The Pirates needed a win on Sunday to reclaim first place in the NL Central, but the bullpen faltered, surrendering four runs in the eighth inning in a 5-2 loss to Milwaukee.
Joe Block has the recap.
The Pirates look to bounce back as they welcome the Chicago Cubs tonight to PNC Park. RHP Osvaldo Bido (0-0, 2.25 ERA) goes for the Pirates. LHP Drew Smyly (6-4, 3.59 ERA) pitches for Chicago. Airtime 6:40 on 100.9 The Groundhog. First pitch is 7:05 p.m.
During his weekly radio show on 100.9 The Groundhog yesterday, Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington told reporters “If there’s a player in our organization that gives our major league team a better chance to win games, there’s nothing that’s going to stand in the way of making that move.” Cherington then wasted little time in acting on that quote as Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported during the game that 2021 first overall pick, catcher Henry Davis, will get called up to the Pirates and make his major league debut tonight.
Manager Derek Shelton said after the game the Pirates will hold onto fellow catchers Austin Hedges and Jason Delay, along with Davis, making a three-man catching platoon.
Davis only played 10 games with Triple-A Indianapolis, but in that time, he hit .286 with three doubles, a home run and three RBI. The promotion came after he hit .284 in 41 games with Altoona.
The 23-year-old backstop will be the first No. 1 overall pick to reach MLB in just 421 minor league at-bats since Atlanta’s Bob Horner in 1978. The Pirates will need to clear a spot on the 40-man and 26-man rosters for Davis’ call-up.
Also, prior to yesterday’s game, the Pirates placed LHP Jose Hernandez on the 15-day injured list with a right calf strain. LHP Ryan Borucki was called up from Indianapolis and did not pitch yesterday.
PROSPECT WATCH
With Henry Davis called up to Pittsburgh, the clock is ticking for his former Indianapolis teammate: Endy Rodriguez.
Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI in Sunday’s finale against the Iowa Cubs, raising his season batting average to .245. One of those doubles exited his bat at 105.3 miles per hour.
