PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Everyone in the Pirates lineup but the guy who drove in three runs scored as the Pirates drove the winning streak to a season-high four games with a 10-3 blowout win over Miami Monday night.
Bryan Reynolds’ three-run triple in the third inning gave the Pirates a lead the wouldn’t relinquish. It was Reynolds’ 29th career triple, tying him with Jason Kendall and Manny Mota on the Pirates all-time list. It also gave him a team-leading 39 RBI on the season. Andrew McCutchen, Adam Frazier and Brett Sullivan also drove in runs, Sullivan with two RBI in his Pirates debut.
"It was great,” said manager Don Kelly. “Gap to gap. We've talked about passing the baton and just finding a way. Big long at-bats like you talked about with Sullivan to lead off the inning with the walk. We got some of those.”
“Ke'Bryan laid down a tremendous bunt for a base hit in that situation. Gonzo came up, Spencer hit the double, he gets a base hit, gets a couple of hits in the four-hole there. Just good, solid at-bats. Going gap to gap. I mean, I don't even know how hard Oneil hit that double to left-center, it was crushed. And then Bryan obviously with the huge triple there with the bases loaded."
The win also means the Pirates are 15-14 under new manager Don Kelly.
"Just how we're playing, you know?” Kelly said about the team over his first month. “Going out and playing the game the right way. Brett Sullivan coming up from Triple-A, he goes first to third in that situation. The way we're running the bases. Getting bunts down, playing the small game. Even when we haven't gotten guys over, there is intent to get guys over.”
“Just the intent of how we're going about it has been really good. We talked about that process earlier, and how it will lead to more wins."
“He’s just a solid guy,” Burrows said. “He’s really good at what he does. You trust him. I think he just brings a really good attitude to the table for us and let’s us play, which is cool.”
“He’s just great,” Reynolds said. “Everyone in here loves him. He’s fun to play for, so not much more you can ask.”
Burrows no decision
Carmen Mlodzinski acknowledged the challenge to stay in the majors before he was sent down. Now Mike Burrows is in that position, being the guy holding onto that final rotation spot. The 25-year-old went 4.1 innings, four hits, two runs, three walks and six strikeouts with 41 of 66 pitches for strikes.
“Felt like he got elevated a bit at the beginning and kinda lost it,” Kelly said. “Didn't have the command there.
But he pitched pretty well. The decision behind going to Shug there, because of what Paul and Ash did yesterday, we had a full pen and really felt like it was a good opportunity to go to the pen.”
The pressure is there to stay with Bubba Chandler seemingly beyond ready for a promotion. The 22-year-old is 2-1 with a 2.49 ERA (6th International League) in 12 starts in AAA In 50.2 innings he’s struck out 70 (3rd in IL) and walked 22. The WHIP is 1.13 (6th in IL) and the batting average against is .192 (3rd in IL).
Up Next
Mitch Keller looks for his second win of the year in game two against the Marlins. Keller (1-8, 4.13 ERA) against Miami RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-7, 7.89) at 6:40p. In May Alcanata gave up 25 runs in 25 innings. Dan Zangrilli starts the North Shore Tavern Leadoff Show at 5:45p.