Ke'Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds have garnered all of the headlines this week, and rightfully so.
But it was a couple of unsung guys who helped lead the way as the Pirates took down the Nationals, 6-4, Saturday night at PNC Park.
Now, let's be clear: Hayes did go 2 for 4 with a run scored and made this spectacular grab over the dugout railing:
But plays came from other unexpected places, in the field and at the plate, and that paid off big-time.
"I think we did a lot of little things today that really came into why we won the game," Derek Shelton said following the game.
One of those was Michael Chavis' leadoff triple to left fielder Yadiel Hernandez that set the stage for the Pirates' three-run eighth inning:
"Just out of the box, I knew I had a chance to probably get two, so I was hustling for that purpose," Chavis would say. "And then, once he came up throwing, I was approaching second base and I just saw that he had a little bit too much air under the throw. I just knew I had a chance to get to third on that one, so I just read the throw and took it."
That triple that "set the tone," according to Shelton, who was also expecting Chavis to wind up at second base.
“He hit the ball really hard," Shelton recalled. "The turn he made at second, I thought, ‘Alright, he’s trying to make them come up and do something.’ He did not hesitate at all. It really did set the tone for that inning," Shelton recalled.
Yoshi Tsutsugo took that one step further when he stepped up to the plate and worked a nine-pitch walk against Washington reliever Kyle Finnegan.
"He battled through it, battled off some fastballs, got behind in the count, and I thought that as much as Chavis doing what he did, but Yoshi’s at-bat really set the tone for us to do what we did in that inning," Shelton said. "It was two key at-bats right at the start of the inning.”
While Tsutsugo didn't push a run across, Diego Castillo knocked home Chavis two pitches later, capping off a quality night in the field with his single through the hole at short. His plate discipline came through in a big way by simply taking what Finnegan gave him and getting a pitch to hit.
"He had a big at-bat tonight with the infield in, first and third, doesn’t try to do too much, just tries to get a ball he can hit hard," Shelton said. "He just continues to impress."
Castillo showed flashes with his glove, handling everything hit his way with ease, only to be usurped defensively by Gamel, who was flying, quite literally, all over the outfield, including this in the third inning:
"I felt like a pretty good jump on it," Gamel explained. "I felt like I was in a good spot. Even if I don't make the play, I can block it up in front. But now if we can get an out in a situation and take one away, it's a gamble we're taking, especially with nobody on."
That wasn't the only time Gamel would wow Saturday night. This came two innings later:
Chavis had one of the best views of the play from his spot at first base as Gamel fully extended for the ball hit by Keibert Ruiz.
"I was like, 'Dang, there's no chance he's getting that,'" Chavis said. "And then he Supermans. Any time you catch it, like mid-air, good lord, what a special play. That dude can get in with the best of them. Really fun to watch."
JUSTIN BERL / GETTY
The Nationals’ Juan Soto steps into the on-deck circle Saturday night at PNC Park.
• With Roberto Perez out with a leg contusion, it was Andrew Knapp's number penciled into the lineup in his place. It was nearly all for naught as he was shaken up in the first inning after Washington's Josh Bell's bat knocked Knapp's glove off on a catcher's interference.
"It made my heart flutter a little bit in the first. I think he made Josh VanMeter’s heart flutter a ton," Shelton said, referring to his emergency catcher. "When you start to catch new guys, it’s a little bit of a challenge. He did a nice job going through it."
Luckily for all involved, it caught only his glove and didn't cause any more damage than that which proved to pay major dividends with Knapp's RBI double in the second inning that scored left fielder Jake Marsinick from first base.
While that got the scoring started, it was Knapp who knocked in the final two runs, hitting into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded in the eighth to plate Tsutsugo and Castillo. Knapp hit a grounder to Nationals third baseman Maikel Franco, who tossed the ball to second for the force out of Marsinick, who had reached on a single. Marsinick's ability to break up the double play led to an error on the play and Knapp to be safe at first and Castillo to trot home to push the lead to 6-2.
• With the heart of the order up in the top of the seventh inning, it was David Bednar who took the mound. It's a situation he's not found himself in, but was important given who was up in the inning.
"We didn’t see him do that at all last year," Shelton said. "When you have to come in and go through the heart of their order, it was really important for him to come in and get Nelson Cruz out."
"I'm ready to go whenever the phone rings," Bednar said. "I'm just trying to get out and get the guys back in."
It worked out for both Bednar and the Pirates, as he went 1 2/3 innings, yielding a hit, a walk and notching a strikeout. The move was also noticed by Chavis, who was complimentary of the decision made by Shelton to give the ball to Bednar.
"As soon as Bednar came out, I actually said I love that move, just having him come out, throw BBs and go more than one inning," Chavis said. "It's incredible to see, and we definitely really appreciate it."
• Eight of the nine Pirates in the lineup reached base, with Gamel being the lone man in the lineup not to get on. It speaks volumes that despite his performance at the plate that he was able to perform the way he did in the field.
"I think it says a lot about the player, and I think it's what great players do," Chavis said. "You're not always going to have your best game at the plate, and being able to affect the game and really change the game on the other side of the ball is really important and that's absolutely what he did tonight."
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
• Live file
• Standings
• Statistics
• Schedule
• Scoreboard
THE HIGHLIGHTS
THE INJURIES
• Kevin Newman, shortstop, was held out with left groin tightness, according to Shelton.
• Roberto Perez, was held out with a leg contusion. Shelton said it was too soon to speculate if he might have to go on the Injured List.
• 10-day IL: OF Anthony Alford (hand), LHP Sam Howard (back), RHP Duane Underwood (hamstring), RHP Max Kranick (forearm), RHP Luis Oviedo (ankle). Howard threw a scoreless inning for low Class A Bradenton Friday in a rehab assignment, striking out two and walking one. Alford began a rehabilitation assignment Saturday with Bradenton.
• 60-day IL: OF Greg Allen (hamstring), RHP Blake Cederlind (UCL), RHP Nick Mears (elbow surgery)
THE LINEUPS
Shelton's card:
1. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
2. Brian Reynolds, CF
3. Michael Chavis, 1B
4. Yoshi Tsutsugo, DH
5. Diego Castillo, 2B
6. Ben Gamel, RF
7. Jake Marisnick, LF
8. Andrew Knapp, C
9. Cole Tucker, SS
And for Davey Martinez's Nationals:
1. César Hernández, 2B
2. Juan Soto, RF
3. Nelson Cruz, DH
4. Josh Bell, 1B
5. Keibert Ruiz, C
6. Maikel Franco, 3B
7. Lane Thomas, LF
8. Alcides Escobar, SS
9. Victor Robles, CF
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates and Nationals will once more in Pittsburgh at 1:35 p.m. Sunday. Jose Quintana (0-1, 1.69) will take the bump against Patrick Corbin (0-2, 10.80). Alex Stumpf will have you covered. After that, it's off to Milwaukee for three games. DK will make that trip.
THE CONTENT
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