This morning, Hunter Barco woke up in Memphis, Tenn. and didn't touch down in Pittsburgh until 6:15 p.m., just 27 minutes prior to Braxton Ashcraft's first pitch here tonight at PNC Park.
"It was actually a long trip, delayed five and a half hours and a quick turnaround once he got here. It (Barco’s plane flght) was delayed for five hours in Atlanta and for him to land at 6:15 p.m. and do what he did tonight, saved the bullpen a lot," Don Kelly said of Barco, who was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis earlier in the day. "At the beginning, kept it for us to be able to make it 6-3 and they were able to tack on but I thought he did a really great job under tough circumstances."
Barco finished the final 4 2/3 innings to save the bullpen after the team opted for a bullpen game in Monday's loss to the Cardinals.
"Hunter coming in and covering the rest of the game was huge," said Ashcraft. "It sucks I put him into that situation, with a game like yesterday used a lot of arms. It is imperative that we as starters pick the rest of the team up and I let everybody down in that aspect today."
Barco used the time waiting to make it to Pittsburgh by reviewing pregame scouting reports and preparing as if he was needed tonight.
"I sat at the airport and went over at-bats, hitters in my head,” Barco said. “I haven't done anything like that before but it's whatever you gotta do."
THE ASYLUM
Long day for Barco saves bullpen
This morning, Hunter Barco woke up in Memphis, Tenn. and didn't touch down in Pittsburgh until 6:15 p.m., just 27 minutes prior to Braxton Ashcraft's first pitch here tonight at PNC Park.
"It was actually a long trip, delayed five and a half hours and a quick turnaround once he got here. It (Barco’s plane flght) was delayed for five hours in Atlanta and for him to land at 6:15 p.m. and do what he did tonight, saved the bullpen a lot," Don Kelly said of Barco, who was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis earlier in the day. "At the beginning, kept it for us to be able to make it 6-3 and they were able to tack on but I thought he did a really great job under tough circumstances."
Barco finished the final 4 2/3 innings to save the bullpen after the team opted for a bullpen game in Monday's loss to the Cardinals.
"Hunter coming in and covering the rest of the game was huge," said Ashcraft. "It sucks I put him into that situation, with a game like yesterday used a lot of arms. It is imperative that we as starters pick the rest of the team up and I let everybody down in that aspect today."
Barco used the time waiting to make it to Pittsburgh by reviewing pregame scouting reports and preparing as if he was needed tonight.
"I sat at the airport and went over at-bats, hitters in my head,” Barco said. “I haven't done anything like that before but it's whatever you gotta do."
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