PITTSBURGH – This would have been an easy night for the Pirates to just mail it in, get home early and rest up for a day game after a night game.
The Pirates fell behind 3-0 in the first inning, a night after getting thumped 14-1 by the Athletics. They also found out before the game that opening-day starter Jameson Taillon will be out for an extended period because of a strained forearm flexor tendon.
Things got worse in the seventh inning when Keone Kela faced one batter, called for the trainers, and left the game with what was termed shoulder discomfort.
On top of it all was the steady rain that fell throughout much of the game, making it a miserable evening on the North Shore.
At the sake of sounding Little League-ish, the Pirates persevered and found a way to win Saturday, rallying for a 6-4 victory over the Athletics at PNC Park when Kevin Newman’s two-run triple keyed a three-run seventh inning that turned a one-run deficit into a two-run lead.
The Pirates ended their six-game losing streak at home while winning for the third time in their last four games, leveling their record at 15-15.
“The beauty of the game is you get the opportunity to turn the page,” Clint Hurdle said. “There are times when you honestly self-evaluate when you didn’t meet the demands of the game, but you get a fresh start. It’s a good win for the men because they put forth the effort. They realize some nights it goes your way and some nights it doesn’t, but you can give the effort every night and that always gives you a chance.”
On a day when Taillon became the 17th different player to go on the injured list within the Pirates’ first 30 games, many players played key roles in the victory.
• Trevor Williams settled down after his shaky first inning to give up only one run over his final five.
• Josh Bell hit two home runs for the first multi-homer game of his four-year career. That helped pull the Pirates out of their quick 3-0 hole.
• Michael Feliz (1-0) replaced Kela, who allowed a leadoff double in the seventh to rookie pinch hitter Skye Bolt – that’s his name, I’m not making it up – and escaped trouble by striking out sluggers Matt Chapman and Khris Davis to end the inning. That enabled the Pirates to stay close, trailing 4-3. Feliz, of course, went from being the Pirates’ set-up man at the start of last season to beginning this season with Triple-A Indianapolis.
• Newman, who entered as a pinch runner an inning earlier then stayed in the game at shortstop, plated two runs with a triple into the right-field corner in the bottom of the seventh, then Francisco Cervelli singled him in. Newman was activated from the IL earlier in the day after being out with a lacerated ring finger.
“We always know the sun is going to come up tomorrow,” Williams said. “This is a gritty bunch. We showed that today, especially to be able to hunt one or two runs every inning to get back into it after giving up the three-spot.”
The Pirates have played .500 ball despite the spate of injuries. However, they are without Taillon and Chris Archer in the rotation, potentially Kela in the bullpen and Gold Glove left fielder Corey Dickerson in the middle of the lineup.
The Pirates are dipping into the bullpen to give starts to Steven Brault and Nick Kingham in the two-game series against the Rangers that begins Tuesday night at PNC Park.
That is a lot to overcome for any team, especially one with a low payroll. Their depth is getting stretched to the outer limit.
However, nothing has applied a knockout punch to the Pirates yet this season, not even an eight-game losing streak that ended Tuesday night. Williams insists it will take more than a couple of injuries before the Pirates buckle.
“Unfortunately, we’ve been dealt a lot of tough blows and guys are hungry to step up,” Williams said. “There are going to be more guys go down throughout the year – hopefully not as many as are going down now – and there will be a lot more guys stepping up. Everybody wants their play to elevated, especially in the situation we’re in.”
Newman concurred.
"Obviously, we've had a lot of guys go down with injuries, so it's going to take everybody and everything we all got to win and we know that," he said.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
THE GOOD
Newman had quite the eventful day.
The rookie utility infielder, who had been on a rehab assignment with Indianapolis, came to Pittsburgh to be examined by the medical staff. He wound up being placed on the active roster as Pablo Reyes, another rookie utility player, was optioned to Indy.
