I was on the Pirates pre-game show today with Dan Zangrilli, discussing the MLB draft and some development topics. This was my first radio interview in a few years, after a voluntary break. I even managed to avoid Dan’s request last year and rest easy in my post-pandemic social anxiety. He managed to get me this time around. Check it out below as you follow along with the Pirates this evening.
PIRATES (40-48) AT ARIZONA
Game Time: 4:10 PM EST
Pirates Starter: Mitch Keller, RHP (9-4, 3.49)
Diamondbacks Starter: Kyle Nelson, LHP (4-1, 2.65)
Pirates Lineups:
Day 2 in the Valley.
Diamondbacks Lineups:
Game 90. #ArizonaBorn pic.twitter.com/bv7rXTZQg5
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 8, 2023
DAILY PIRATES NEWS
Today’s Prospect Watch looks at two of the system’s breakout pitchers this year, along with a power hitter who is on a hot streak.
**Prospect Watch: Thomas Harrington, Jared Jones, Rodolfo Nolasco
Keith Law has the Pirates going with Wyatt Langford in his latest mock draft.
**New Mock Draft from Keith Law Goes with a Different Option
Anthony Murphy writes about two college seniors from last year’s draft who are showing off the bats in Single-A.
**Pair Of College Senior Signings Providing Power In Bradenton Lineup
Following up on my draft column yesterday, I looked at the future for Jack Suwinski.
**Pirates Prospects Daily: What About Jack Suwinski?
PIRATES RECAP
By Jeff Reed
Final Score: 3-2
Player of the Game: Mitch Keller, SP (7 IP, 1 H, 5 BB, 4 K, 0 ER)
Recap:Earlier in the day the Detroit Tigers threw a combined no-hitter, and for 5.2 innings, it looked like Mitch Keller wanted to throw his own.
Keller’s control wasn’t perfect, walking five hitters in seven innings, but he was keeping the Diamondback hitters off balance with an effective six pitch repertoire. With two outs in the sixth, Keller finally gave up his first hit of the game on a single to right field. He induced a lot of soft contact to get him through seven scoreless, while only striking out four.
In the other dugout, the Pirates were only no-hit for 2.2 innings. After a Henry Davis walk, Bryan Reynolds lined a double to left center. Mike Rabelo took another gutsy chance sending Davis home, and he was thrown out on a close play at home.
The Pirates finally scratched out a run in the sixth when with two outs and a runner on second, “When He’s Hot He’s Hot” Jack Suwinski hit a book-rule double off LHP Tyler Gilbert to right center gap to score Jason Delay and gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead.
With a 1-0 lead the Pirates turned to Colin Holderman for the eighth, and after one batter the game was tied at one after a lead-off home run. David Bednar kept things at bay with a scoreless ninth to send it to extras.
Starting with a runner on second, and only two hits in the game up to that point, the Pirates doubled their hit output with two singles in the inning. They pushed across their second run of the game on a Jared Triolo single.
The bottom of the 10th did not go well. The first batter bunted, and Nick Gonzales was late getting to first base, so he was unable to field a throw from Bednar, allowing the runner to reach. The next batter hit a ground ball that Carlos Santana dove for and fielded, but he wasn’t able to throw home or to second, and no one covered first base. A sac bunt and intentional walk later, Corbin Carrol came up with the bases loaded and lined a ball to right field for a walk-off RBI single.
The Pirates will try to win the finale tomorrow before heading into the All Star Break.
