PITTSBURGH — The Pirates’ 11-10 win on Friday was nearly right out of the most pessimistic Pirates fans’ playbook.
The Pirates used a different pregame routine to change their mojo on Friday, and it seemed to work. Behind an offensive flurry, they jumped out to a five-run lead in the first inning and a 10-run lead in the sixth over Cleveland. Right-hander Chad Kuhl pitched six innings, allowing one run and looking as good as he’s looked all season. Compared to the 10-game losing streak the Pirates had endured prior to Friday, this was the gravy train.
Then the bullpen took over, the group that’s been relatively reliable all season, and they melted down. Left-hander Sam Howard was first, allowing a two runs on a pair of bases loaded singles and then the big one: A grand slam to dead center from Cesar Hernandez. No matter, the Pirates still led by four.
In the eighth, righty Kyle Crick took over and it was more of the same. Two hit batters and a single loaded the bases again. This time, the Pirates took Crick out, turning to right-hander Clay Holmes.
Cleveland catcher Rene Rivera responded by roping a single to center to make it a two-run game. That wasn’t the worst of it. Center fielder Bryan Reynolds tried to throw a runner out at third after collecting the single, but the throw bounced off the back Bradley Zimmer as he slid in safely, and it skipped into the Pirates’ dugout, allowing him to trot home.
As closer Richard Rodriguez entered the game, doom was in the air, only enhanced when he allowed a pair of one-out singles. It’s hard to say it was against all odds, because the Pirates really should have won this game after the offensive outburst and starting pitching they got, but a straw poll of Pirates fans probably wouldn’t have been positive.
But Rodriguez did it. He issued a deep flyout to center and then a swinging strikeout on a high fastball to end it, giving the Pirates an 11-10 win.
The late-game hysterics wasted the Pirates’ best offensive game of the season. Not only were the 11 runs the most they’d scored all season, it was a stark improvement from the past 10 games. During that losing streak, they’d scored just 22 runs.
A two-run home run from right fielder Gregory Polanco highlighted the five-run first inning. A line drive, three-run double to the right-field wall highlighted the five-run sixth inning. Reynolds homered to right field in the third as well. That’s all the runs the Pirates got, but you would think it would be all they’d need.
That’s especially true given what Kuhl gave them. He was lights out in his time on the mound. He faced the minimum in his first five innings, eventually relenting for a run in the sixth, but he struck out four, walked one and allowed two hits.
His main success was erasing the baserunners he did face, forcing four double plays from Cleveland throughout the game. How that turned into the end result was a white-knuckled ride on a runaway train that somehow stopped before a cliff.
For how bad things have been, the Pirates will take that.
