Pirates Take Series With Seven Late Runs: Strong Bullpen, Lowe Leaves the Yard
WASHINGTON — Seven late runs powered the Pirates to an 11-5 win on Sunday, July 5, giving them a series win over the Nationals in Washington. Bubba Chandler struggled, but the bullpen stayed steady long enough for Pittsburgh’s (46-45) bats to find a groove.
Scoring Plays
Top 2nd, 3-0 PIT: Ryan O’Hearn walked and Nick Gonzales singled to start. Endy Rodríguez moved them over with a groundout, setting up a two-run single from Tyler Callihan. Nationals’ starter Cade Cavalli threw wide on a pickoff try, allowing Callihan to dash to third; he then came home on a Jake Mangum single.
Top 3rd, 4-0 PIT: Bryan Reynolds led off the third with a homer, helping to chase Cavalli from the game early. Eddy Yean, formerly of the Pirates’ organization, made his big league debut with two on and one out, ending the inning unscathed.
Bottom 3rd, 4-2 PIT: Chandler allowed hard contact for most of his start. It finally stuck in the third inning on a two-run homer from first baseman Luis García Jr.
Bottom 4th, 4-3 PIT: Dylan Crews led off the fourth with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and scored with a pair of groundouts.
Bottom 5th, 4-4: Chandler loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth. That queued Mason Montgomery, who allowed the tying run to cross on a pop up — gloved on a diving play from Konnor Griffin — before escaping the inning.
Top 8th, 9-4 PIT: Konnor Griffin battled through a seven pitch at-bat, plunking the final pitch the opposite way for a two-run single and the lead. Brandon Lowe smacked a homer four pitches later, giving Pittsburgh a commanding lead.
Top 9th, 11-5 PIT: After a Dylan Crews homer in the eighth, Henry Davis singled home more insurance in the ninth.
Key Moment
The Pirates loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. After Konnor Griffin fell behind in the count and lost an ABS challenge, the opportunity seemed to dwindle, but he continued to grind out the at-bat, hitting the tiebreaking single before Brandon Lowe brought the house down.
Player of the Game
Konnor Griffin, who went 2-for-4 with two singles, two RBI, two sensational diving catches and a walk and a steal.
Stat to Know
Konnor Griffin became the fastest Pirate of the Modern Era (since 1901) to reach 20 career steals, doing so in his 59th game. Doug Baird held the previous record of 60 games, set in 1915.
Notable Performances
- Konnor Griffin: 2-for-4 with a walk and a steal
- Brandon Lowe: 1-for-5 with a three-run homer
- Nick Gonzales: 3-for-4 with a double and a walk
Noteworthy
- The Pirates designated Davis Wendzel for assignment prior to Sunday’s game, adding right-hander Noah Murdock to the 40-man roster in a corresponding move.
Up Next
After a day off, the Pirates will host the Braves at 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7. Paul Skenes (6-8, 3.62 ERA, 119 SO) is scheduled to start in that game; Atlanta hasn’t yet announced their starter.
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