Offense Breaks Out in Pirates 8-1 Victory Over Orioles

The Pittsburgh Pirates‘ offense broke through in the fifth inning off Spenser Watkins and avoided a three-game series sweep with an 8-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The Pirates were on the wrong side of a perfect game through the first four innings, trailing 1-0, before Michael Chavis hustled down the first baseline for a one-out infield single in the fifth. That proved to be the spark the Pirates needed.

Bligh Madris advanced Chavis to second base with a line-drive single to right field.

With runners on first and second, Greg Allen delivered a softly hit single into right field, scoring Chavis.

The Pirates were not done, as Cal Mitchell deposited a single into left field, plating Madris. In the next play, Allen advanced to third on a wild pitch, proving key, as Jose Godoy followed by driving in a run on a fielder’s choice.

When the dust settled, the Pirates had taken a 3-1 lead.

Bryse Wilson pitched another solid game for the Pirates. Since incorporating his sinker more, Wilson has gone deeper into games and done a better job of limiting damage.

Wilson (2-6) used his sinker 48% of the time and averaged around 92 mph with it.

Wilson did not induce a ton of swings and misses with just eight. Yet it most of his five strikeouts came when batters were frozen from a well-placed sinker.

In his previous outing, Wilson allowed three homers off of his curveball. On Sunday, the only run he gave up was from a curveball that Jorge Mateo deposited into the left field bleachers to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.

Wilson’s final line read: five-plus innings, four hits, one earned run, no walks, and five strikeouts.

Chavis’ solid afternoon continued in the sixth inning with a hard-hit single to right field, scoring Bryan Reynolds and giving the Pirates a 4-1 lead.

Kevin Newman registered his first hit on the afternoon in the seventh inning, and after a reviewed out call at home plate, Allen was called safe due to blocking of the plate, giving the Pirates a 5-1 lead.

In the seventh inning, Reynolds had a RBI single, and a Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer. That closed the scoring.

Reynolds and Chavis finished with two hits each for the Pittsburgh Pirates.