COMON Network

By COMON Network Team

Final Score – Pittsburgh Pirates (4-13) 9, Cincinnati Reds (8-11) 6

WP: Trevor Williams (1-3) – 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R/ER, 1 BB, 4 K

LP: Anthony DeSclafani (1-1) – 2 IP, 9 H, 9 R/ER, 2 BB, 1 K

The Pirates finally got a win Thursday night and did so in convincing fashion, creaming the Cincinnati Reds, 9-6, in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate.

Pittsburgh got the ball rolling in a big way with solo home runs by Adam Frazier and Colin Moran in the top of the first. The Bucs made it 3-0 in the top of second on a leadoff homer by Gregory Polanco, and added six more to make it 9-0. The Reds gradually made the game more respectable, aided by homeruns from Nick Senzel and Freddy Galvis, but the Bucs were never in danger of losing the game, and held on to break a three-game losing streak.

Pittsburgh looks to make it two in a row tomorrow night at 7:10

COMON Network Team Commentary

JOE SMELTZER

• It’s still too early to give Erik Gonzalez too much credit. He’s 28, has never had an impressive MLB season before and has about as much patience at the plate as Wilt Chamberlain did in between sexual conquests. With that said, Gonzalez is the Pirates’ hottest hitter right now, and who knows. Maybe he can turn a corner. At the bare minimum, Gonzalez looks like he’s in a position to not be looked at as a joke by Pirates fans, and that’s a step up from last season.
• Speaking of 28-year-olds turning a corner, was that second inning home run a start for Gregory Polanco? Probably not. I do commend “El Coffee” for his performance tonight, however. Aside from the home run, Polanco played his heart out tonight, and anybody who watched the game could have seen that. Plenty of fans see Polanco as lazy. I’ve never bought that. If his career is to be remembered as a disappointment— and that’s certainly the path it’s headed down— it will be because Polanco wasn’t good enough. Not because he didn’t care.
• Keone Kela immediately giving up a home run after spending weeks away from the team for no apparent reason is pretty indicative of how 2020 has gone for the Bucs.

Player of the Game – Adam Frazier (PIT)

RYAN SIMPSON

• Pirates came out HOT in the first two frames scoring all of their runs off DeSclafani. Frazier and Polanco each added a dong shot to their totals while Moran added one as well. Redbeard is trying to carry this offense as he is slugging .569 (nice) this year which leads the team.
• Gonzalez swinging a hot stick could set up an interesting dynamic with O’Neil Cruz waiting in Altoona on the platoon squad. Pirates fans have been clamoring for Cruz’s debut, but with Gonzalez looking dangerous at the plate, who knows if Cruz will make his MLB debut this season.
• Trevor Williams had a very average outing, but I hope he can turn it around this year. Trev can be a solid 3 in any rotation and boy the Pirates need all the arms they can get right now.
• Speaking of arms, Kela looked bad. Barnhart snuck his homer around the foul pole, Ervin hits a single and luckily got Castellanos to hit a tapper as he is having a great year thus far. Votto almost snuck one out too to left field and Kela finally got a struggling Suarez out to end the ballgame. Win number four for the Pirates was a fun one to watch, but don’t expect too many more like this one from this Pittsburgh team.

Player of the Game – Colin Moran (PIT)

DONNY CHEDRICK

• What a start: Nine runs in the first two innings. You kiddin’ me? Three dingers in the first six batters of the game? Get outta town. Fortunately, that was enough to hold off the Reds, who scored some late runs to make it interesting. Overall, just a good win for the Buccos.
• Kela looked rusty: Making his first appearance of 2020, Keone Kela gave up two hits, one run and threw upwards of 30 pitches, but closed out the win on Thursday evening. With Nick Burdi out for the year, Kela needs to find his zone out of the pen.
• Home Run Derby: Three homers in their first six batters is nothing to scoff at. In fact, it was a Pirates record. Going back to my first point, tonight was a great offensive explosion.

Player of the Game – Colin Moran (PIT)