PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Chirping at an umpire started a series of events that led to the Pirates using an infielder as a catcher in a 9-2 loss at the Reds on Saturday in game one of a doubleheader.
The drama, or maybe better said, foreshadowing began in the sixth, with the game tied at two. Pirates back-up catcher Andrew Knapp shouted out of the dugout on a check swing and was tossed from the game. Even Bucs manager Derek Shelton seemed confused by what happened, asking the umpires who they were throwing out.
Top of the eighth inning, still tied at two, Pirates starting catcher Roberto Perez singled to lead off the inning. Ben Gamel would follow with a single and as Perez was rounding second and went down awkwardly. He would reach his hand back to second base, but it was more than awkward, it was an injury.
Before they deal with that, the Pirates have first and second and no one out. Before you think about what you are doing behind the plate, hopefully they scratch out a few runs to relieve a little pressure. Bryan Reynolds walks. It's bases loaded and no one out. Would you believe the next three Pirates (Hayes, Vogelbach, Chavis) strike out?
Would you then believe they had to play their utility infielder behind the plate?
Josh VanMeter had not caught a game since he was 14 years-old, yet pressed into serve as the Bucs best option.
"Pure panic to be honest with you," VanMeter said of his reaction on AT&T Sportsnet postgame. "I saw him go down. It happened so fast. I had to go put a cup on. I had to grab Knapp's catching gear and then had to figure out what glove I was going to use (he used Perez's) and then the inning was over it felt like and I had to be out there."
Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
The inning went about as well as you could probably expect, although VanMeter caught what was in front of him. Pitcher Wil Crowe, who is having an outstanding start to the season, seemed bothered by throwing to a second-baseman in a 2-2 game. The righty hit the first batter, then walked the next two. There were a couple of pitches VanMeter could have framed better, but the last time he was a catcher, he was half his age.
Then after battling in a 3-2 count, Reds Tyler Stephenson hits one down the right field line that Gamel couldn't get a beat on. Cincinnati up 4-2. Pitching change, a walk, a couple of outs, it's still manageable. Until a Pirates error and two Cincinnati doubles. Losers of nine straight, the Reds score seven times in a situation that never should have happened.
"Can't happen, I know I'm the only backup catcher here," Knapp said of his ejection with AT&T Sportsnet after the game. "It's a horrible feeling. It shouldn't happen. I feel bad for the guys that came in and pitched, for Josh, the whole team. It falls on me to be smarter than that."
"Responsibility falls on me to keep a cool head. It was just a stupid mistake."
