Rowdy Tellez’s Big Game Not Enough for Pirates in Loss to Blue Jays

Rowdy Tellez had three hits and drove in four runs but it wasn’t enough for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who fell 5-4 to the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre on Sunday afternoon.

Entering play, Tellez had gone nearly a month without an RBI and hadn’t driven in a run on a base hit since the end of April.

He was able to put an end to both droughts. The Pirates’ first baseman drove in the first run of the game on a single in the top of the third. Two innings later, he plated a pair with a double to center field.

Both instances gave the Pirates (27-32) a lead, but the Blue Jays (28-30) were able to erase both deficits.

With the Pirates trailing by two runs in the top of the ninth, Tellez drove in Oneil Cruz, who doubled, with a single the other way but Ji Hwan Bae struck out to end the game.

Outside of Tellez, the Pirates were 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.

Toronto tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the third when Daulton Varsho scored on a Quinn Priester wild pitch.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. trimmed the Pirates’ lead to one with an RBI-single in the fifth and the Blue Jays jumped out in front on Daniel Vogelbach’s pinch-hit double against Hunter Stratton. Vogelbach’s two-bagger drove in a pair and the former Pirates’ designated hitter had at least one RBI in all three games in the series.

Davis Schneider tacked on an insurance run with a double down the left field line in the sixth.

Priester (0-5) was charged with four runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three. Chris Bassitt (6-6) allowed three runs in five innings and struck out seven.

Up Next

The Pirates have a day off on Monday before returning to PNC Park to face the Dodgers. Jared Jones (3-5, 3.55 ERA) will be opposite former Pirate Tyler Glasnow (6-3, 3.04 ERA) in Tuesday’s opening game.

Noteworthy

The Pirates recalled Priester prior to first pitch and placed Alika Williams on the 10-day injured list.