Pirates’ Wilber Dotel Earns First Win, Looks Poised for Bigger Role
PITTSBURGH — Five appearances and two stints into his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wilber Dotel earned his first big-league win.
The 23-year-old rookie threw three-scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Pirates in their 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park. Starter Carmen Mlodzinski left the game after five innings with the score tied 1-1, and Dotel was pitching when Henry Davis hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning.
“It’s awesome,” manager Don Kelly said of Dotel getting his first win. ” Three innings out of the ‘pen in that situation in such a close game. Mixed, changed speeds, threw strikes. He was tremendous.”
Dotel entered in the sixth inning and stranded a Moisés Ballesteros one-out single. He then recorded two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 seventh inning. After Davis put the Pirates ahead in the bottom of the seventh, Dotel went back out for the eighth inning and delivered another scoreless frame.
“That was great,” Mlodzinski said of Dotel’s performance. “I feel like he went right after guys. It was a 1-1 game and it looked like we were winning 10-0 which is a compliment to his composure on the mound, which is super-important in a game that is close.”
Dotel, who has been used as a starting pitcher for the majority of his minor-league career, has slotted in nicely to a bullpen that has had its struggles this season.
“It feels really comfortable,” Dotel said of pitching out of the bullpen through coach/interpreter Stephen Morales. “My job is to eat innings. I they need me for one or for three out four, I’ll be ready.”
Despite being a rookie, Dotel has shown plenty of composure on the mound. After Monday’s masterful performance, the right-hander has a 1.69 ERA, having allowed two runs on six hits in 10.1 innings.
His confidence seems to be growing with each outing.
“It’s strong right now,” Dotel said of his confidence. “It all comes from my hard work and then trusting my abilities.”
Kelly, who said he thought Dotel looked good during his first stint with the Pirates earlier in the year, has seen him grow as a pitcher even more of late.
“Looks a little more comfortable now, getting some innings under his belt and starting to understand how to attack guys,” said Kelly.
Given that the Pirates bullpen this season has been shaky and Dotel has looked solid through the first handful of outings to begin his career, he looks like a player poised to take on a larger role.
More about:Pirates