Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitchers Mark Melancon and Neftali Feliz have had great seasons, but their success in Tuesday’s doubleheader came at a cost: Neither was available for Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets. The Pirates’ short-handed bullpen flinched, resulting in a 6-5 Mets victory in 10 innings.
Cory Luebke (0-1) came in for the 10th inning and needed 21 pitches to get through it, but he allowed the game-winning run. To start, he allowed Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker to single, and each advanced 90 feet with a James Loney sacrifice bunt.
In an effort to try and get a double play, Luebke intentionally walked Asdrubal Cabrera, but the move backfired when pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores hit a bloop single.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Mets closer Jeurys Familia came out to pitch in the save situation, and he walked the first two batters he faced. With this Pirates’ rally, Sean Rodriguez had the chance to extend capitalize but instead grounded into a double play. While Pittsburgh catcher Chris Stewart drew a walk, first baseman David Freese struck out looking, giving Familia his 19th save of the season.
The game used up the Pirates’ reserves. With A.J. Schugel, Tony Watson, Jared Hughes and Luebke having already pitched, Curtis Partsch was the lone remaining available bullpen arm, and Stewart batting emptied the bench.
The loss ends a nine-game winning streak for the Pirates.
Taillon’s debut shows promise
Similar to Gerrit Cole’s start in 2013, Jameson Taillon’s major league debut created a lot of excitement for fans — the line for walk-up ticket sales was still full just minutes before first pitch.
Taillon, who was selected No. 2 overall by the Pirates in the 2010 MLB Draft and has had a long, six-year journey to the majors, gave himself a chance to look out at the 28,084 fans who decided to attend a seasonably cold Wednesday night game.
“I had some good adrenaline, but after a couple of innings, I was able to take a step back, take a breath and appreciate it,” Taillon told reporters after the game.
He pitched six inning and allowed three runs. His big mistake was a two-run home run allowed to Ty Kelly — a pitch Taillon called a mistake and said was one he’d like to get back.
An inning later, he made the cardinal sin of allowing a hit to the opposing pitcher; Mets starter Noah Syndergaard blasted a double off the Clemente Wall in right field. There appeared to be a play at second, but Matt Joyce didn’t have enough on the throw to get the out.
It was Francisco Cervelli’s first time catching Taillon, and the catcher came away impressed, especially with the way Taillon controlled himself. (Cervelli said the rookie pitcher had the attitude of a total pro.)
“This guy is going to be a big league pitcher,” Cervelli said to assembled media. “You’re going to see him soon, I’m 100 percent sure.”
It’s unclear what Taillon’s next step will be at this time.
Henderson falters, Hughes holds
It may not have had a real impact on the outcome of the game, but the events of the bottom of the seventh and top of the eighth innings bear noting.
In the 7th inn, Syndergaard was relieved by Jim Henderson, and Henderson wasn’t fooling Pittsburgh’s hitters, who were hitting Henderson hard or were just missing and were fouling ball back.
Andrew McCutchen was a perfect example. In his previous two at-bats against Syndergaard, McCutchen was in front of most of the pitches, but that wasn’t the case against Henderson. McCutchen walked, but not before making Henderson use several pitches. As a result, the Pirates got a good look at the reliever.
Left fielder Gregory Polanco would double McCutchen in, and two batters later, Josh Harrison went first-pitch swinging for a sacrifice fly, giving the Pirates a two-run lead.
At the top of the eighth inning, Pittsburgh reliever A.J. Schugel came out to pitch his second-straight inning. Emotions in the game had started to escalate as Pirates right fielder Matt Joyce was ejected for arguing strike three during the inning break. So, after Schugel walked Alejandro De Aza, manager Clint Hurdle went for the quick hook.
It may have come as a surprise given the shortage of relief arms, but Hurdle wanted Hughes, his ground ball pitcher, in to get the double play.
Instead, Michael Conforto greeted the tall right-handed reliever with a home run, his ninth of the season.
Hughes continued to struggle with his control, allowing a single and a walk; both runners advanced when Hughes threw a wild pitch.
With just two relief options left for the Pirates, Hurdle had to be patient and try not to use a third pitcher that inning. This was Hughes’s mess to figure out.
Hughes got a ground ball to second base, which Harrison cleaned up. Cespedes didn’t run home. Next, Hughes intentionally walked Cabrera to get a potential double play. The next batter, Kelly, hit a shallow fly ball to Rodriguez in left field. After the grab, Cespedes bluffed towards home plate, and Rodriguez threw a one-hopper, right on target. Cespedes moved back to third.
Mets manager Terry Collins then called on pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson, but he grounded out on an 0-1 pitch, much to the delight of those at PNC Park.
Up Next
The Pirates are making a special one-day trip to Coors Field to face the Colorado Rockies to make up a game that was postponed on Apr. 28.
Jeff Locke (5-3, 4.28 ERA) will face Chad Bettis (4-5, 5.58 ERA). Locke is 1-1 with a 3.90 ERA in five career starts against the Rockies.
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