NEW YORK — The Pirates’ offense can be a funny thing.
In far too many stretches this season, they’ve been quiet. When they do show up, with multiple players throughout the lineup contributing, it’s always a surprise who comes to the party.
In game one of Saturday’s doubleheader against the New York Mets, that was true again. It isn’t like the Pirates’ offense exploded — they won 5-2 — but the contributors were an odd group of players.
First came first baseman John Nogowski. The Pirates were trailing 1-0 in the top of the fourth inning. Second baseman Adam Frazier and center fielder Bryan Reynolds singled to put runners on the corners with one out, but left fielder Ben Gamel struck out to leave them there.
Nogowski stepped in, worked a 3-1 count, then ripped a fastball down the third-base line and into the left-field corner. Both runs scored and Nogowski ended up on second.
Maybe it isn’t fair to call Nogowski’s contributions a surprise anymore. He was designated for assignment by the St. Louis Cardinals and then traded to the Pirates for cash considerations, yes. That isn’t the profile of a player you’d expect to perform at the highest level. But after a 2-for-4 effort in game one, Nogowski is now hitting .342 this season. He is 12 for 20 with the Pirates so far.
So perhaps the expectation is becoming that Nogowski will come through in those situations. The same can not be said for the Pirates’ next run.
After the Mets tied the ballgame, 2-2, the Pirates answered back with their pitcher. Left-hander Tyler Anderson stepped into the box in the top of the fifth, faked a bunt a couple of times, then took a hack at a 1-1 pitch and absolutely crushed it, 393 feet to right-center field for his second career home run.
It was ultimately the game-winning run. The Pirates added three more from the more usual suspects, with Reynolds homering in the sixth and third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes doubling in a run in the seventh.
With that, a strong five innings from Anderson and a shutdown performance by right-handers David Bednar and Richard Rodriguez out of the bullpen, that was enough to give the Pirates game one of the doubleheader.
Game two will begin around 7:10 p.m., with Pirates rookie Max Kranick scheduled to make his second career MLB start.
