Pirates Beat Reds With Walk-Off Homer
The battling Bucs have done it again. After squandering a two-run lead, the Pirates needed a little ninth-inning magic to win the game 3-2, and take the series over the Cincinnati Reds.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa lead off the bottom half of the first and two batters later, went first to third on a base hit from Oneil Cruz. DH Joey Bart hit a chopper up the middle to Elly De La Cruz, bringing home IKF for the first run of the afternoon, but unfortunately had to leave the game due to left hamstring discomfort which he felt running out of the box. In the third, the Pirates added to their lead as Michael A. Taylor singled to center and then reached second on a fielding error by TJ Friedl. After being moved to third on a grounder, Taylor scored on a Bryan Reynolds base hit.
Pirates starting pitcher Luis Ortiz had a fine day on the bump, working a scoreless six innings where surrendered just four hits, struck out five, and walked one. As soon as he passed the baton to the bullpen, things got a little choppy. Two of the first three hitters reached against Kyle Nicolas before he was yanked in favor of the lefty Jalen Beeks. De La Cruz collected an RBI base knock to right and then with the bases loaded, Friedl dropped down a sacrifice bunt to knot the game up at two. With the bases still full of Reds, Beeks walked Steer despite having him in an 0-2 count right out of the gate, gifting Cincinnati the lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Bryan De La Cruz was nailed by a pitch, putting the tying run abord for the Bucs. Four pitches later, catcher Yasmani Grandal lifted a high fastball just over the Clemente Wall for a walk-off homer to win the game and the series of the Pirates.
Yasmani Grandal lifts a 2-run #walkoff BLAST! 💥 pic.twitter.com/SWGAq5nD6u
— MLB (@MLB) August 25, 2024
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
1. 3B Isiah Kiner-Falefa 3-4, 2B
2. LF Bryan Reynolds 1-4, RBI
3. SS Oneil Cruz 2-4
4. DH Joey Bart 0-1, RBI
ph Connor Joe 1-3, 2B
5. 1B Rowdy Tellez 0-4
6. RF Bryan De La Cruz 0-3
7. C Yasmani Grandal 1-4, HR, 2 RBI
8. 2B Alika Williams 1-3
9. CF Michael A. Taylor 1-3
CINCINNATI REDS
1. 2B Jonathan India 1-4, 2B
2. SS Elly De La Cruz 2-5, RBI
3. C Tyler Stephenson 1-3, BB
4. CF TJ Friedl 0-4, RBI
5. LF Spencer Steer 1-3, RBI, BB
6. RF Santiago Espinal 1-4
7. 1B Dominic Smith 1-4
8. DH Amed Rosario 0-3. BB
9. 3B Noelvi Marte 1-4
Tomorrow's probables: (CHC) Jameson Taillon vs. (PIT) Undecided. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EST.
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN