Battling Buccos: Crazy Ninth Inning Gives Pirates a 6-5 Win Over Dodgers

With the Pirates down 5-4 in the top of the ninth after a rare David Bednar blown save, the Pirates needed to rally. Diego Castillo, with one out, drew a walk, and then a wild pitch allowed him to advance to second base with Michael Perez at the dish.

Perez delivers a rare hit, and thanks to a beautiful slide by Castillo, the Pirates tied it up at five all. Michael Chavis came on to pinch run for Perez, and then all chaos broke loose.

With Cal Mitchell at the plate, he hits a grounder to Freddie Freeman, who then botches the ball, and Chavis scored on the error, giving the Pirates a 6-5 lead.

BATTLIN' BUCS pic.twitter.com/kr1njeqoZv

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 31, 2022

Bednar closed it out in the ninth, and the Pirates stole the first game of the series against the Dodgers 6-5.

Zach Thompson pitched a rather brilliant game against a very potent Dodgers lineup. Thompson used a five-pitch sequence but stuck mostly with his cutter, curveball, and four-seam. Thompson induced seven swings and misses.

Thompson’s final line read five and two-thirds, four hits, two earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts.

Tucupita Marcano blasted his first home run of the 2022 season in the second inning. That home run gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead and it was Marcano’s first big league home run.

Tucupita Marcano just hit his first Major League home run!!! pic.twitter.com/kbBlVPXelU

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 31, 2022

Bryan Reynolds followed up with a solo shot in the third inning, increasing the Pirates’ lead to 4-0.

Bryan Reynolds crushed that baseball. pic.twitter.com/jdHjQXh2zF

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 31, 2022

Hanser Alberto and Mookie Betts hit back-to-back solo homers in the fifth inning, cutting the Pirates’ lead to 4-2.

An Edwin Rios homer in the sixth, a Justin Turner double in the eighth, and a Chris Taylor single rounded out the Dodgers’ scoring and, at the time, gave them a 5-4 lead.