PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – There seems to be a overriding theme when it comes to the Pirates starting rotation-just trying to not think too much. Martin Perez said it was a key for him in eight strong innings against Detroit Tuesday.
We heard it from Bailey Falter after six, one-hit innings Saturday. We heard it Sunday from Marco Gonzales and again after Mitch Keller’s first win of the year on Monday.
“Trying to enjoy the game and have fun,” Perez said. “I think that got me to that inning, to the eighth. Everything was right there. I was attacking and moving the ball really good. We just followed the plan and it was a great game.”
“Martin was outstanding,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “He was in control. The first inning, Key (Ke’Bryan Hayes) made an unbelievable play to get him out of that. And then after that, there really wasn't much hard contact. He kind of stayed off the barrel the entire time. When his command's on, he throws the ball to very small sections of the plate. And when he does that, it's really hard to hit."
It would have been hard to think he might get a complete game after three of the first four batters had base hits. The momentum started to shift after the Hayes double play to end the first inning. After that, only three more hits spaced out over seven innings.
“That's a good play, one that will pump you up a little bit,” Perez said. “I just want to give them a chance to hit the ball too. I don't try to spend too much time outside and throw a lot of balls. I try to attack every time and get out of the game quick."
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Perez struck out seven and walked none on Tuesday afternoon. He had thrown 70 of 100 pitches for strikes. He said he wasn’t told why Shelton went to closer David Bednar. He said he was waiting to go out and more importantly ready to go out.
"Yeah, that's why I'm here,” Perez said. “I'm here to go out there every five days and go nine innings. That's why they brought me here to pitch. On my day, that's my goal. They had a different plan and you have to respect their decisions. I was fine with that decision."
"We still have lots of games and we have to move on. We have a good team and I know it's going to be a fun year for us."
It’s Perez’s best start and longest outing since a nine-inning shutout of the Astros in May of 2022. It’s the ninth time the 33-year-old has pitched at least eight full innings, but only two of those since 2019.
Perez’s outing marks the sixth straight game a Pirates starter has allowed two or fewer earned runs. It’s the fourth time since 2019 the Pirates have had such a stretch from their starting rotation.
“We all have a plan and I think that's all we have to do,” Perez said. “Go out there and try to throw a quality start every time. If we do that we're going to have a chance to win a lot of games. We want to make it to the playoffs and that's a way that we can make it."