Pirates Bats Come to Life to Take Down Reds
PITTSBURGH - The Pirates offense has struggled to score runs all month but that was not the case in their 7-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday night.
Just last night, the Pirates struck out a total of sixteen times and through the first 3.2 innings of tonight's game, they were hitless with seven batters going down on strikes. Reds lefty Nick Lodolo was rolling right through the Bucs' lineup until the fifth inning were he ran into trouble, some of which was by his own doing. He walked Jared Triolo and Michael A. Taylor and then hit Isiah Kiner-Falefa to load up the bases with two away.
Bryan Reynolds hit a ball just to the left of second base but within reach for Elly De La Cruz to make a play deep in the hole. His backhand toss to second was thrown behind second baseman Santiago Espinal who caught the ball barehanded as he fell to the ground. Kiner-Falefa overran the bag and got in a rundown to try and score Taylor from third who smartly popped off of third just far enough to get the Reds' attention, allowing enough time for IKF to scramble back to second. Bart was hit by a pitch to plate another run, but it was Bryan De La Cruz's bases clearing double that busted the game open for Pittsburgh. Yasmani Grandal hit a solo shot to right center in the sixth to make it a seven-run game.
Rookie phenom Pauk Skenes picked up his eighth win of the season, pitching six scoreless innings on the night. He allowed just two hits and struck out nine batters, dropping his ERA to 2.16 for the year.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
1. 2B Isiah Kiner-Falefa 0-3
2. LF Bryan Reynolds 2-4, RBI
3. DH Joey Bart 0-3, HBP, RBI
4. RF Bryan De La Cruz 3-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI
5. SS Oneil Cruz 1-4, RBI
6. 1B Connor Joe 0-3, BB
7. 3B Jared Triolo 0-3, BB
8. C Yasmani Grandal 1-4, HR
9. CF Michael A. Taylor 0-3
CINCINNATI REDS
1. 2B Jonathan India 0-4
2. SS Elly De La Cruz 1-3, BB
3. LF Spencer Steer 1-4
4. CF TJ Friedl 0-2, BB
5. RF Amed Rosario 1-3
6. 2B Santiago Espinal 1-3
7. 1B Dominic Smith 0-3
8. 3B Noelvi Marte 1-3
9. C Luke Maile 0-3
Tomorrow's probables: Andrew Abbott (10-10, 3.72 ERA) vs. Bailey Falter (6-7, 4.02 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. EST and will be available to stream on Apple TV+.
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN