PITTSBURGH – The orange traffic cones, which have become a whimsical rallying point for the Pirates this season, went to a whole other level on Friday night at PNC Park.
When Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run home run into the Pirates’ bullpen in right-center field to cap a six-run third inning off the Phillies’ Aaron Nola, reliever Yohan Ramírez caught the ball.
In a traffic cone.
Pittsburgh has been using the cones to celebrate scoring runs. The cones indicate getting runners on base – meaning creating traffic, in baseball parlance.
The Pirates have indeed been creating traffic. They entered Friday fifth in MLB in runs scored this season after finishing last a year ago.