Jared Jones bounces back after a tough start in Coors Field last week. He pitched 7 innings, allowing 2 runs on just 3 hits and striking out 8 batters in a Pirates 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Jones hit two batters, walked another and threw a wild pitch in the top of the 1st. After Josh Lowe brought in a run on a groundout to shortstop, Jones turned it around, striking out four batters in the next two innings.
"Just staying to the zone, JD (Jason Delay) and Oscar (Marin) had a really good conversation with me between the inning," said Jones on the Mount Pleasant Home & Remodeling Reaction Show. "Just settling down and not letting the hit by pitch get too much of my attention. It is a really big deal, but not letting that really tear me down was what the key proponent was."
Jones is referring to hitting Amed Rosario in the face with a 100 mph fastball. Rosario left the game under his own power.
Jones lasted just 4 2/3 innings last week in Colorado and allowed 6 earned runs. He was able to turn the page on that start and pick up a win and his first quality start since June 4th. Jones improves to 5-6 on the season, with a 3.66 ERA.
"He had a difficult start out there, he bounced back. I think he shows you he's resilient and that he's got really good stuff," said manager Derek Shelton.
Oneil Cruz parks one in the Allegheny
After being down 1-0, Oneil Cruz launched a hanging breaking ball from Zach Eflin into the Allegheny River that traveled 445 feet to tie the game in the bottom of the 1st inning.
According to MLB.com, only six home runs have left PNC Park into the Allegheny on the fly. Josh Bell has two of them. The others were hit by Daryle Ward, Garrett Jones, (the first Pirates player to do it), Pedro Álvarez and now Cruz.
Pirates have big 3rd inning
Andrew McCutchen hit his first triple since April 7, 2021 when he played for the Philadelphia Phillies. Bryan Reynolds extended his hit streak to 19 games with an RBI single to bring home McCutchen.
After Cruz walked, Rowdy Tellez singled home Reynolds from second. Nick Gonzalez grounded out to third to score Cruz, as the Pirates brought home 4 in the inning. They wouldn't get another hit the rest of the game.
Chapman closes the 9th
Aroldis Chapman got the 9th inning instead of David Bednar on Saturday. He walked the leadoff hitter on 4 straight balls but then was able to get a fielders choice groundout for out number one, erasing Jonny Deluca at second base.
Taylor Walls struck out on a nasty 93 mph splitter for our number two. He tried to throw that splitter again but Yandy Diaz was able to poke it into left field past a diving Bryan Reynolds, scoring José Caballero from first base to cut the Pirates lead to 4-3. Isaac Paredes grounded out to end the game.
Shelton explained why no Bednar in the 9th.
"He's got some left side tightness that he felt during his throwing program. A situation like that, was not gonna risk it. Was going to give him a day. So we went into the game knowing that he was unavailable," said Shelton.
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