The Pirates turned a disastrous top of the 9th inning into a spectacular walkoff bottom of the 9th as they beat the Astros at PNC Park last night. Greg Brown has the exciting details.
Bae’s home run made him and Ji Man Choi the first pair of South Korean teammates in Major League history to homer in the same game. Bucs manager Derek Shelton says his young players did not back down in the face of adversity.
Shelton says pitcher Mitch Keller turned in another solid start (6 innings, 2 runs, 6 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts)
Keller says the Pirates are fighters.
The Pirates claimed right-handed reliever Eli Villalobos off waivers from Miami and assigned him to Indianapolis. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Bucs transferred Oneil Cruz from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.
Cruz was released from Allegheny General Hospital yesterday, his left leg encased in a cast, and director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said he will have to wait two months before he can put any weight on the leg. He said Cruz could return to “high-level baseball activity” in four months.
Tomczyk also said “all options are on the table”, and that may include the operating table, for pitcher JT Brubaker, who is seeking a second opinion on his elbow/forearm injury. Highly-regarded minor league pitcher Mike Burrows is seeking a second opinion on his right elbow ligament and forearm after being injured last week.
