Buc Notes-too many gifts, Cruz sets mph mark in loss

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A couple of players who had been struggling came through with some big hits for the Pirates (11-8), but the Nationals (9-10) scored on a two-out hit by James Wood in the 10^th for an 8-7 win Thursday afternoon at PNC Park.

Stepping up

Marcell Ozuna only got his first RBI of the season on Tuesday, followed that up with one on Wednesday and then Thursday his first Pirates home run, a bomb off the third level of the left field rotunda. Ozuna’s no-doubter had a 109.6 mph velocity and traveled 423 feet to tie the game.

In the sixth it was Konnor Griffin with his fourth RBI of the season, which got his season average to .200 with a 400-foot triple off the center field wall. Then Nick Gonzales with an RBI single to right to give the Bucs a 6-5 lead.

Brandon Lowe would send the game to extra innings with a two-strike, two-out infield single in the ninth inning.

Ashcraft

It wasn’t the cleanest game for starter Braxton Ashcraft, allowing five hits, walking two and hitting a batter. A grounder to Griffin that if hit a little harder would have been a ground ball out turned into three runs, one earned and then his error allowed the fourth run to score. The final line 5.2 innings, 5 hits, 5 runs, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts. The righty would get a non-decision, raising his ERA to 2.38.

Gifts

Nationals didn’t need to earn their runs as much as they were given Thursday

• Griffin error allowed three to score, although one would have likely scored on a fielders choice.
• Ashcraft’s allowed another.
• A hit batter by reliever Yohan Ramirez tied the game
• Ramirez’s wild pitch in the 7^th gave Washington the lead
• Pirates had Henry Davis as a pinch-runner at third in the 10^th inning with no outs, but could bring him home.

Notes

• Oneil Cruz had his 5^th multi-hit game and his 24 hits are 3^rd in the NL
• Cruz’s RBI double to right was the hardest hit ball in the majors this year at 119 mph
• Mangum had 3 hits and was on base 4 times
• Nick Yorke started the game at first base, also played right field, came back to first base and then played third base.
• With the bases loaded in the 9^th and no outs, Pirates reliever Trevor Lawrence got a force out grounder at home and then a 3-2-3 double play to end the inning with no runs across
• Pirates had a season-high 4 errors

Up Next

Pirates open a three-game series with Tampa Bay on Friday at home with RHP Bubba Chandler (0-1, 3.86 ERA) starting against RHP Nick Martinez (0-0, 2.16 ERA) at 6:45p. Dan Zangrilli starts the North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show at 5:50p on 93.7 The Fan.