PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates manager Derek Shelton started his post-game news conference Thursday afternoon taking blame for one of the most bizarre plays in MLB history.
“That’s on me, we got to know that,” Shelton said following a 5-3 loss to the Cubs. “I guarantee you’ll never see that again while I’m here. Hopefully, you’ll never see it again. That’s on me. Our guy needs to know the rule.”
Cubs Javier Baez hit a two-out grounder to third baseman Erik Gonzalez, who threw a little wide to first. Will Craig came off the bag to catch it and instead of going back to the bag to get the force out. Craig chased down a heads-up Baez who baited him by back peddling towards home. Craig would eventually flip to catcher Michael Perez as Willson Contreras slid home. Contreras was safe and the Baez made it to first as no one was there covering.
“We can’t chase a runner,” Shelton said. “We have to make sure we get the force. If he runs all the way back and runs into their dugout or runs down to the Strip District. We can touch first.”
“It was just a crazy play,” said starting pitcher Tyler Anderson. “There should have been 8 of us on the field yelling to just go step on first. That’s a whole team thing right there.”
“It’s a force out,” Shelton said adding Craig knew he screwed up and was a young kid who made a mistake. “That hasn’t moved in 104 years. Again, our guys have to know the rules. That’s my fault.”
Related
The Cubs would score two runs that inning as Anderson went 5 innings, allowing 4 runs, 3 earned on 4 hits with a walk and 4 strikeouts.
“As much as it sucks, it’s a talking point,” Shelton said. “It’s a teaching point. We can’t chase the guy. We have to touch the bag.”
Another error
Probably the Pirates best player this year, Adam Frazier made a bad base running mistake. After pinch-hitter Wilmer Difo drew a walk to open the 8th, Frazier hit one up the middle that Baez made a diving stop on. He would throw late to first base and the ball got past first baseman Kris Bryant, but the rebound went off the wall and right back to Bryant who easily threw Frazier out at second for the first out of the inning.
“I think they got a really good carom,” Shelton said of the play. “The way our day was going today they got a carom. We got a replay call right that turned into a homer (replay overturned Anderson hitting Patrick Wisdom, they changed it to a foul ball. Wisdom would homer later in the at bat).”
“I think it was one of those days where we didn’t catch many breaks.”
More HR
A rarity for the Pirates this year, a game where they out-homered an opponent, 3 to 2. Bryan Reynolds and Gregory Polanco with back-to-back solo home runs, third time the Pirates have hit back-to-back homers this year. Michael Perez would add another solo homer in the 7th.
Up Next
Mitch Keller (2-6, 7.41 ERA) starts for the Pirates, who have lost 9 of 10, opening a series against Colorado and RHP Jon Gray (4-4, 3.43 ERA) at home at 6:35 on 93.7 The Fan.