Final Score: Pirates 4 Rays 3
Why The Pirates Won: After getting off to a shaky start Jared Jones pitched a solid 7 innings giving up 2 runs on just 3 hits, waking 3, striking out 8, while throwing 94 pitches. Holderman and Chapman got shakily through the 8th and 9th. Chapman had to pitch the 9th because David Bednar had left sided tightness. The game ended with the tying run on 2nd base as Chapman got the last batter to ground out to end the game. The offense had just enough to give the Pirates the win. The last 17 batters went down in order.
Key Moments Of Game: Jones' ability to come back from giving up a run on hit batsman, a walk, a wild pitch, and ground out was a big key. Especially after he almost killed Amed Rosario on the 3rd pitch of the at bat by hitting him in the eyeball with a 100 MPH fastball, with one run already in. He was able to get the next guy out, and from that point on it was like a new pitcher had taken the mound. He struck out the 8 batters over the last 6 innings. Oneil Cruz got the Pirates immediately even with a 445 ft. home run that went into the river on a fly. In the bottom of the 3rd, the Pirates had taken the lead 3-1, with runners on 1st and 3rd and one out. Nick Gonzales hit a rather weak ground ball to third that the Rays tried to unsuccessfully turn into a double play. Cruz scored the 4th and deciding run of the game. It was nice of the Rays not to try and throw Cruz out at home. Considering the Pirates did not get a man on base the rest of the game, if they don't score there, they probably lose.
Next Game: This afternoon, Rays in Pittsburgh. The Rays go from the frying pan into the fire facing Paul Skenes this afternoon. Can this kid pitch great every time. Who knows? Just like in the case of Bednar's left side tightness, only the Shadow Shelton knows for sure.
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