The Pittsburgh Pirates hit the road Friday night to begin a ten-game road trip. The first three games of the trip would take place against the Baltimore Orioles. These two teams have a history, as Pittsburgh won the 1971 and 1979 World Series against Baltimore. The Pirates would be looking for a similar outcome during their stay at Camden Yards.
Mitch Keller made the start for Pittsburgh after nearly two-hour delay for weather and was very good during his six innings on the mound. He allowed just one run on eight hits, with one walk and one strikeout. Ramon Urias drove in that lone run in the sixth inning with an infield single into left center. Orioles starter Dean Kremer pitched 6.1 innings, striking out two and allowing four hits.
It would be up to the bullpens to keep their teams alive in the game. Manny Banuelos allowed two hits, with a walk and two strikeouts in one inning of work. Yohan Ramirez worked out of two bases loaded jams in the eighth. He would get a ground out to third and a fly out to short to keep the Pirates only down one run.
Baltimore had Cionel Perez pitch 1.2 innings and he would give up one hit, to go with two strikeouts during that time. They would turn the ball over to Felix Bautista in the ninth to close out the game. He would get Bryan Reynolds to ground out, give up a single to left to Ben Gamel, walk Ke’Bryan Hayes, strikeout Oneil Cruz, and end the game with a strikeout looking by Kevin Newman. This would be the fourth save of the season for Bautista.
Both teams had opportunities to break the game open, but pitching kept it close for the whole nine innings. Pittsburgh was outhit tonight 10-6, Hayes committed the lone error, and Manager Derek Shelton was ejected for arguing a check swing call in the eighth inning. Game two of this three game series will take place at 5:05pm on Saturday. JT Brubaker will face off against Austin Voth.
Record vs. Orioles: 0-1
Record vs. American League: 2-8
Record on the Road: 19-34
Overall Record: 43-63
And…
As Always…
Let’s Go Bucs!
