The Pirates won the first game of this twin bill and were debuting a couple players. Miguel Yajure got the call up from the taxi squad as the 27th man for the start, and Rodolfo Castro who was called up to replace the DFA’d Anthony Alford got the call at third base.
Through four innings tonight, Miguel was as efficient as any pitcher we’ve seen probably since Steven Brault’s complete game last season. His curveball was excellent but the wheels started coming off in the 5th, where he gave up a solo shot followed by a couple hits and another run.
All in all, the kid looked great. He kept his composure and had excellent command of his off speed stuff, but the fastball command failed him on a couple occasions and that my friends is what they want to work on.
The Pirates bats went quiet in the nightcap as they had only mustered 2 hits in the first five innings.
Then they got to face the anemic Tiger’s pen. First batter Phillip Evans hits a solo shot to make it 4-2.
On to the bottom of the 6th where the Bucs called on Clay Holmes to keep it close, a lead off double to Ramos, then he bounced a pitch maybe 3 feet short of the plate moving the runner up to third. One out later he gave back the run Evans had just put on the board to make it 5-2 Tigers.
They couldn’t get anything to materialize in the top of the 7th and fall 5-2.
Back at it tomorrow for the rubber match at 1:05 Mitch Keller against Jose Urena.
News & Notes
- Through four innings Miguel showed exactly what there is to be excited about, but he will be sent back immediately. The fastball command is the only thing that needs work, maybe a little bit of a velo drop from the changeup. And yes, he’d be better than Cahill right this second. Patience is a virtue when cultivating a talent like this. He showed no signs of mental stress while fighting through the one out he got in the fifth, all in all, a very positive outing. Kid is really going to be something.
- Reynolds made a really nice diving catch in the 5th to save a run at and keep a run off the books for Yajure. I often hear he isn’t spectacular in the outfield, but whatever label you want to put on him, I’ll take 3.
- David Bednar allowed a run scoring single in the 5th inning, it was his first inherited runner to score this season.
- Phillip Evans hit his fourth homerun tonight. This kid (if you still want to call him that) has been quite a story.
- Erik Gonzalez had a clutch single in the first game and he came up in the first with a clutch double and RBI. He may not be the future, but he sure is a worthy piece now.
- Remember what Dustin Fowler did in the first game? Yeah, that again. I have no doubt this kid and for that matter Alford have good baseball in them, but you can’t take yourself seriously as a baseball club and continue to play them. Soon I believe Mr. Fowler will be shown the door as well.
- I found it interesting how many regulars played both sides of this day-night twin bill. The only Newman played one, Moran and Evans flip flopped DH and 1B, only Castro and Perez were introduced. I’ve seen this type of thing before but you’d hope to actually get the sweep when you do it.
- In my piece on the first game I mentioned the Pirates new pick up had to be offered back to Cleveland before hitting waivers, it’s actually the opposite. Thanks to Craig Toth for pointing this out to me.
Inside The Bucs Basement 