The Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies wrapped up a four-game series this afternoon from Citizens Bank Park, and unlike the previous three games Pittsburgh would come out on top. The Pirates would use a solid pitching performance and some late offense to avoid being swept by their cross-state rivals.
Cole Tucker started things off when he sent the first pitch of the game into the seats in right field. Their next run wouldn’t come until the seventh, but their pitching and defense held the lead until then. In the seventh Ke’Bryan Hayes would add two runs with a double to right. Two more runs would go on the board for Pittsburgh in the eighth when Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a single to right. Hayes would provide the final run of the day in the ninth when he scored on a Philadelphia balk by Ramon Rosso.
The Pirates got solid pitching from not only Max Kranick, but the bullpen. Kranick would go five innings allowing four hits, with five strikeouts and three walks. He was replaced in the sixth by Chasen Shereve, who kept the Phillies off the board. David Bednar struck out one batter and allowed a hit in the seventh. Nick Mears gave up one hit, but struck out three batters to end the eighth. The ninth inning belonged to Chris Stratton who struck out two batters.
Pittsburgh would manage to walk a total off eleven times today, with Tucker and Hayes leading the way with two hits apiece. The Pirates will now wrap up this road trip tomorrow afternoon when they head back to Great American Ballpark to makeup a rainout from last week against the Cincinnati Reds. First pitch for tomorrow is set for 1:10pm and will mark the final road game of the 2021 season for Pittsburgh.
Record vs. Phillies: 3-4
Record vs. N.L. East: 17-17
Record on the Road: 24-56
Overall Record: 58-97
And…
As Always…
Let’s Go Bucs!
