PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Coming in leading the National League at scoring seven runs per game, the Bucs managed only a pair of solo homers in a Home Opener loss to Baltimore Friday, 5-2.
More K’s
Rookie starter Jared Jones followed up his 10-strikeout debut with seven strikeouts and two runs allowed, both on solo homers.
"I mean, it was awesome,” Jones said. “Made two mistakes today and that's really about it. Got out of a lot of sticky situations. That was good. First time pitching in the snow."
"Just filling the zone with my best stuff and throw with conviction whenever I throw."
“His stuff plays,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “That’s one of the best lineups in baseball right there. They grind through at-bats, they put the ball in play, which we saw in the seventh. They didn’t hit a ton of balls hard but they put the ball in play. And he was very impressive.”
Jones had 21 swings and misses and didn’t walk a batter on Friday.
"Yeah, I mean that lineup's really good,” Jones said. “I'm sure they're gonna be in the playoffs this year and pitching the way how I did and only having two pitches as mistakes, it's good signs."
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HRs
Oneil Cruz homered in the fifth inning and Jared Triolo in the seventh for the lone Pirates runs.
“It feels really good and that’s what we play for, for our fans out there,” Cruz said through a translator. “I’m pretty happy it went the way it went with the home run. That way I give some joy to the fans like they deserve.”
“The at-bat before, he froze me on an inside fastball, so I was kinda going up there gearing up for it,” Triolo said.
“He put it in the same spot."
Snow day
As Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown quipped during the opening ceremonies, what a beautiful day for baseball. He would later make a reference to the cold temperatures which hovered around 40 degree. There were no delays but early in the game a brief five-minute snow shower and it snowed again in the eighth inning. In the air only, nothing stuck to the ground and they kept playing.
“It wasn't too bad,” Jones said. “Adrenaline kicked in and that's what kind of helped me out a little bit. But, it was more interesting than anything."
"It was something,” Triolo said. “That was the first time I've ever done it. It's probably happened a lot for some of these guys, but yeah, the white snow coming down, it was pretty cool."
“It’s interesting,” Shelton said. “I’ve played in snow before. I’ve played in rain. I don’t know if I’ve ever played in two hail storms. You just kind of adapt and adjust to it. Unfortunately, both hail storms happened when we were hitting. We need to figure out how we can maneuver that next time.”
Up Next
LHP Bailey Falter against RHP Tyler Wells at 4:05 on 93.7 The Fan. Falter had to endure a few boos as he announced as part of the team introductions Friday. Falter allowed six runs in four innings in a no-decision Sunday in Miami. The Pirates would come back to win the game. Falter went 2-9 with a 5.36 ERA in 18 games with the Bucs and Phillies in 2023. At PNC Park last year, 2-1. 4.44 ERA in 24.1 innings.