4/3/23 – By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on Twitter
Fireworks early and often in this game as the Bucs put up a 3 spot in the first inning against Boston starting pitcher Kutter Crawford (great baseball name!) and seemed to be ready to cruise. The Red Sox, however, were all over Johan Oviedo as they hammer 5 runs off 3 homers in the bottom of the first.
Last year, this would have made the Pirates roll over and likely given up 8 more runs. Not this season though. Bucs would plate 1 in the 2nd, 1 in the 3rd and 2 in the 4th. Crawford was chased after 4 innings, 8 hits, 7 runs, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. Oviedo on the other hand would turn thing around, and last into the 5th:
Johan Oviedo: 4.2 innings, 94 pitches (54 strikes) 6 hits, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 Ks (26% CSW)
The bullpen handled the Sox by holding them to only 1 run the rest of the way as Dauri Moreta, Rob Zastryzny, Duane Underwood Jr., Colin Holderman and David Bednar locked down the rest of the game: 4.1 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 3 BBs and 6 Ks.
The story on both sides was the long ball. Rafael Devers, Masataka Yoshida and Triston Casas each hit home runs for the Red Sox in the first inning. Bryan Reynolds went deep twice, Jason Delay hit his second career home run.
Pirates pitching danced in and out of trouble as the Red Sox stranded 22 runners in the game, including a bases-loaded situation in both the 5th and 6th innings.
News & Notes
- Team made Crawford labor early with 32 pitches in the first and were able to string together long at-bats, which helped chase him early and push Boston’s bullpen into action.
- Ke’Bryan Hayes is still hitting the ball hard. He managed to get one hit out of it in the game but some bad luck too. Hit a ball 102.9MPH off the first base bag in the 1st, which could have been extra bases, hit into a fielder’s choice in the third that bounced off the pitcher’s mound at 89.9 MPH.
- Canaan Smith-Njigba had some very solid at-bats but his big hit was in the first inning, with an RBI double off the Green Monster.
CSN RBI Double:
- Bryan Reynolds isn’t letting the contract rumors get in his head with a 3-for-5 night, 2 solo home runs and 3 runs scored. He did have a costly error in the first inning as he and Suwinski appeared to have some communication issues in the field and the ball bounced off his glove.
Reynolds 1st HR:
Reynolds 2nd HR:
- His buddy from Vanderbilt, Jason Delay, also notched a solo shot with a blast over the Monster – only the second home run of his career.
Delay HR:
- Jack Suwinski looked more comfortable at the plate than we have seen him so far this year. Took a lot of pitches, managed a walk and a single, driving in a run. Plus, he made a spectacular play in the field.
Suwinski diving catch:
- Pirates will send out Roansy Contreras tomorrow night against RHP Nick Pivetta. Game starts at 7:10PM.
Raise the Jolly Roger and Let’s Go Bucs!
Inside The Bucs Basement 