Moran hero in 10th as team effort lifts Bucs

April 13th, 2019

WASHINGTON -- Pirates manager Clint Hurdle often says that this year’s team, more than most, needs contributions from everyone on the roster to win. It played out that way in their 6-3 victory over the Nationals on Friday night.

Those contributions came from some of the usual suspects -- another quality start by , another home run by Josh Bell, a big hit by -- but there was no shortage of unsung heroes. Light-hitting utility man made a game-changing catch in left field. Rookie reliever sent the game into extra innings. Then came off the bench and blasted a game-winning three-run homer in the 10th inning.

“It was perfect. It’s the poster for it all,” Hurdle said. “We made some plays when we needed to make them. We got some big hits when we needed them. We got out of some nice situations off the mound when we needed to. All in all, just a really, really good game for us. Lot of contributions.”

Start in the seventh inning. Williams wasn’t quite as dominant as his counterpart, Patrick Corbin, as the Nationals lefty struck out 11 hitters while allowing only four hits over seven innings. But the right-hander was still effective, holding the Nats to two runs over 6 1/3 innings.

Williams wouldn’t take all the credit for his performance. He made a point of praising Marte, who recorded nine putouts in center field while Williams was on the mound.

“Good thing for us we have a Gold Glove center fielder. He was running laps in center field,” Williams said. “I think we single-handedly won him the Gold Glove today.”

With Matt Adams on third base and one out in the seventh, Hurdle called upon reliever Richard Rodriguez. The right-hander retired Adam Eaton, then Brian Dozier ripped a 104.1-mph line drive to left field. Reyes, starting in place of the injured Corey Dickerson in a Pirates lineup besieged by injuries and early slumps, covered 45 feet in 3.4 seconds and dove to make an inning-ending, run-saving, game-changing catch.

“My mentality has always been, ‘Help the team out in any way possible,’” Reyes, who is 1-for-19 this season, said through interpreter Mike Gonzalez. “It’s been a little bit of a challenge at the plate right now, but I grew up with the mentality of, ‘If I’m not getting any hits, I’m not going to let anyone get a hit.’”

Reyes earned a round of high-fives in front of Pittsburgh’s dugout, and the Pirates immediately erased a one-run deficit that could have been greater without his efforts. Erik Gonzalez and Adam Frazier each singled off reliever Tony Sipp and came around to score when Marte pulled a single to left off right-hander Kyle Barraclough.

That gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead, but that advantage disappeared when Anthony Rendon led off the eighth with a shot off Keone Kela, Rendon's second homer of the game.

Rather than turn to closer Felipe Vazquez in a tie game on the road, the Pirates asked Burdi -- a rookie with eight previous Major League appearances to his name -- to hold the line in the ninth. The hard-throwing right-hander gave up a one-out double to Howie Kendrick, who took third on a flyout, then struck out Eaton with a 2-2 slider.

Burdi, who wound up with his first Major League win, hasn’t shied away from pitching in high-leverage spots despite his inexperience.

“You know you’re in this bullpen, and you’re here for a reason. Whenever your name is called, come out and be ready,” Burdi said. “That’s the mindset I’ve had. When my name’s called, go out and attack and keep plugging along to be a part of this group.”

Given another chance against Washington’s leaky bullpen, Pittsburgh practically cleared its bench to rally back. Melky Cabrera roped a pinch-hit double to left, then pinch-runner Jason Martin cruised into third base when pitcher Matt Grace couldn’t make a play on Frazier’s bunt. Marte grounded out, putting two runners in scoring position with Jung Ho Kang due up.

Hurdle decided to play the matchup, replacing the struggling Kang with the lefty-hitting Moran against right-hander Justin Miller. Moran fouled off Miller’s first pitch then took the second, a 91.3-mph fastball down the middle, for strike two.

“I was like, ‘What the hell are you looking for?’” Moran said, drawing a laugh from those around him. “Obviously you hope he throws it again. I kind of just froze.”

Miller then delivered a nearly identical pitch, a 91-mph fastball down the middle. Moran launched it out to right-center field, setting up a save for Vazquez that put the finishing touches on a true team effort.

“It worked out in the end,” Moran said.