PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was an outcome that seemed less relevant after the injury to Ke'Bryan Hayes. Cubs beat the Pirates 5-1 Saturday afternoon in Chicago.
Cubs pitchers faced four batters or less in every inning but the first, when Kevin Newman drove in the only run on a two-out, two-strike single up the middle. Pirates struck out a dozen times and the only extra base hit was a 2-out, triple by Adam Frazier.
Jake Arrieta got the win giving up a run on six hits and five strikeouts. Thursday it was the Pirates bullpen, Saturday it was the Cubs bullpen excelling; combining for 3 perfect innings with 7 strikeouts.
Cubs had at least a baserunner in every inning but the eighth.
Hayes hurt
A favorite for National League Rookie of the Year, third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes left the game in the third inning with left wrist soreness.
"From talking to him out at first, he caught the knob on his swing when he turned it over," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. "I guess the knob caught in his hand awkwardly."
That swing happened in his first at bat of the game. There will be an update on Hayes Sunday morning.
Anderson outing
First Pirates start for free agent lefty Tyler Anderson, lasting 5 innings, giving up 3 runs (including a home run), 5 hits, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.
"I thought it was ok, obviously some room for improvement," Anderson said. "I thought for the most part command was ok. Not a good job of putting myself in a situation with runners on a lot. That's not a good recipe for success."
"I thought he executed some pitches," Shelton said. "We cost him pitches because we made the two errors in the one inning. It elevated his pitch count up a little bit. I thought he did a good job."
Oviedo perfect inning
Rule 5 right-handed pitcher Luis Oviedo made his Major League debut with a 1-2-3 inning, including his first strikeout, Mt. Lebanon's Ian Happ. The 21-year-old last pitched in low-A ball in 2019.
"It was just an emotional place for me," Oviedo said. "It's been a dream I've had since I was a child. It was very special for me. I was filled with a lot of emotions, a lot of excitement. To be able to get strikeout, that meant everything to me."
"We felt there were some decent matchups," Shelton said. "He came in and did a nice job today. He got two ground balls and a punch out of a good hitter. Nice to break that barrier for him."
Keller season debut on birthday, Sunday
Struggling to an 11.91 ERA during Spring Training with 8 walks, Mitch Keller will make his 2021 debut Sunday on his birthday in the closest NL Central opponent to his home.
"I think the last couple (of spring starts) he built on," Shelton said. "We just have to make sure the fastball command it what he wants it to be. I think we are starting to see him slow it down a bit. His arm slot seems to be in the right slot."
Keller made 5 starts last year with a 2.91 ERA , 9 hits allowed, 18 walks, 16 strikeouts.
