Perhaps they just needed to put the trade deadline in the rear-view mirror. Perhaps they just needed to face someone else besides the Brewers.
Whatever it was, the Pirates took out a week’s frustrations on the Phillies Friday night at PNC Park, coming together to throw a one-hit shutout in a 7-0 decision.
“We needed a game like this,” Derek Shelton said. “I give credit to Wil Crowe. He went out and pitched really well.”
Crowe went six scoreless, and while he walked four, three of them came in a shaky fourth inning. Besides that blip, he was in control.
At the end of the night, he called it the best start of his young major league career.
“End goal is six scoreless, and that’s probably the first time I’ve had a scoreless outing in a long time,” Crowe said. “It’s definitely my best outing but at the same time, I want to be a perfectionist.”
That performance couldn’t have come at a better time since the bullpen was down two arms. Before the game, the Pirates traded closer Richard Rodriguez to the Braves and lefty Austin Davis to the Red Sox, just ahead of the 4 p.m. trade deadline. While they recalled Mitch Keller before the game, they were short-handed.
The particulars of getting through a game like that doesn’t really compare to the human element of the trade deadline, though.
“You make relationships with those guys, and you become friends,” Crowe said. “I'm new here. Getting to know those guys on a more personal level is something you strike for when you're a new guy. Having those guys leave is tough. It is a part of the business, but it is tough.”
After being swept by the Brewers Thursday, Shelton and the team agreed, a little stability and “finality” would be nice. Just an assurance of who is going to be on the team the rest of the way.
On Friday, they were granted that finality.
“I think it weighs on you,” Shelton said. “I think the fact that we came out of the gates strong and had really good at-bats, I think once you get past it, there were probably some people in that room who were wondering if they were going to be moved. Maybe it does add a little bit of sense of relief.”
The Pirates checked just about every box this trade deadline. Guys who were on the block were dealt (Rodriguez, Adam Frazier, Tyler Anderson). Some on the block who ended up staying (Chris Stratton, Chasen Shreve). Others who were traded unexpectedly (Davis, Clay Holmes, minor-league lefty Braeden Ogle).
Industry rumors had the Pirates fielding calls on just about anyone, even if the odds were low that they would be moved, like a Kevin Newman or David Bednar. There was plenty of uncertainty in those final hours – or in the Pirates case, final minutes, when they finalized both of their trades Friday.
“Definitely good to be past it,” Newman said. “Definitely a whirlwind for a team, for any team. So it's definitely good to be focused on who we've got and moving forward. Maybe that did play into it today. Maybe we had some clearer minds going out there.”
A win makes it a little easier, at least for one day while futures are still up in the air long-term.
“We needed to step up and say, ‘Hey, whatever.’ We need to keep playing hard, no matter what happens,” Gregory Polanco said. “We have to control [what happens] in the field. In the office, they control that, but down here, we control the player. So that’s what we need to do every time.”
MORE FROM THE GAME
• Each of the top four members of the Pirates' lineup got two hits Thursday, as did Newman.
Crowe was the real story, though, using all of his pitches to keep the Phillies off balance.
"I don't know my percentages or anything, but I threw all of my pitches to both sides of the plate," Crowe said. "... I think just mixing and matching and being unpredictable, and playing a chess match from pitch one. I think that's who I am as a pitcher, and that's what I've got to do to succeed."
The rookie right-hander walked the bases loaded in the fourth, but retired his final seven batters saw to preserve the shutout. The first of those outs was a hot shot right to Newman in the shift to end the inning.
Newman said afterwards that it wasn't quite an option play, but they knew Odubel Herrera hits the ball up the middle, so they had to figure out which side of the bag to be on. Newman stayed on the shortstop side, thanks to Joey Cora's instruction.
"There’s a lot that goes into that," Shelton said. "There’s a lot of preparation between normally [analyst Jeremy] Bleich, now it’s [player and coaching development member] Jake Mencacci and Joey just making sure. It’s a really fine line on which side of the bag you’re on. I give credit to those guys because of the fact that that changes the course of the game if that ball goes through."
• Crowe's start comes at a time when it looks like the rotation is going to start getting crowded. Keller has returned, right-handed starter Bryse Wilson will be active with the team Saturday after being acquired in the Rodriguez deal, and Steven Brault and Miguel Yajure are on the mend.
Innings and workloads will need to be managed, and since Ben Cherington said the preference is that no pitcher gets shutdown for the remainder of the season for workload, there could be some spot starts and six-man rotations to get through the rest of the season and divvy up some opportunities.
As for who will close, Shelton did not want to commit to anyone, but Bednar seems like a safe bet after he had worked his way to the set-up role this season.
"It's something that we'll talk through," Shelton said. "I think we have a couple guys who could pitch at the end of the game, but it's something that we will sit and work through, probably in the next day or two."
• The trade deadline has passed. Here is our earlier file on the Rodriguez and Davis' trades and what the Pirates received in return.
Keller was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis and was seen throwing during the game, but he was only going to go potentially come in if Crowe was pulled early. The Pirates do not have a starter announced for Sunday yet.
In other transaction news, Kyle Crick was formally released Friday and signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox.
Also, 18th round pick shortstop A.J. Graham signed with the Pirates. They have three more picks to still potentially sign. The deadline to do so is Sunday.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
• Scoreboard
• Standings
• Statistics
THE LINEUPS
Shelton's card:
1. Ben Gamel, LF
2. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
3. Bryan Reynolds, CF
4. Gregory Polanco, RF
5. John Nogowski, 1B
6. Jacob Stallings, C
7. Rodolfo Castro, 2B
8. Kevin Newman, SS
9. Wil Crowe, RHP
And for Joe Girardi's Phillies:
1. J.T. Realmuto, C
2. Brad Miller, 1B
3. Bryce Harper, RF
4. Andrew McCutchen, LF
5. Alec Bohm, 3B
6. Didi Gregorious, SS
7. Ronald Torreyes, 2B
8. Odubel Herrera, CF
9. Vince Velasquez, RHP
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates have lost the last eight games that JT Brubaker (4-10, 4.67) started. They'll try to break that streak facing Aaron Nola (7-6, 4.37) Saturday. First pitch will be at 7:05 p.m. I've got you covered at the ballpark.
IN THE SYSTEM
• Indianapolis
• Altoona
• Greensboro
• Bradenton
THE CONTENT
Visit our team page for everything.
