Trailing by a run in the bottom of the 9th, the Pirates rallied for a 3-2 win when Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson made a diving stop of a bases-loaded grounder up the middle, tagged the bag for one out, but threw the potential game-ending double play ball away, allowing Edward Olivares to safely reach first and Jack Suwinski and Connor Joe to score the tying and winning runs.
Olivares had two hits and an RBI for the Bucs and Ke’Bryan Hayes also had two hits. Henry Davis drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Marco Gonzalez worked six innings, giving up two runs on five hits, striking out four, and walking none.
Manager Derek Shelton says it was a good Sunday afternoon at the ballpark.
Shelton liked the efforts of Gonzalez and Saturday’s starter, Bailey Falter.
Marco Gonzalez was happy to be part of a series-clinching win.
Jose Hernandez earned the win with an inning-and-a-third of relief after being recalled earlier in the day when reliever Ryan Borucki was placed on the injured list with a strained left triceps. It was Hernandez’s second win of the season, the first coming on opening day over the Marlins, when he was recalled on an emergency basis before that game.
The Pirates yesterday traded pitcher Colin Selby to the Royals for minor league pitcher Connor Oliver. Selby was designated for assignment last week when the team acquired catcher Joey Bart from the Giants. Oliver was Kansas City’s 17th round draft pick last year.
Pirates utility player Ji Hwan Bae began a rehab assignment with Bradenton yesterday and was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
Next up for the Pirates is a two-game series against the Tigers at PNC Park. Mitch Keller starts for the Bucs tonight in game one of the series. The pregame begins at 6:15 with first pitch scheduled at 6:40 on WCCS.
ALTOONA CURVE
The Altoona Curve fell to Akron, 1-0. Starter Anthony Solometo threw four scoreless innings for the Curve, striking out two, walking three, and giving up one hit. Valentin Linarez gave up a home run in the fifth inning, but struck out five over two innings of relief. Each team had only three hits.
The Curve are off today and will open a six-game series tomorrow night against the Harrisburg Senators at PNG Field. The home opener tomorrow night begins with first pitch at 6 o’clock.
