As Luis Torrens hit a ground ball to Ke'Bryan Hayes in the fourth inning of the Pirates' 9-2 win over the Mets tonight at PNC Park, Isiah Kiner-Falefa shaded to his left to spectate.
He ended up doing a little more:
That's Kiner-Falefa tagging Brett Baty at third to make one of the Pirates' best defensive plays of the season. It cut down the Mets' lead runner and saved a run in and preserved a two-run lead. Kiner-Falefa told me that he saw Baty break for third as the ball snuck under Hayes' glove and his instincts kicked in.
"Once he broke, I kinda wanted to make sure that I could make a play and I didn't know if I got him for sure," Kiner-Falefa said. "I knew it was going to be a close play. I was actually trying to get him coming off the base, but he was able to stay on. They didn't challenge it, so it kind of surprised me a little bit, but I'm glad I was in the right spot right there."
His teammates were equally impressed.
"To be in that position at that time, Ke’Bryan almost made an amazing play and for that guy to come in from behind, that’s just being aware and locked in," Nick Gonzales said.
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THE ASYLUM
Greg Macafee
2:08 am - 06.29.2025NORTH SHOREKiner-Falefa 'locked in' on heads-up tag
As Luis Torrens hit a ground ball to Ke'Bryan Hayes in the fourth inning of the Pirates' 9-2 win over the Mets tonight at PNC Park, Isiah Kiner-Falefa shaded to his left to spectate.
He ended up doing a little more:
That's Kiner-Falefa tagging Brett Baty at third to make one of the Pirates' best defensive plays of the season. It cut down the Mets' lead runner and saved a run in and preserved a two-run lead. Kiner-Falefa told me that he saw Baty break for third as the ball snuck under Hayes' glove and his instincts kicked in.
"Once he broke, I kinda wanted to make sure that I could make a play and I didn't know if I got him for sure," Kiner-Falefa said. "I knew it was going to be a close play. I was actually trying to get him coming off the base, but he was able to stay on. They didn't challenge it, so it kind of surprised me a little bit, but I'm glad I was in the right spot right there."
His teammates were equally impressed.
"To be in that position at that time, Ke’Bryan almost made an amazing play and for that guy to come in from behind, that’s just being aware and locked in," Nick Gonzales said.
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