As Clint Hurdle sat at a table inside PNC Park's press conference room, he prefaced each mention of results with the caveat that it's still just one week into a 162-game season. He made it clear he had no desire to overanalyze or overthink what he had seen over the previous seven days.
The rest of the baseball world, though, will be busy analyzing the Pirates. After all, their 14-3 rout of the Reds in front of an announced crowd of 11,115 on Friday night gave them a 6-1 record, tied for best in Major League Baseball, as well as the franchise's first 6-1 start since 1976 and the first time scoring 14-plus runs against Cincinnati since May 27, 2007.
They've defied external expectations thus far, albeit for only a week, and their motivation to continue the one-week hot streak is simple.
"I think we’re just trying to come together for us," Josh Bell said. "It’s not to prove anybody wrong or right. We want to do it for the guy next to us in the clubhouse. Do it for the guy next to us in the dugout. I feel like more times than not, that works out."
The Pirates tagged the Reds' four pitchers for 15 hits, at least two from five different players: Colin Moran went 4 for 5 with three RBIs. Jordy Mercer added three hits with an RBI, and Corey Dickerson, batting behind Bell in the order, drove in two runs, scored twice and had three hits, including a double to lead off a two-run second inning. Starling Marte hit a three-run triple as part of a six-run sixth inning and Gregory Polanco added a two-run double in the seventh.
TAP ABOVE FOR BOXSCORE, STANDINGSIn all, the Pirates went 8 for 20 with runners in scoring position, scoring nine runs against the Reds' bullpen. The starter, Luis Castillo, threw 84 pitches through four innings, forcing Bryan Price to exhaust his bullpen for a second consecutive game.
"We had good at-bats from top to bottom," Hurdle said. "They continued to push the at-bat. The fight. You look at the things that went on. ... We have things going on all over the place. Three walks from Bell in the middle of the lineup. You’re not going to score 14 runs every night, and you’re not going to get 15 hits every night. However, the quality of the bats, overall, the focus and the preparation is in a good place and in a very consistent place."
The Pirates' .282 batting average ranks second and 49 runs rank third in the majors. They have five regulars batting .300-plus, seven with four-plus RBIs. And they're not relying on home runs, either. It was the first time the club had scored 14-plus runs without hitting a home run since July 24, 2004. They've now strung together four-plus runs in one inning six times.
"I think it rubs off on everybody when the top of the lineup gets on at the beginning of the game," Moran said. "They’re putting up good at-bats and it kind of gets contagious. One through nine, one through eight, we can put up some really good at-bats."
That began in the second inning against the Reds, when Dickerson hit a leadoff double, followed by doubles from Moran and Mercer. Then, Dickerson, who has five hits in his last six at-bats after starting the season 1 for 14, hit a two-out single in the third. The Pirates went on to load the bases with a walk by Cervelli before Moran hit this two-run single:
The Pirates went hitless in the fourth and fifth but provided Trevor Williams additional run support in the sixth, including an RBI single by Josh Harrison and the three-run triple by Marte:
"I love our lineup," Bell said. "I said in spring. We’re grinding out at-bats, we’re making it tough on the starters. If we’re getting them out early or at least putting runs across the board we can put pressure on their bullpen. It’s been a lot of fun."
It's also been needed. The Pirates' bullpen, particularly middle relief, has struggled, although it allowed only one run in 3 2/3 innings Friday. Last season, the club provided its starting rotation with the third-lowest run support in the majors. Now, this offense has complemented a rotation that has the fifth-lowest ERA in the National League.
Williams, who threw six no-hit innings in his previous start, wasn't as effective against the Reds, allowing two runs in the third to cough up the Pirates' first lead of the game. However, he escaped trouble in the fourth inning and the offense provided him with a life raft from there.
The first week of the season has provided at least a glimpse at a roster that has some unknowns, particularly Moran, who is batting .318 with eight RBIs in six games, and Dickerson has provided Bell with protection in the lineup.
"I feel like leaving camp we knew it was important to get on the right (track)," Bell said. "I think we’re doing that. We’re just trying to ride this wave out for sure."
1. Another uneven start for Williams.
Williams improved to 2-0, but both of his starts have raised a few red flags. His four-seam fastball command has been inconsistent, and he's fallen behind in the count too often. Although he allowed only two earned runs, the Reds tagged him for 10 hits, and Williams threw 58 of his 90 pitches for strikes.
