It wasn't pretty, but the Pirates managed to do just enough to push runs across in the early stages of their 3-0 win over the Astros tonight at PNC Park.
They scored their runs on a groundout off the bat of Isiah Kiner-Falefa and a sacrifice fly by Andrew McCutchen in the second inning, and a double play ball in the third.
But it was the hits they were able to stack that ultimately helped make the difference. In the second, it was an infield single by TommyPham and this EndyRodriguez double down the first-base line that set the tone:
The back-to-back hits came with nobody out in the inning and both runners scored without another hit being registered. The same thing happened in the third when SpencerHorwitz, who went 2 for 3 with a walk, and Ke'BryanHayes delivered with back-to-back singles. Horwitz ended up scoring on the double play off the bat of AdamFrazier.
The Pirates finished with eight hits and registered just three in the final five innings, stranding two more runners in scoring position in the fourth and fifth. But the MikeBurrows-led pitching staff did its job to keep the Astros at bay and the offense did what it had to in order to provide support.
"A couple hits, Endy with the big double, Isiah gets a run in, Cruz gets on, Cutch gets on -- just finding ways to manufacture runs," DonKelly said. "Last night was frustrating, we don't score, but the road trip was good. I felt like we got back on track a little bit today, passed the baton, not trying to do too much and cashing in when we had an opportunity."
• Kelly said he considered leaving Burrows in to finish out the sixth inning after he allowed a leadoff double to JeremyPena and got IsaacParedes to line out for the first out. Instead, he turned to ChaseShugart, who walked a batter, struck out ChristianWalker and induced an inning-ending groundout. Shugart has now stranded all 13 runners he has inherited this season.
"You're back at the top of the order, only third time through. His pitch count was at 64-65 going into that inning, so we gave him some runway there," Kelly said. "But to be able to go to (Shugart) in a role that he's been fantastic in this year coming in with traffic on the bases and finding ways to get out of it, just felt like it was a good spot there to go to (Shugart)."
• OneilCruz picked up two hits, including a fourth-inning double, and stole two bases to give him 22 on the season. He leads all of Major League Baseball in stolen bases. As a team, the Pirates are fourth in MLB with 61 stolen bases.
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THE ASYLUM
José Negron
4:49 am - 06.05.2025North ShoreExtra Bases: Stacked hits lead to run production
It wasn't pretty, but the Pirates managed to do just enough to push runs across in the early stages of their 3-0 win over the Astros tonight at PNC Park.
They scored their runs on a groundout off the bat of Isiah Kiner-Falefa and a sacrifice fly by Andrew McCutchen in the second inning, and a double play ball in the third.
But it was the hits they were able to stack that ultimately helped make the difference. In the second, it was an infield single by Tommy Pham and this Endy Rodriguez double down the first-base line that set the tone:
The back-to-back hits came with nobody out in the inning and both runners scored without another hit being registered. The same thing happened in the third when Spencer Horwitz, who went 2 for 3 with a walk, and Ke'Bryan Hayes delivered with back-to-back singles. Horwitz ended up scoring on the double play off the bat of Adam Frazier.
The Pirates finished with eight hits and registered just three in the final five innings, stranding two more runners in scoring position in the fourth and fifth. But the Mike Burrows-led pitching staff did its job to keep the Astros at bay and the offense did what it had to in order to provide support.
"A couple hits, Endy with the big double, Isiah gets a run in, Cruz gets on, Cutch gets on -- just finding ways to manufacture runs," Don Kelly said. "Last night was frustrating, we don't score, but the road trip was good. I felt like we got back on track a little bit today, passed the baton, not trying to do too much and cashing in when we had an opportunity."
• Kelly said he considered leaving Burrows in to finish out the sixth inning after he allowed a leadoff double to Jeremy Pena and got Isaac Paredes to line out for the first out. Instead, he turned to Chase Shugart, who walked a batter, struck out Christian Walker and induced an inning-ending groundout. Shugart has now stranded all 13 runners he has inherited this season.
"You're back at the top of the order, only third time through. His pitch count was at 64-65 going into that inning, so we gave him some runway there," Kelly said. "But to be able to go to (Shugart) in a role that he's been fantastic in this year coming in with traffic on the bases and finding ways to get out of it, just felt like it was a good spot there to go to (Shugart)."
• Oneil Cruz picked up two hits, including a fourth-inning double, and stole two bases to give him 22 on the season. He leads all of Major League Baseball in stolen bases. As a team, the Pirates are fourth in MLB with 61 stolen bases.
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