Bullpen Shows Dominance in 2021 Season Debut
Despite expectations, the Pittsburgh Pirates got the 2021 season started off on the right foot when they defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Opening Day. It was a great win for the team, and there is always a positive taste in your mouth when you start the season off 1-0 as opposed to 0-1. However, that win would not have been possible if it weren't for the complete dominance of the Pirates bullpen. Starting pitcher Chad Kuhl didn't have a full spring because of the birth of his son, and you knew he wasn't going deep into the game. However, when he left after just three innings, there was some concern on how the bullpen was going to handle six innings of holding a lead. However, they showed just how good they can be, taking the reigns and never letting up.
In total, six pitchers combined to cover the six innings of work, and allowed just one earned run on one hit while walking one and striking out 10. As Spring Training went along, we started to see that the bullpen was going to be a strength for the Pirates, but no one could have ever expected the dominance we saw on Thursday afternoon. Every pitcher that came out of the bullpen pounded the strike zone and attacked a Cubs lineup that included guys like Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, and Joc Pederson. Both starters were wild in this game, with Chad Kuhl only throwing 52% of his pitches for strikes, so it was a battle of the bullpens. The Pirates bullpen outperformed the Cubs bullpen and showed they can be a reliable entity for the Pirates throughout the summer.
The Early Innings
When Chad Kuhl exited the game in the third inning yesterday, I am not going to lie that I was more than a little worried. The Pirates had just a 3-2 lead, and the bullpen was going to have to cover six innings to try and hold a one-run lead. The first one in the game was newest Pirate Duane Underwood Jr., who was going against his former team. He really set the tone for the day coming in and wasting no time while pounding the strike zone. He would end up striking out the side in the fourth on 18 pitches, 11 strikes. He was facing Javier Baez, Jason Hayword, and David Bote and looked really good with a couple of nasty breaking balls. Underwood is a guy who can go multiple innings, but because of the cold and it being Opening Day, Derek Shelton went with his next man.
That next man was Clay Holmes, who was coming off a fantastic Spring Training in which he wasn't scored upon. However, he had struggled in the past with a 5.58 ERA in his last full season in 2019, which still caused concern. However, much like Underwood, Holmes also produced a 1-2-3 innings facing the nine, one, and two hitters in the Cubs order. Holmes picked up a strikeout of his own, but relied more on soft contact and keeping the ball on the ground than blowing pitches by guys. He was also tied for the most efficient pitcher of the afternoon, needing just 12 pitches to get through his inning. After the struggles he has had early in his career, Holmes felt like he turned things around this off-season and is hoping to show that improvement early on.
The next man up was the only lefty option in the Pirates bullpen, Sam Howard, who took over in the sixth inning. With a pair of dangerous lefties in Joc Pederson and Anthony Rizzo due up in the inning, Howard would be tested in the opener. He had the best year of his career with the Pirates in 2020, going 2-3 with a career-best 3.86 ERA, and was trying to show the Pirates that that performance was no fluke. He did just that in his first appearance of 2021, coming in and quickly striking out the side. He pounded the strike zone throughout the outing and only went to one two-ball count. So far, the bullpen had held down the fort, and the offense rewarded them with two runs. However, three innings remained with a back-end bullpen that was full of questions.
The Late Innings
The first guy called upon by Shelton in the later innings of the game was Pittsburgh-native David Bednar. After a lights-out spring where he wasn't scored upon and struck out 18 batters in 8.2 innings of work, he was looking to carry that momentum into the regular season. He did just that by posting the fourth straight 1-2-3 inning by a Pirate reliever, striking out two batters in his one inning of work. He kept a streak going early in his outing striking out the first two men he faced in Baez and Hayword to give the Pirates a string of five straight strikeouts. After a couple of rough showings in San Diego, Bednar is looking to turn things around as he gets the opportunity to pitch in his hometown.
The only run allowed by the bullpen came in the top of the eighth as Mr. Reliable Chris Stratton came into the game. Stratton kind of flew under the radar in 2020, taking the ball more than any other National League reliever, and thriving posting a 3.90 ERA over 30 innings of work. He came in to face the nine, one, and two hitters and looked in trouble when he gave up a leadoff double to Eric Sogard. However, he would get through the rest of the outing getting two groundouts and allowing a sacrifice fly. The two runs the Pirates had scored earlier in the game helped as it allowed the Pirates to hold a 5-3 lead after the eighth inning. However, a save situation was brewing in the ninth, and it was time to see who Shelton would use as a closer in the early part of the season.
The choice was the one you would expect as Richard Rodriguez came out for his first save opportunity of the year. Rodriguez was the guy Shelton turned to at the end of the year last year, and he was successful in limited opportunities, saving four out of the five games he pitched in. However, with the middle of the order due up, it was going to be no easy task for the Pirates closer. He got Kris Bryant to fly out to start things, but walked Joc Pederson, bringing the tying run to the plate. However, he shut things down right there, striking out Baez and Hayword to end the game and give the Pirates their first win of the season. It completed a dominant performance by the bullpen and showed the talent the Pirates possess in their relief corps.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (1-0) continue their three-game series with the Chicago Cubs (0-1) this afternoon at Wrigley Field at 2:20 pm. Tyler Anderson (0-0, -.--) will be making his Pirates debut going against Jake Arietta (0-0, -.--) in his return with the Cubs. You can watch the game on AT&T Sportsnet, Listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along with us on Twitter at @Buccos_Cove.
Comments
Post a Comment