PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Remember when Bailey Falter was booed being introduced on Opening Day in Pittsburgh. The fans taking out their frustrations on the man they believed was picked to make the team instead of Paul Skenes. The veteran lefty gave up a lone run with eight strikeouts in seven innings in a 2-1 Pirates win over Milwaukee Tuesday night.
He did with a majority of fastballs.
“Both sides of the plate and we went right after them,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “Kind of put them back on their heels a little bit. Overall fastball command was elite.”
“It was attack-mode. The thing that was the most impressive, in the last five innings he went 10, 10, 10, 9, 7. You have to be efficient to be that low in pitch count.”
“I feel like I was getting some late movement, late cut action,” Falter said after tying his career-high in strikeouts. “The two-seam had some late cut on it, so we just ran with that.”
“Keep it simple for him, don't overcomplicate it,” said catcher Joey Bart. “I don't even talk to him in the dugout. Just do your thing. I started to see some 94s pop up there. Guys were missing. There was a lot of swing and miss, a lot of cheating and swinging and missing and when you're doing that it opens up a different part of the plate. I just wanted to stick with his strengths and keep it going.”
Since the second inning of his season debut on March 31 at Miami, Falter has posted a 1.73 ERA (5 earned runs in 26 innings pitched) with a .154 opponents average, 16 strikeouts and five walks.
“Just simplified things, kind of shy away from the pitcher that got me to the big leagues in the first place,” Falter said. “Just tried to go back to that and so far, it’s worked really good for me.”
“It’s fastball execution and just attack,” Shelton said. “He’s going after people. He’s stayed in attack-mode and I think we are seeing the results of it.”
Dating back to September 23 of last season, Falter has allowed two runs in his last 23.2 innings pitched at PNC Park (0.76 ERA). He also followed up a seven-strikeout game from Jared Jones with one more K, even if he does it a little differently.
"I tell everyone Jared going and then me following him, I think it's a guy goes out there, speeds 'em up, I come in and slow 'em down,” Falter said. “I feel like we've got a good little thing going on right now."
Cutch leadoff HR again
For the second consecutive game Andrew McCutchen led off with a home run, this time on the first pitch of the bottom of the first, a 105 mile-an-hour line drive to left field. The last Pirate to hit leadoff homers on back-to-back days was Adam Frazier five years ago. The last Pirate to hit a first-pitch HR leading off was Cole Tucker against the Phillies in 2021. It was also McCutchen’s 100th career HR at PNC Park and 24th lead-off homer in his career.
Bednar 2 for last 2
Another Pirates player who was booed at home, likely also as much for the situation than the actual player. David Bednar with consecutive saves has he’s thrown in three straight scoreless games, giving up no walks and three strikeouts.
"I gave them the green light and told them I felt good and went out and did it," Bednar said. “I think with all of them, just being able to be in the strike zone, commanding them in the strike zone. That's the big difference-maker for me. Whenever I can compete with all three in the zone, that's when I'm able to have success."
“Just on the attack,” Bart said. “He's mixing. He's landing curveballs. He's got devastating stuff. You don't have to play around with too many people. It's really just stay on the attack and throw strikes. He is who he is for a reason.”
Up Next
Game 3 of the series with former Pirates RHP Bryse Wilson, who is off to a hot start at 2-0 with a 3.29 ERA against LHP Josh Fleming instead of the initially named starter Quinn Priester, who struggled in his 2024 MLB debut last week. First pitch is at 6:40 on 93.7 the Fan as Dan Zangrilli hosts the North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show presented by Pella Windows at 5:45p.