Pirates keep rolling in home stretch with pivotal reinforcement on the horizon

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates are surging at the right time. And reinforcements are coming.

Pittsburgh defeated San Francisco, 5-2, Thursday afternoon for its fifth series win in its past six tries. The victory, and five runs, came despite the club not recording an extra-base hit or any runs coming off a hit.

The Pirates remain multiple games outside the final National League Wild Card spot, but their 20-year-old phenom Konnor Griffin is expected to be activated and return to the lineup Friday for the first time since July 5.

“We've proven all year we're going to fight. I think no one can deny that the fight in this team is real,” outfielder Jake Mangum said. “Anytime it looked like we were about to go on a losing skid early in the year, we always found a way to win a game. Our bounce-back has been phenomenal this year. Obviously we're a few more wins away from where we want to be, but there's still time.”

Pirates manager Don Kelly wouldn’t commit to the definitive return of Griffin, saying he’s trending in the right direction. All signs point to his return at the earliest eligible activation date, and Griffin told reporters pregame Thursday he was ready to be activated.

“He's a huge piece of the offense, defense, baserunning, everything that goes on,” Kelly said. “I just want him to be Konnor, go out there, have fun, play baseball and do what he does to help us win.”

Thursday’s series finale against the Giants was as must-win as must-win gets. Facing one of the worst teams in baseball, Pittsburgh had already lost a heartbreaker in extra innings Wednesday night. A series loss to San Francisco would put the Pirates deeper in the hole they’ve already dug themselves.

Similar losses sprayed throughout the summer have created this situation. A one-run loss to the Diamondbacks on July 28 altered the landscape of the postseason picture. Two more close losses in Cincinnati just days later made things worse. A sweep in Los Angeles to the two-time defending World Series champions on Aug. 21-23 featured two more one-run losses.

Somehow, Pittsburgh still has a pulse. It showed itself again Thursday in a bullpen game.

“We could have rolled over after Los Angeles,” Mangum said. “It was a tough series sweep. For us to come back and win three straight series, it says a lot about the fight.”

“It's always tough when you lose a game like that, like last night, extra innings, to fight back and tie it up, and then to eventually lose,” Kelly added. “I think our team has shown that resilience this year and did again today.”

Pittsburgh’s pitching ran on fumes to an extent after Carmen Mlodzinski pitched three innings Wednesday night, one day ahead of schedule. Lake Bachar opened Thursday's finale and, after Brandon Eisert finished off the third inning, Khristian Curtis entered.

Curtis wasn’t added to the active roster until under 30 minutes before game time. He was ineligible to return this quickly after being optioned on Aug. 26, but he came back with the caveat that Kirby Yates was placed on the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move.

Curtis found out at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday before driving to Pittsburgh from Toledo. The adrenaline rush kept him awake until 4 a.m., and he stayed at the hotel until an hour before game time when he was given the green light to come to PNC Park.

Curtis was just as successful as he has been in his previous two outings. He pitched eight scoreless innings to begin his career, and he continued with three more zeroes on Thursday before allowing two runs. That was all San Francisco would muster on the day, and the Pirates' rare small-ball antics were enough to seal the deal. ​

Curtis was just with Griffin with Triple-A Indianapolis, describing him as “one of the hardest workers he’s ever met” and expressing his excitement to see Griffin back with the Pirates Friday.

Griffin is Pittsburgh’s golden goose. He was MLB Pipeline’s top prospect in the sport entering the season. After debuting at 19 years old and playing much of the season at 20, Griffin’s poor injury luck has sidelined him for most of the summer, with two separate injured list stints. He was placed on the IL on May 31 after suffering a right elbow strain, returning on June 26. He belted a leadoff home run in his first at-bat back and batted .306 with six stolen bases over the next eight games before tearing the sagittal band in his left ring finger.

The Griffin show must go on. And if everything goes to plan, he’ll return to the spotlight when Pittsburgh needs him most.

“[Griffin] is a phenomenal baseball player with a ton of talent,” Mangum said, “and he's only going to help us get better.”