PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A two-out, two-strike double in the eighth took a win from Carmen Mlodzinski, but Bucs rebounded to walk-off the Braves on a Joey Bart infield single, the second of his career and second of the season as the Pirates won 4-3.
Adam Frazier with a pinch-hit single to lead off the ninth of Raisel Igelsias and then a cue-ball shot off the end of the bat by Ke’Bryan Hayes eluded the first baseman and sent Frazier to third. Bryan Reynolds would ground out to first, an intentional walk to Andrew McCutchen and then Bart with the game-winning hit.
"Frazier coming off the bench, doing that," Bart said. "That's one of the hardest things in sports, to come off the bench, get a pinch hit against a closer. So soon as that got moving. Seems like we caught a break on that swing (by Hayes), and those breaks we haven't really been catching, you know what I mean? Good things happen when you put the ball in play, and that's what happened there in the ninth."
"It was just great to see the resiliency there and the way that they continued to fight and come out on top," said Pirates manager Don Kelly.
It was the Bucs first series win since April 22-24 at the Angels.
Sweet Carmen
It was the longest outing of starter Carmen Mlodzinski’s MLB career, he gave up no runs over 5.2 innings with only one extra base hit allowed and four hits total. It’s his best performance since returning to the starting rotation this season, the first time since he was in AA ball. Mlodzinski allowed only one running to second base and that was on a two-out double in the fourth inning. However, he was unable to get his second win of the season.
“Unbelievable, can’t say enough about what he did. Competed and emptied the tank there. Did a great job," Kelly said. “He looked efficient. He was commanding everything and getting ahead. Really just staying in the zone, stayed in the zone all the way through competing like that.”
Ryan Borucki relieved Mlodzinski and went two scoreless innings, leaving with two outs in the eight when Tanner Rainey gave up a single, double, walk and three-run double. Joey Wentz cleaned up the eighth inning and Dennis Santana had a perfect ninth.
Big 5th
It’s the seventh straight game the Pirates scored three runs or less and got them all in the fifth. Jared Triolo led off with a single and would come around to score on a passed ball after stealing third base. Hayes stole second as part of a double steal with Triolo and came home on a McCutchen sacrifice fly and Reynolds, who had walked, scored on a Joey Bart single. It was Bart’s sixth hit in his previous seven at bats, the only out was on a line drive that shortstop Nick Allen jumped up to grab.
Related
McCutchen milestones
· With the sacrifice fly in the 5th, it’s 1,109 career RBI, one shy of Todd Zeile, 2 behind George Hendrick and Fred Lynn and 6 away from Rickey Henderson
· A single in the 1st means Cutch is one hit from Keith Hernandez (2,182) and three behind Joe Carter.
Minor League impacts
· RHP Mike Burrows (25-years-old) struck out 11 over 4.2 innings with AAA Indy giving up no runs. Since returning from Pirates, Burrows has given up 1 run in 12.2 innings striking out 23.
· SS/3B Jack Brannigan (24-years-old, righty, 3rd round pick ’22, Notre Dame) drove in 2 runs Sunday for AA Altoona and is top 10 in the Eastern League in RBI with 20.
· SS Javier Rivas (22, 6’6” right-handed hitter) drove in three runs (27), now 2nd in South Atlantic League
Mother's Day
The Pirates covered over the names of the players in the locker room with the names of the player's mothers on Sunday.
"Yeah, it made my day seeing my mom's name up there above my locker," Bart said. "Gosh. I mean, unbelievable. She's pushed me harder than anybody, way harder than my dad. When I was young, she came after me and saw something in me. I can't take that for granted. As well as my brothers too, three boys. I love my dad. He's an awesome guy, hell of a ball player, but she's the one that that really pushed us. Forever thankful for that."
Up Next
Pirates continue to battle the NL East opening a three-game series at the Mets with Paul Skenes (3-4, 2.77 ERA) starting against LHP David Peterson (2-2, 3.05 ERA) with first pitch at 7:10 and Dan Zangrilli starting The North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show at 6p Monday on 93.7 The Fan.