'It’s going to take someone different every night:' Pirates' bats finally come alive

PHOENIX -- Sometimes it takes just one player to help a team break out of an offensive slump.

Sometimes it takes all nine.

The latter applied for the Pirates Wednesday night in Chase Field, as the bats came alive to the tune of six runs and 11 hits, leading the way to a 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks.

"We needed that a little bit," Derek Shelton said. "We started it yesterday about the seventh inning, but to be able to continue it and continue it in the game [was important]."

The only player not to get in on the fun was Michael Chavis, who homered two times Tuesday and may have given the offense a bit of a spark late that carried over the next day.

Ben Gamel opened the scoring with a two-out, two-run double in the third and added another insurance run in the ninth on a ground out.

Along the way, the Pirates pulled off a successful pickle play with Jason Delay at first so Tucupita Marcano could steal home, got contributions from Greg Allen and saw Kevin Newman pick up three hits out of the leadoff spot. The latter two had been in a slump at the plate of late.

For a team that had been held to two or fewer runs in 16 of their last 19 games, getting contributions and clutch hits with runners in scoring position was a welcome change of pace.

Now the challenge is getting that to carry over to the next game. The Pirates haven't scored six runs or more in consecutive games since June 29 and 30.

"It’s going to take someone different every night with this team," Gamel said. "We got good production out of one through nine tonight."

MORE FROM THE GAME

• It just wouldn't be a Pirate game without one bizarre sequence of events, would it?

With the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly rolled a grounder over to Ke'Bryan Hayes at third, starting what should have been an easy around-the-horn double play. Hayes' throw to Rodolfo Castro was on the mark with no problems there, but Castro noticed that he had an easy read to get Emmanuel Rivera, the runner who was on second, out at third.

He tossed it onto Newman who was covering third, and he touched the bag. However, there wasn't a force at that base anymore, so he started jogging back to second where Rivera was retreating. No rundown was initiated, and Rivera nearly got back to second base in time, but his foot missed the bag as Newman applied the tag. Had his foot been on the base, there was no force and he would have been safe:

The Diamondbacks reviewed the play to see if they could get a runner on second and still bring the potential game-winning run to the plate, but the call stood. It was a double play, one that was far more complicated than it needed to be.

"Thankfully it worked out and we got two outs and got out of it and got the win," Newman said. "Definitely kind of a weird one."

"We just need to turn the double play there," Shelton said after chuckling about the unnecessary complexity of that sequence of events.

• That bonkers play notwithstanding, Castro had himself a nice bounce-back day after the cell phone incident Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with a triple and a run.

No word yet from the league on that, though Shelton says he does expect to hear something.

• Cap tip to Eric Stout, who retired pinch-hitter Jordan Luplow for the final out of the game after Crowe was removed because of the delay from the review. In the process, the 29-year-old lefty picked up his first major-league save.

"Gam threw it [the final out ball] in to me and I caught it, and I'm thinking this is probably his first save," Newman, who gave Stout the ball. "That's just a cool feeling, and I'm super happy for him."

• Mitch Keller was solid through the first three frames, but wavered his second time through the order, being pulled with one out in the sixth for Colin Holderman after allowing three runs and some harder contact.

"The situation in the game just called for — we were up three at that point — totally understand why we went to the bullpen," Keller said. "Just frustrating. I wanted to get through six."

Keller allowed five hits and a walk and struck out three.

It was hardly a poor start, and he did induce another ground ball for a double play in his outing. That was the 14th ground ball double-play he's gotten since May 31, the first start where he leaned on his new sinker. That's the most in baseball in that time.

"It seems like those ground balls are getting scooped up a little bit more than they were last year," Keller said. "Very pleased with that. Trying to keep them on the ground and keep them out of the seats."

• Tyler Beede threw a bullpen before the game, and it sounds like he will start again Saturday in what has become a bullpen game each trip through the rotation since the trade of José Quintana.

• Before the game, Shelton was asked about Josh VanMeter's role with the club moving forward. His response, in full:

"He'll get pinch-hit at-bats, starts here and there. I think one of the things that stands out he's really good in our clubhouse, really good in our dugout. He's a veteran guy that understands his role, understands what he means to the team. I think that's something I greatly appreciate about how he's gone about his business."

VanMeter has played in two games and batted three times since the trade deadline on August 3. Sounds, and looks, like the majority of the reps at second and first base will go elsewhere.

• Also before the game, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk gave a medical update on players on the injured list.

David Bednar (lower back) is doing lumbar/spine exercises. The hope is he will resume throwing in about a week. Same timetable to start throwing applies to Dillon Peters (left elbow) too. Canaan Smith-Njigba should get imaging on his right wrist in the next 7-10 days. Nick Mears (elbow) has no reported symptoms before or after throwing, as he continues his rehab assignment with Class AAA Indianapolis. Tyler Heineman (groin) has resumed baseball activities.

On the minor-league side, Henry Davis (wrist) is hitting and receiving without issues, though he is not quite ready for games. Lonnie White Jr. should appear in games in Florida in the coming days or by this weekend. Brennan Malone is getting another opinion on his right shoulder, which should happen in the next 5-7 days. Nick Gonzales (foot) has resumed game action and could return to his accustomed level of competition soon.

• Ok, here's the video of the two fans who ran out onto the field:

Really poor open field tackling from the defense.

• Factoid of the Game: This start snapped a streak of six straight starts by Keller where he recorded at least six innings. The last Pirate to do that was Trevor Williams when he did it in his first eight starts in 2019.

THE ESSENTIALS

• Boxscore
• Live file
• Standings
• Statistics
• Schedule
• Scoreboard

THE HIGHLIGHTS

THE INJURIES

• 10-day injured list: C Tyler Heineman (right groin strain)

• 15-day injured list: RHP David Bednar (low back), LHP Dillon Peters (left elbow inflammation)

• 60-day injured list: OF Canaan Njigba-Smith (wrist), RHP Blake Cederlind (UCL), RHP Nick Mears (elbow), RHP Max Kranick (elbow), C Roberto Pérez (hamstring)

THE LINEUPS

Shelton's card:

1. Kevin Newman, SS
2. Bryan Reynolds, DH
3. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
4. Ben Gamel, RF
5. Michael Chavis, 1B
6. Rodolfo Castro, 2B
7. Greg Allen, CF
8. Tucupita Marcano, LF
9. Jason Delay, C

And for Torey Lovulla's Diamondbacks:

1. Jake McCarthy, LF
2. Alek Thomas, CF
3. Ketel Marte, 2B
4. Christian Walker, 1B
5. Daulton Varsho, RF
6. Emmanuel Rivera, 3B
7. Seth Beer, DH
8. Carson Kelly, C
9. Geraldo Perdomo, SS

THE SCHEDULE

One more at the self-proclaimed most fan-friendly ballpark in baseball. The Pirates will try to salvage a series split in a Thursday matinee. JT Brubaker (2-10, 4.49) will face Marrill Kelly (10-5, 2.86), with first pitch coming at 3:40 p.m. I'll be there for it and in San Francisco for the final leg of the road trip Friday.

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