"I’m glad we got the win," he said. "We had a great ballgame today. We scored a lot at the end. We made some good plays behind me and unfortunately some balls kind of squeaked through today. It’s tough. The games where you kind of get singled to death are harder because you know you’re executing pitches and they’re just putting the bat on the ball."
He was pulled after recording one out in the sixth inning, putting additional pressure on a struggling bullpen, and inefficiency has been a trend from the Pirates' rotation so far. Williams is the only pitcher to complete the sixth inning, when he did it in his previous start, although he did so with five walks.
The Reds stranded the bases loaded in the fourth inning after Williams allowed three consecutive two-out singles, and he got two consecutive outs in the third to keep the Reds to two runs. He found ways to limit the damage and keep the Pirates in position to win. He doesn't have overwhelming velocity or a breaking pitch that really stands out. His four-seam fastball averaged 90.9 mph and his sinker was at 88, but he's proven to be a reliable major league starter.
“Most often people look for fastest, shiniest, biggest. It gets your attention," Hurdle said. "‘Wow.' We’ve got some guys that have fastest, shiniest, biggest. Can you go out and compete? Can you have success with it? Can you be consistent with it? Up here to have success you have to be consistent. Trevor has shown the ability to be consistent with the tools that he has. His knowledge of pitching. … He has a very good mental package to go with it as far as the craft of pitching.”
2. Moran's gaining composure at the plate.
Moran’s retooled swing made him a much more composed player at the plate. Although his walk percentage remained the same, his strikeout rate dropped eight percent from 2016 to 2017, albeit in 150 fewer at-bats. That plate discipline has continued into this season. He’s walked once with two strikeouts, but Moran is swinging at fewer pitches out of the zone and his swinging strike percentage is only 4.6 percent
He’s also a smart hitter. Castillo tried fooling Moran with a changeup in his first two at-bats but both times Moran timed the pitch perfectly. His double and three singles were four of the nine hardest-hit balls in the game, according to Statcast. The Pirates' No. 7 hitters last season batted a combined .246/.319/.366 with 10 home runs. Moran could present a significant upgrade batting in front of Mercer, and should take advantage of having players such as Bell and Dickerson on base.
"If you look at some of the best offenses in the game over the years, there are a couple different spots that are hard to create offense sometimes," Hurdle said. "To have somebody down there like that is important."
3. Marte's still showing rust in center.
Marte was named the Pirates’ starting center fielder in spring training last season, only for him to lose that job after only 13 games upon receiving an 80-game suspension. He played a total of 25 games there and hasn’t been an everyday center fielder since he was at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2015.
The rust has shown. Marte committed an error in the third inning Friday, mishandling a line drive hit by Joey Votto to allow Jesse Winker to advance an extra base. Although Williams got two consecutive outs to strand Winker at third, Marte’s blunder continued a trend that began in spring training. He committed three errors in 17 games of Grapefruit League play and misplayed a few other balls that were not counted as errors.
4. Harrison looks steady at leadoff.
Harrison is now 9 for 23 with seven runs in five games as the Pirates' leadoff hitter this season. In 235 career games batting leadoff, Harrison has produced a .302 average and .340 on-base percentage. That's your daily reminder of why Adam Frazier is on the bench. The Pirates have an above-average second baseman who is an excellent leadoff hitter.
Yes, Harrison has a tendency to swing at horrific pitches — he swung at a pitch well out of the zone to strike out to end the second inning — but he fouls off pitches and grinds out at-bats. He went 3 for 5 against the Reds, driving in a run in both the sixth and seventh innings. He's now batting .344 in 32 at-bats this season and has been outstanding defensively.
5. Save the bullpen.
Clay Holmes, the minor-league starting pitcher recalled from Triple-A when Joe Musgrove was placed on the disabled list, allowed one run over the final two innings. He threw 22 of his 43 pitches for strikes and walked two batters, but he saved the Pirates' bullpen for the weekend.
With a significant lead, Hurdle didn't want to have to use Michael Feliz, George Kontos or Felipe Rivero. Even Dovydas Neverauskas was able to use the additional night off. Now, Holmes' performance ensured that the Pirates' arms will be rested with Chad Kuhl and Jameson Taillon set to start the final two games of the series.