriller in Cincinnati 7-5
Have won three straight against teams in playoff contention
The final stretch for the Pittsburgh Pirates wasn’t going to be an easy one, but at the same time it may be the perfect test for them to close out what may ultimately be another losing season.
The remaining schedule is filled with teams that are competing for a Wild Card spot, but regardless it’s become obvious that the Pirates won’t be rolling over any time soon.
They took two out of three against the Chicago Cubs and took game one on the road against the Reds in what was a thrilling back and forth contest.
With eight games left in the season, they theoretically have a shot at finishing .500 but they would need to win out. Instead, they are planting the seed that they aren’t just going to roll over the rest of the way out.
In fact, they are trying their best to play the role of spoiler, something they are relishing.
We saw how well that was received in Chicago with the comments made by manager David Ross.
Maybe the most encouraging part of the victory is who stepped up and chipped in - Ke’Bryan Hayes, Endy Rodriguez, Henry Davis and Jared Triolo all homered - and each figure to be a piece of an organization that may be close competing.
Luis Ortiz was solid, not counting a defensive fueled mini blowup - coming in behind opener Andre Jackson, Carmen Mlodzinski pitched the eight leading into David Bednar picking up his 37th save.
Something tells me this is a formula they could be leaning on in the future.
Rough day for Liover Peguero
Of the days that Liover Peguero has had at the major league level, Friday night won’t be at the top of the ones he wants to relive.
He wasn’t charged with an error on either play, but really he had two opportunities to get the Pirates out of an inning and at least put Luis Ortiz in line for a potential win, but failed to make the plays.
It’s something that I saw a lot of when he was in Altoona, the easy ones get away from him at times, but then he would turn around and throw maybe the fastest player in baseball charging a ball in the grass.
Oh and he also struck out four times on an 0-4 night, with the free swinging he’s prone too got the better of them.
Those nights will happen, it will just be a matter of how he adjusts and goes from there.
Six shutout innings from, Wil Crowe?
I’ll probably need photographic evidence of anyone having Wil Crowe tossing six shutout innings in Indianapolis on their BINGO card, because that really felt like it came out of left field.
The pitchers in the upper levels have really been beat up this year, and there is only a couple of games left in the season, so this was probably more of an opportunity to eat some innings, it just turned out he pitched really strong.
Indianapolis Indians - 8 vs Rochester Red Wings - 7
Top Hitter - Ryan Vilade: 3-4, R, 3 RBI, HR (6)
Top Pitcher - Wil Crowe: 6 IP, 4 H, BB, 2 K
The fact that we barely have a MLB pitching staff and still winning is blowing my mind.
It's great watching these young kids fight for their placement in the 2024 season, and help the Pirates mental image in the process. No doubt that Endy Rodriguez will be at least 50% of our Catching tandem next year, and Jared Triolo, our best Minor League 3B, has come up to MLB to play 3B, 2B, and seeing 1B last night. Both EndyRod (105.8 mph, 431') and Triolo (104.7 mph, 415') homered when the Pirates needed it most to help secure the victory.
Triolo has been smoking hot his last 15 Games with 42 AB, 10 R, 11 H, 2 Doubles, 3 HR, and 3 SB. He has also improved his BB/K during that period with 10 BB/16 K. Slash during those last 15 games of .262/.426/.524/.950 OPS.
The Reds and the Pirates are both very young teams and could flip flop the Central in 2024. Stratton throwing 98.1, and LL Ortiz 97.8 and 9 Swings and Miss are encouraging from 2 pitching Rookies.