Pirates Takeaways: Young Bucs Offer Hope In 8-2 Win Over Cardinals (+)
PITTSBURGH — For the Pittsburgh Pirates, things at the major league level may not be going well this season, but that doesn’t mean they can’t look towards the future.
In the Pirates’ 8-2 win over the National League Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals, arguably the team’s top two prospects at the beginning of the season in Roansy Contreras and Oneil Cruz provided a glimpse into the future with big nights.
Contreras limited the Cardinals to just one run over 5.1 innings, and Cruz ended the night a home run shy of the cycle.
For Contreras, it was his latest strong outing. In his last three starts, Contreras owns a 1.54 ERA.
“I’m really glad in the results I’ve been getting. I think a lot of it comes from the work ethic, the work I’ve been putting in,” Contreras said through team interpreter Mike Gonzalez.
Contreras spent a bulk of the season with Triple-A Indianapolis, but the rookie right-hander is tied for the team lead with five wins.
For Cruz, his three-hit, three-RBI night extended his hitting streak to six games, tying a career high.
“It feels great because that’s what we’re working for, that’s what I’m working for. Those are the types of games I’m aiming for,” Cruz said through Gonzalez.
Cal Getting Comfortable
In addition to Cruz and Contreras performing well on Friday night, Cal Mitchell was no slouch either in the Bucs’ win.
The 23-year-old tied a career-high for hits in going 3 for 3 with an RBI, a run and a walk.
Ever since he was recalled from Triple-A when rosters expanded to 28 players at the beginning of the month, Mitchell has been locked in at the plate. In six games, Mitchell is hitting .368 and has drawn three walks.
“Good at-bats throughout the whole game. The one at the end there with the infield drawn in, (Mitchell) didn’t try and do too much. It’s really kind of cool when you see the young kids have big games like that especially against a team that’s leading our division,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said.
Mitchell joined both Cruz and Contreras as young players who showed promise and give hope to a last-place team moving forward.
“It feels great, I’ve been playing with those guys for a long time,” Cruz said on the young core delivering. “For us all to be up here and being able to make an impact on the team right now, it’s a great feeling.”
Worked Him Hard, Knocked Him Out
Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas is a guy who works deep into ballgames. Entering play, he was third in the major league with 176.1 innings, averaging well over six innings per start.
The Pirates were able to get to Mikolas for four runs and eight hits, and knocked the right-hander out of the game after just five innings and 100 pitches.
“I thought we did a really good job with our approach, I mean we did not chase,” Shelton said. “He’s a guy that no hit us for 8.2 innings earlier in the year and we made him execute pitches.”
It was a well-rounded effort from the Pirates’ offense as every player in the starting lineup picked up at least one hit.
“I don’t know if I’ve been more proud of our group as a whole… for the fact that we were able to work counts and make him grind like that, it’s a really positive sign for a young group of hitters really staying with their approach,” Shelton said.