8/21/23- By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on Twitter
Pirates bats came to life early and they didn’t let up, plating multiple runs in the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 8th innings en route to an 11-1 victory over the Cardinals.
Bryan Reynolds doubled with 1 out in the bottom of the first inning, moved to third when Connor Joe hit a ball to second baseman Jose Fermin, whose throw to first was in the dirt and was not able to be picked. Reynolds scored on an Endy Rodriguez single to Platinum Glove winner, Nolan Arenado, who ALMOST made a play.
Joe scored on a wild pitch from starter Drew Rom, making his major league debut for the Red Birds following his acquisition from the Orioles at the trade deadline as part of the Jack Flaherty deal. It was a night he likely would rather forget.
Bucs added on in the third inning as Andrew McCutchen singled to lead-off the inning, Joe walked and Endy singled sharply to left to load the bases. Liover Peguero drove in two runs with a bloop single down the right field line.
In the 4th inning, Ke’Bryan Hayes hit his 20th double of the season and scored when Connor Joe hit his 23rd double of the year. Following a walk to Endy and a mound visit, Josh Palacios took a 1-2 fastball deep.
Rom finished his debut going 3.2 innings, allowed 8 runs (6 earned) off 8 hits with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts. On the other side, Pittsburgh opted to start Thomas Hatch – who had previously worked solely out of the bullpen for the Pirates – and he posted 3 clean innings, with 2 hits, a walk and a strikeout. Southpaw Bailey Falter relieved him, going 6 innings surrendering a run off 3 hits, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. The run came in the 5th inning – a leadoff home run to Cardinals catcher, Andrew Knizner, who pulled a high slider to deep left field and prevented a shutout.
Rom was relieved by Casey Lawrence, who managed to quiet the Bucs bats for a few innings but couldn’t hold them off for good. Palacios added on in the 8th as he doubled in two more runs with a big hit to the gap in right center, scoring Joe and Endy in the process. Alika Williams doubled him home to stretch the lead to an 11-1 margin, earning Falter his first win of the season.
News & Notes
- Before the game, Henry Davis was placed on the injured list with a reported right hand strain. Vinny Capra was recalled from Indianapolis to take his spot on the roster
- Palacios brothers on the field in pre-game for Josh and his younger brother, Ritchie. Ritchie was recalled from AAA Memphis to join the St. Louis Cardinals and pinch-hit in the 9th inning, hitting a single to, coincidentally, his brother in left field.
- Endy committed his first catcher’s interference of his MLB career in the top of the first inning with Paul Goldschmidt at the plate.
- Connor Joe finished with 3 doubles on the night, which was his 2nd 3-double day of the season (previously on April 7th against the Chicago White Sox).
- Jack Suwinski went 0-5 with 3 strikeouts and is currently mired in a 4 for 56 slump since the start of August.
- Fun Fact: May 9, 1983 was the last time that a game had 4 total pitchers with neither starter going 4+ innings (California Angels/Boston Red Sox).
- Fun Fact #2: First time the Pirates have won a game by 10+ runs since May 19 (13-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks)
- Pittsburgh looks to keep it going as veteran Adam Wainwright will face off against Johan Oviedo tomorrow night. First pitch is 7:05pm. Let’s Go Bucs!
Steel City Pirates 
Good rundown. I particularly like the first fun fact, fascinating. It feels like something we’ll see at least more often than every 40 years, given how today’s game has changed.
Man, Suwinski is really helping that feast-or-famine narrative around him.
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