PITTSBURGH – Jared Jones isn’t afraid to criticize himself, calling himself out when he’s being lit up. He did just that after his start on June 27 against the Reds, where he allowed four runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings.
Since that start, Jones has been near perfect. On Wednesday night, he was perfect.
Jones didn’t allow a baserunner, striking out eight of the 18 batters he faced. He exited after six innings and 77 pitches as the Pirates remain cautious with his surgically repaired elbow. Pittsburgh’s bullpen, however, spoiled the perfection, leading to a 3-0 loss to the Braves.
“Yeah, I mean, it does suck, something cool is coming on,” Jones said of exiting early despite perfection. “But I’m on, what, my eighth start off the surgery? I completely understand it. It is what it is.”
Jones was scheduled for five innings and 80 pitches. He exceeded expectations, and even with zeros on the board, he said he knows he won’t go nine innings under the current circumstances.
After the sixth perfect inning, Jones jokingly attempted to avoid a handshake from Pirates manager Don Kelly, scurrying down the clubhouse steps. Kelly caught him, the two embraced, and Jones’ best start since returning from surgery on May 29 after a year away from the game was complete.
“That sucks,” Kelly said of lifting Jones from the game. "Under normal circumstances, a perfect game, he'd continue to go. Coming off of surgery and everything, we just can't push him.”
The performance was his best since returning from surgery on May 29 after a year away from the game.
Jones showed hints of a stellar performance in Philadelphia almost a week ago, allowing only two hits with two walks in four innings. Pittsburgh is typically holding him in the 70-80 pitch range.
After five innings Wednesday, Jones was at 67 pitches, though no one was warming up in the Pirates' bullpen. Atlanta’s offense has performed as a juggernaut all year, but Jones struck out Michael Harris II, Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin in their first two at-bats.
Former Pirates catcher Joey Bart sent a drive to left field in the third inning that would’ve been a home run in the other 29 MLB ballparks -- but Bryan Reynolds leaped at the wall to make the catch.
Jones went to what he refers to as his “bread and butter,” using only fastballs and sliders while mixing in just one changeup. The success of the arsenal made Jones feel “like himself” and feel the best he has all year.
Bart, who has caught Jones in the past, said he watched some of Jones’s previous outings and he didn't really look like himself. Today was different in Bart’s opinion, with the fastball setting the tone.
Keeping with his pitch count, Jones received hugs after another 1-2-3 inning in the sixth, marking the end of his career day. Mason Montgomery entered in the seventh and allowed a single to the second batter he faced, Ozzie Albies, just off the glove of leaping third baseman Nick Gonzales.
Pittsburgh and Atlanta remained tied scoreless into the eighth until Bart left the yard for a two-run shot. The Braves added another run in the ninth to build a cushion that the Pirates' offense couldn’t climb back from.
While the PNC Park fans expressed some displeasure when Jones was pulled, and especially when Montgomery allowed the single, the Pirates ultimately didn't have a choice in the matter.
Jones wasn’t frustrated. He was simply content. His success is a positive sign of things to come -- though there’s still a way to go before he goes the distance and returns to full form.
“Health is the most important thing, winning the game and then personal accomplishments third,” Kelly said. “Wanting guys to stay healthy is the number one thing with these guys, because we need Jared for the rest of the season. Throwing the ball like that, trying to push him right now, when he's only had five ups to go, there's no way.”