North Shore Nine

The Pittsburgh Pirates won the battle of the Stache’s after scoring two in the top of the 9th. It was a pitchers duel to say the least from starter to closer, with the Pirates able to come out on top.

The first six innings of the game was a pure pitchers duel. Mike Mikolas did not give up a hit through six innings only allowing a 5th inning walk to Yasmani Grandal. Paul Skenes worked to match. He got into a a few situations but was able to pitch his way out of them like a 10 year vet, not a fresh rookie.
In the top of the seventh Bryan Reynolds led off with a triple. Connor Joe was they hit in the head, fortunately a glancing blow around the tip of the helmet. A Oniel Cruz strikeout on a nasty curveball set up the double play. Which did happen in a frustrating way as Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a screamer down the line that Nolan Arenado snagged and tagged the bag at 3rd to get the two to end the inning. Skenes came back in for the 7th even as he neared 100 pitches. Got a strikeout to start the inning then a excuse me double into short leftfield chased him from the game, to a standing ovation from the Cardinals fans. Aroldis Chapman came in and got a easy two outs to send the game to the 8th still 0-0.
Stache brother Nick Gonzales started the 8th with a double off the wall. Michael A. Taylor came in to pinch hit, he laid down a great bunt, however the Cardinals got Gonzales out at 3rd on the play. Grandal then hit into the easiest double play ever to quickly quench Pirate fans hope. Colin Holderman came on to pitch a scoreless 8th for the Pirates leading to the 9th.
The Cards brought on their closer Ryan Helsley for the top of the 9th in a 0-0 game. Jack Suwinski led off with a walk, Andrew McCutchen singled and Reynolds walked to load the bases with 0 outs. Connor Joe then hits a screamer at SS, Suwinski came home hard and was safe, making it a fielders choice RBI for Joe. Cruz then took a 1-2 pitch to deep enough leftfield to make it 2-0 Pirates. Hayes flew out to RF brining up Gonazles with two outs, but also pushing Helsley to 19 pitches on the inning. A stikeout by Gonzales ended the frame bringing on David Bednar with the game in the balance. The frame did not start well for the Pirates as the 1st pitch Bednar threw ended up being planted in the right center field seats. He then struck out Arenado with 3 straight pitches, taping into that soon to be dad strength. He then got Donovan to pop out in 3B foul territory to push it to two outs in the ninth. He then walked Jose Fermin on 4 pitches bring up the pinch hitter Ivan Herrera. However, Bednar was able to bear down and pump pitches past Herrera striking him out to end the game giving the Pirates a much needed win. However, a challenge on the field ended up turning a strikeout into a catcher interference, somehow, allowing the game to continue. So David Bednar had to face another batter in Michael Siani, who he struck out anyway giving the Pirates, finally, the win they had earned.

The Pirates will be back in action again tomorrow versus the Cardinals. Bailey Falter and Sonny Gray are the expected starters, game will start at 7:45 PM EST.