Newman didn’t score as a pinch-runner in the sixth but delivered the winning hit in the seventh. It was Newman’s second big late-inning hit this season as he doubled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning April 6 against the Reds at PNC Park.
Those hits have been especially important for Newman’s confidence. Many scouts and analysts wondered if he could handle major-league pitching after batting just .209/.247/.231 in 31 games last season in his first taste of the bigs.
“It’s awesome,” Newman said. “I like to be the guy that goes up there in that situation. I want to come through for my team. To get a couple of (big hits) early in the season is awesome. I can take it and carry it on with me the rest of the year and know in those situations that I can come through for my teammates.”
THE BAD
Jung Ho Kang seems to own this category, even on nights when he doesn’t start, as he went 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts.
Hurdle decided to “push all his chips in,” during the sixth inning when the rain began falling harder and the Pirates were down 4-3. He feared the game might end up getting called after that inning.
Thus, Hurdle used Melky Cabrera and Kang as pinch hitters and Newman as a pinch runner.
Athletics manager Bob Melvin intentionally walked Cabrera with one out to load the bases. Kang then struck out and Adam Frazier popped out to kill the rally. Kang stayed in the game at third base and struck out again in the seventh, though the Pirates had gone ahead by that point.
Kang is hitting .148/.207/.333 in 26 games.
THE OTHER SIDE
The Pirates' three-run seventh came against reliever J.B. Wendelken (0-1). He has an 11.42 ERA in his last 10 games after compiling a 1.59 mark in his first seven outings.
"He's going through a rough patch," Melvin said of Wendelken. "Still, we have a lot of faith in him."
After reaching the American League wild card game last season, the Athletics are 15-20 and have lost seven of their last eight games.
THE DATA
• Bryan Reynolds went 2-for-3 with a walk, extending his hitting streak to 11 games and tying Gregory Polanco's franchise record, set in 2014, for the longest to begin a career. It is the second-longest streak by a National League rookie this season behind the 12-gamer of the Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr.
• Williams has allowed four or more earned runs in each of last two starts after giving up three or fewer earned runs in his first five starts of the season.
• Williams has pitched at least six innings in all seven starts.
• Starling Marte's streak of reaching base in 25 consecutive interleague games ended as he was 0-for-5.
• Cabrera's nine-game hitting streak stays intact because he did not have an official at-bat.
THE INJURIES
• Keone Kela, right-hander, left the game in the seventh inning with shoulder discomfort and will be reevaluated Sunday.
• Jameson Taillon, right-hander, is on the 10-day IL with a strained left forearm flexor tendon. He will not throw until early June.
• Chris Archer, right-hander, is on the 10-day IL with right thumb inflammation. He can be activated Tuesday but won't be ready at that point.
• Corey Dickerson, outfielder, is on the 10-day IL with a strained right shoulder. He is out indefinitely.
• Nick Burdi, relief pitcher, is on the 10-day IL with right elbow/biceps pain. He is out indefinitely.
• Lonnie Chisenhall, outfielder, is on the 10-day IL with a broken right hand. His rehab assignment at Indianapolis was stopped April 27 because of left calf tightness. He has since resumed baseball activities.
• Jacob Stallings, catcher, is on the 10-day IL with a cervical neck strain. He's on a rehab assignment with Indianapolis.
• Erik Gonzalez, shortstop, is on the 60-day IL with a fractured right clavicle. He won't return until at least mid-July.
THE SCHEDULE
The three-game series concludes at 1:35 p.m. Sunday with Jordan Lyles (2-1, 2.42) pitching against Frankie Montas (4-2, 2.97). I will be on the coverage along with Hunter Homistek and Matt Sunday. The Pirates are then off Monday before the Rangers visit for a two-game series beginning Tuesday night.
THE COVERAGE
All of our expanded baseball coverage, including Indy Watch by Matt Welch, Altoona Watch by Jarrod Prugar, and Mound Visit by Jason Rollison, can be found on our team page.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Pirates vs. Athletics, PNC Park, May 5, 2019 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS