The host Pittsburgh Pirates plated a pair of runs thanks to an error on the final play of the game to come away with a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday afternoon.
With Baltimore up 2-1, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Jack Suwinski opened the bottom of the ninth with singles, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Connor Joe then walked to load the bases.
Rowdy Tellez proceeded to ground into a forceout, with the Orioles getting the first out of the inning at the plate.
Edward Olivares then sent a ball up the middle, and shortstop Gunnar Henderson made a sliding stop and tagged second for the second out of the frame before firing to a first in an attempt to record a game-ending double play.
However, Henderson’s throw was wide right and went out of play, allowing the winning run to trot home.
Jose Hernandez (1-0) got the win thanks to the mishap. Yennier Cano (1-1) blew the save and was tagged with the loss.
Hayes and Olivares each had two hits for Pittsburgh, which took the rubber match of the three-game series. Pirates starter Marco Gonzales gave up two runs on five hits in six innings. He didn’t walk anyone while fanning four.
Henderson’s late-game blunder spoiled a solid outing from Baltimore starter Dean Kremer, who allowed one unearned run and five hits in seven innings without issuing a walk. Kremer struck out six.
Ryan Mountcastle went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run for the Orioles.
Pittsburgh looked like it was going to open the scoring in the third following Jared Triolo’s leadoff single.
After Henry Davis struck out, Oneil Cruz doubled off the right-center-field wall. Triolo attempted to score on the play, but he was cut down at the plate following a perfectly executed relay throw from Jorge Mateo.
Mountcastle and Anthony Santander then made the Pirates pay in the fourth, with Mountcastle ripping an RBI double and Santander adding a run-scoring single to make it 2-0.
Henry Davis halved Pittsburgh’s deficit in the home half of the fifth with a sacrifice fly.
–Field Level Media
