Runs have been hard to come by for the Pittsburgh Pirates over the last week. During their eight-game losing streak, the offense only managed to score a total of 14 runs.
It was more of the same on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins. Tommy Pham hit an early home run to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead, but the bats went quiet after that. From the third to eighth innings, Pirates hitters only accumulated three hits, all singles, and a walk.
The Twins tied the game in the third inning, but the Pirates’ pitching staff held them at bay for the rest of the afternoon. Mitch Keller threw six innings of one-run baseball, while Caleb Ferguson, Dennis Santana, and David Bednar combined for three shutout innings.
The Twins turned to Jhoan Duran, their closer, in a tied ninth inning. Duran had a 1.49 ERA entering the game, among the league’s best relievers. Ke’Bryan Hayes, Oneil Cruz, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa all singled with one out to load the bases. With the infield in, Spencer Horwitz smoked a 102 mph fastball from Duran. Had it been hit a foot further to the right, Twins second baseman Brooks Lee likely fires home to cut down a run. Instead, Lee had to dive to make the stop, and the ball got stuck in his glove, eliminating the chance of a double play.
Horwitz was out at first, but the run from third scored, and that was all it took as Bednar shut the door in the ninth. The Pirates won the game, 2-1.
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It was the first win in the last nine games for Pittsburgh, taking their record to 39-58 at the All-Star break. They open the second half with a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox.
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images