These Pittsburgh Pirates embody grit, climbing to first place in the National League Central with clutch wins.
Given Don Kelly's Pittsburgh roots, it's no surprise he wants his Pirates to play that way.
Gritty. Determined. Blue collar. In short, just as you’d expect from a Western Pennsylvania team.
The Pirates have indeed shown grit while getting off to a 9-5 start that has them in first place in the National League Central. Pittsburgh finished last in the division last season with a 71-91 record.
Their early-season tenacity shows in a 4-0 mark in one-run games, most recently a 4-3 win over the Cubs in 11 innings Saturday at Wrigley Field. With that win, the Pirates now try to sweep the series Sunday, sending rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler (0-1, 3.12) against Jameson Taillon (0-1, 2.53).
Pittsburgh reliever Yohan Ramirez escaped bases-loaded jams in the 10th and 11th innings, helping secure the team’s eighth win in their last 10 games.
Tied 3-3 in the 10th, with Cubs on first and second and two outs, Ramirez struck out Seiya Suzuki.
Brandon Lowe's two-out RBI infield single in the 11th put the Pirates ahead 4-3, but Ramirez brought trouble in the bottom half.
Ramirez's error on leadoff hitter Nico Hoerner's grounder put Cubs on second and third. Then, Ramirez got Matt Shaw to line out and Alex Bregman to pop out. Pittsburgh intentionally walked Ian Happ to load the bases for Suzuki.
Ramirez fell behind 3-0 in the count before inducing Suzuki to hit a game-ending foul out.
"It was really emotional out there," Ramirez told reporters after the game via translator Stephen Morales. "It felt really good, just as a team, to be able to come through in that situation. And it felt like a whole team effort, and happiness as well. From the players, coaching staff, through the clubhouse guys, everybody's sharing the same goal. And it felt really good."
This was the kind of game the Pirates often lost in recent years. They blew a 3-0 seventh-inning lead. Yet, showing new resolve, Pittsburgh found a way to win. The Pirates are proving their manager right after Kelly spent all spring training saying his team was ready to win this year.
"That's a gutsy blue-collar win,” Kelly said. “Coming into Chicago in that environment, to have the situation there at the end like we did, and to find a way to score a run. We'll take a win any way we can get it."
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