The Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves were back in action Saturday night from Truist Park. The Pittsburgh offense came to play, collecting 14 hits and hitting two home runs to take down Atlanta by the final of 8-4. Even the benches cleared in the first inning to show the fire inside these two teams.
Ke’Bryan Hayes got things started with an RBI double in the third inning. He would score when Bryan Reynolds hit a 418 ft. home run to left center. The Braves got their first run of the game in the bottom half of the inning on a Matt Olson single to right center. Two runs by Atlanta in the fourth would tie the game at three.
The Pirates would use a three run fifth inning to take the lead for good. Endy Rodriguez would hit an RBI single to right and then score when Jack Suwinski singled to right center. Ji Hwan Bae would plate Suwinski on a single to center. A Miguel Andujar RBI single in the sixth would add to the lead before Matt Olson cut into the lead with a solo homer to right center in the seventh. Liover Peguero hit a 411 ft. solo home run to left center in the ninth for the final run of the night.
John Oviedo had another short outing tonight, going 3.2 innings allowing three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Something seems to be off with him since pitching a complete game a couple starts back. Ryan Borucki earned the win after working an inning, Colin Selby, Carmen Mlodzinski, and Colin Holdermann covered the next 3.1 innings before setting the stage for David Bednar to strikeout two in the ninth.
Dylan Dodd was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and three walks over four innings. Michael Tonkin allowed two runs on three hits with two strikeouts during an inning of work. Darius Vines pitched three innings, allowing a run on two hits with a strikeout, before Kirby Yates allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts in the ninth.
I always love seeing the Braves lose, especially right now with them holding the best record in baseball. These two teams will lock up one more time in 2023 on Sunday afternoon at 1:35pm with the season series in the balance. Pittsburgh will send Luis Ortiz to the mound, while Atlanta will counter with Allan Winans.
Record vs. Braves: 3-3
Record vs. N.L. East: 11-11
Record on the Road: 32-39
Overall Record: 66-76
And…
As Always…
Let’s Go Bucs!
