Pirates-Reds Recap: Bucs Drop Series In Cincy

Yinzer Crazy Contributor Baron Dionis.

Opening weekend for Major League Baseball is now complete for the Pirates after a three game series with the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates lose the series to the Reds after an opening day win.

Game One:

The Pirates took an opening day victory against the Reds, 5-4. Mitch Keller was the starting pitcher today against Hunter Greene. Keller pitched four and two-thirds innings, giving up four earned runs, six hits, and four walks. Not his best outing, but Keller managed to strike out eight batters. The next pitcher to come in was newly acquired Dauri Moreta. Moreta walked the first two batters, but struck the batter out with the bases loaded to keep the game tied in the fifth inning. In the sixth inning, Moreta added two more strikeouts before getting pulled for left handed pitcher, Rob Zastryzny. Zastryzny came into the sixth inning with two outs and got out of the inning plus another scoreless inning in the seventh. Now with a 5-4 lead, Zastryzny is in line for the win, and Colin Holderman is coming in for the hold. Holderman gave up a hit with one out, but got out of the eighth a batter later with a strike him out, throw him out from Austin Hedges. David Bednar is now on the hill in the ninth inning for the save. Bednar gives up a double, but strikes the next two batters out for the save. 

The Pirates managed to get six hits and nine walks off of the Reds pitchers on opening day. The first run for the Pirates came on a long home run from Oneil Cruz. This shot to right field came in the third inning and went 425 feet at 111 miles per hour. The next scoring came in the fourth inning as Reds pitcher Fernando Cruz walked in two runners and another scored on a wild pitch. Top of the eighth inning comes around, tie game 4-4 and Ji-Hwan Bae is at the plate. Bae walks, steals second, and Austin Hedges bunts him over to third. Oneil Cruz works a full count and slaps a ball to left field, deep enough for Ji-Hwan Bae to score, giving the Pirates a 5-4 lead. That sacrifice fly was enough for the Pirates bullpen to shut down the Reds, and the Pirates started the season 1-0. 

Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen, Canaan Smith-Njigba, and Ji-Hwan Bae all recorded hits for the Pirates. Oneil Cruz had two runs batted in followed by Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen each having one. Oneil Cruz had a homerun and Ji-Hwan Bae had a double.

Game Two:

After a big opening day win on Thursday, the Pirates were back on the field Saturday to take on the Reds in game two of the three game series. The Reds took game two, 6-2 after a rough first inning for Rich Hill and later a rough inning for Chase De Jong. Hill was the starting pitcher and quickly the Reds were able to jump on him with home runs from Jonthan India and familiar face Kevin Newman. After that first inning, Hill settled in by throwing four scoreless with seven strikeouts on the day. Chase De Jong was the next pitcher to come in, but quickly the Reds got two baserunners on him and Jake Fraley took him deep for a three run home run. De Jong threw a scoreless inning after that rough inning. Jose Hernandez came on to pitch a scoreless eighth inning for his major league debut.

Not a great day at the plate as the Pirates only managed to get two runs across. Both runs came early in the game with an RBI single in the first by Connor Joe. Oneil Cruz also had an RBI in third to put the Pirates within one. The bats went silent after that as the Pirates did not have a single hit after the fourth inning. 

Ke'Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds, Carlos Santana, Connor Joe, and Oneil Cruz all recorded hits. Connor Joe and Oneil Cruz were the only batters who recorded an RBI. Ke’Bryan Hayes had a double.

Game Three:

The Pirates fell short to the Cincinnati Reds to lose game three of the opening three game series. Vince Velasquez made his Pirates debut today and was the losing pitcher. In four and two-thirds innings, Vince gave up two home runs, five hits, and struck out three. Rob Zastryzny came on to get one out in order to finish the fifth inning and he did just that. Wil Crowe came in next to pitch two scoreless innings. Duane Underwood Jr was the last Pirates pitcher to pitch in this opening series and he threw just one inning with two strikeouts. 

The bats were silent once again as the Pirate offense only managed to get six hits. Bryan Reynolds was the only Pirate to drive in a run as he hit a solo homerun, for his first of the season. Andrew McCutchen also had a double and Connor Joe had two hits. 

The Pirates now head to Boston for a three game series. Oviedo on the hill for game one. First pitch is tomorrow at 7:10 PM.