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Today’s Headlines
Pirates rally to overcome nine-run deficit, beat Reds 13-12.
WE HAVE A TIE GAME. pic.twitter.com/fJ33k4CLAz
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 24, 2023
The Cincinnati Reds got going early, with Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Tyler Stephenson swatting back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the first. TJ Friedl started off the second inning with an inside-the-park homer and by the time the Reds batted around and Friedl made the third out of the inning, Cincinnati was up 8-0. One inning later, Spencer Steer doubled and gave the Reds a 9-0 lead.
folks…
we have a PIRATES' FRANCHISE-RECORD COMEBACK WIN version of a
wheee! pic.twitter.com/Yq40L3gP82
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 24, 2023
The Pirates struggled to do much of anything through the first five innings, scoring one run on just three hits. Their luck changed in the sixth inning, however. They used the old school get ’em on, get ’em over, get ’em in approach early in the inning, hitting a few singles and moving the runners over. It was 9-3 when Bryan Reynolds stepped to the plate in the top of the sixth inning. He hit a three-run home run to cut the Reds’ lead to three. A bases-clearing double from Alfonso Rivas tied the game up the following inning. The Battling Bucs put up four more runs in the eighth inning, giving Pittsburgh a 13-9 lead. Despite the Reds’ best efforts to drive in a few more in the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings, the Pirates took Saturday’s game with a 13-12 victory.
Walk if off, Tampa Bay!
🚨 J. LOWE WALKS IT OFF 🚨 pic.twitter.com/xhdpTSniVE
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 23, 2023
Josh Lowe was the hero in St. Petersburg on Saturday. He gave the Rays a 4-0 lead with his first-inning home run and had the walk-off single in the ninth inning. The Toronto Blue Jays made it tough on Tampa, though, putting up four runs in the sixth inning and being patient while Pete Fairbanks couldn’t find the strike zone. Along with Lowe’s heroics, Yandy Díaz had a 4-for-4 day and Christian Bethancourt homered. With eight days to go, the Rays are just 1.5 games back from the division-leading Orioles.
John Means pitches 6.2 no-hit innings against the Guardians.
John Means carried a no-hit bid into the 7th inning and picked up the win in his third start back from Tommy John surgery. 👏 pic.twitter.com/i24sPbR0ww
— MLB (@MLB) September 24, 2023
John Means locked down the Guardians’ bats in his third start since returning from Tommy John surgery. He didn’t allow a hit until the seventh inning, giving up a solo home run to Andrés Giménez. He struck out four and walked one batter before handing the game over to Yennier Cano and Cionel Pérez in the bullpen. Offense was hard to come by for both teams on Saturday. Anthony Santander drove in both of the Orioles’ runs with a double in the first inning and a single in the sixth.
This afternoon, Kyle Gibson will face off against Triston McKenzie, who is making his first start since June 10.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Welcome to the show, Junior Caminero!
Junior Caminero sends out his first big league hit! pic.twitter.com/gkAHMHowZ1
— Rays Radio (@RaysRadio) September 23, 2023
The Tampa Bay Rays called up Junior Caminero, the team’s top prospect, from Double-A on Friday. He made his major league debut yesterday and recorded his first hit, a single off Blue Jays’ veteran Hyun Jin Ryu. Congrats to Caminero!
The latest Baseball Image Preceding Unfortunate Events.
— Baseball Images that Precede Unfortunate Events (@UnfortunateMLB) September 24, 2023
I’m sure that 8-0 Reds lead felt really safe…until it didn’t!
Injuries & Transactions
2B Luis Arraez slipped on the stairs and aggravated his ankle injury when the ballpark lights turned off for the closer’s entrance in the bottom of the ninth. Consider him day-to-day.
SP Tyler Anderson will not make his scheduled start today. He was placed on the injured list with a knee injury.
SP Charlie Morton has a right finger sprain and is going for an MRI to determine the next steps.
SP Eury Pérez was placed on the 15-day IL with left SI joint inflammation. His season is over.
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Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)