PIRATES

Konnor Griffin was simply trying to help Braxton Ashcraft escape a bases-loaded jam when things took a turn for the worse in the fifth inning here today at PNC Park. 

Griffin fielded a ball off the bat of Luis Garcia Jr. and attempted to get over to second base to start what he hoped to be an inning-ending double play. It didn't work out in his favor, though, as three runs ended up scoring on this: 

“I was just trying to make a play for Braxton," Griffin explained. "Fielded it, thought I had a chance to get second, turn and throw, my back leg got stuck under his. At that point, I just tried to hold onto it. It kinda slipped out of my hand and three runs scored. That’s on me. Keep working on that.”

While the 19-year-old Griffin took responsibility for the error that cost the Pirates three early runs, Ashcraft didn't waste time coming to his defense postgame. 

“We talked about it and he came up and said, ‘Hey man, I’m sorry.’ I said, ‘Never apologize to me for the plays you make. Nobody questions the effort you put in, nobody questions the process that you have throughout your work,'" Ashcraft said. "And then he comes back and the next at-bat or the second at-bat after that and hits a triple. That’s a testament to the professional that he is and the way that he goes about his work and again, he won a Gold Glove in the minor leagues, which is a really hard thing to do. I know that he expects himself to make that play, but it’s baseball. Baseball happens. That wasn’t an easy play at all and it’s part of the game, it’s part of how we go about our process, and for him to go out and contribute immediately to the team and to be able to give us a chance to win after that. I mean, if I don’t put two guys on base, that play never happens in the first place. ... I think that I speak for the 25 other guys in the clubhouse that nobody has anything but 100% confidence in Konnor Griffin in the way that he goes about his work and the way that he plays the game."