After being shocked by the Oakland A’s in a losing series earlier in the week, the Pittsburgh Pirates evened the score with a winning series over the weekend against the highest-paid team in baseball, the New York Mets.
Bae Ji-hwan scored the winning run in the finale 토토사이트 of the three-game series against the Mets at home at PNC Park on Sunday to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 victory and sole possession of first place in the Central Division.
Pittsburgh, which finished with a 34-30 record, moved within half a game of the Milwaukee Brewers, who fell to 34-32 with a 6-8 loss to Oakland. Milwaukee has lost four straight.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the fourth inning on last season’s batting champion Jeff McNeil’s solo home run (#3), Pittsburgh tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth on Zack Swirinski’s massive opposite field home run (#13).
With the momentum in their favor, Pittsburgh answered one inning later with a Bae Ji-Hwan double to right-center field. His ninth double of the season. It was a purely footed double. It was low to right-center field. Bae sprinted from first base and sprinted to second. Mets right fielder Mark Canha’s throw to first was safe with a sliding throw, putting runners in scoring position.
After advancing to third on a wild pitch by starter Carlos Carrasco, Bae came home on a single to right field by No. 8 hitter Tucupita Marcano. The team’s final score. Bae went 1-for-4 with a run scored and a walk, raising his batting average to .270.
Ace Mitch Keller, whose five-run outing in 5.1 innings at Oakland on July 7 snapped the team’s winning streak, held the Mets to one run on two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over seven innings to improve to 8-2 with a 3.41 ERA.
Closer David Bednar gave up a double to Tommy Pham with one out to tie the game, but retired the next two batters on consecutive flyouts to earn his 14th save of the season. Bednar continues to showcase his excellent clutch skills, converting all eight of his save opportunities, especially with the game tied at one.
Veteran top hitter Andrew McCutchen led off the first inning with a single to left field to reach 2,000 career hits. McCutchen, who made his Pittsburgh debut on June 5, 2009, got his first hit off the Mets’ Mike Pelfrey. Coincidentally, his 2000-hit opponent was also a Mets starter, Carrasco.
After playing in Pittsburgh from 2009-2017, McCutchen went on to play for the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Milwaukee Brewers before returning home this year. With Pittsburgh, McCutchen ranks 12th on the team’s all-time list with 1,514 hits. Pittsburgh’s all-time hit leader is Roberto Clemente, who has 3,000 hits.