PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t capitalize on Bae Ji-Hwan’s multi-hit game and Hosmer’s offense, dropping the series.
Pittsburgh gave up a game-tying three-run homer to Eugenis Suarez in the 10th inning of a 3-6 loss in the finale of a three-game series at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Monday, dropping its seventh consecutive series. Dropped to 26-26 on the season, just five wins shy of a winning percentage.
Bae, batting seventh and playing center field, started the offense with an RBI single to right in the fifth and a leadoff double to left-center in the ninth. However, Pittsburgh’s offense in the ninth and 10th innings showed the limits of their recent struggles.
Pittsburgh fell behind 0-2 and 1-3 in the top of the ninth on RBI singles by Julio Rodriguez (9th) and Carl Raleigh (8th). But in the eighth, Brian Reynolds’ double and Zack Surwinski’s bases-loaded walk tied the game at 3-3.
Bae led off the ninth inning with a single to left-center field, then maneuvered his way to a double. The next batter, Touficeta Marcano, went from a bunt to a slash and back to a fly to center field. He didn’t even advance the runner from second.
One out later, pinch-hitter Josh Palacios drew a walk to put runners on first and second. However, veteran Andrew McCutchen ended the scoring opportunity with a line drive to shortstop. In the bottom of the ninth, center fielder Bae Ji-hwan made a picture-perfect catch of a grounder to second base. Two batters later, top hitter J.P. Crawford hit a hard line drive that sailed over the center fielder’s head. Backing up, Bae changed direction slightly and snagged the hit to end the inning for reliever David Bednar.
Pittsburgh’s extra inning offense was just as unfortunate. With a phantom runner on second base (McCutchen), Reynolds singled to left-center with no outs. With a quicker read, he could have scored, but McCutchen mistook it for a grounder to shortstop and was caught in reverse motion, advancing to third on the base hit.
With runners on first and third and nobody out, Conor Jo and Seurwinski were retired on back-to-back walks to Seattle bullpen left-hander Taylor Soseido. With the bases loaded on a wild pitch, Keybrian Hayes struck out to end the game and give Seattle the win.메이저놀이터
Seattle threatened to extend the game in the bottom of the 10th when Ty Frans grounded out and Julio Rodriguez struck out with the bases loaded, but Pittsburgh manager Derek Selton had right-hander Robert Stevenson walk left-hander Jared Kelenic to load the bases and face right-hander Suarez. Stevenson and Suarez had been teammates for five years with the Cincinnati Reds. Suarez connected on Stevenson’s four-pitch “hanging slider” for a three-run shot into the left field stands.
Suarez’s homer was the first walk-off win of the season for Seattle, which improved to 2-1 in the series.
Bae has recorded six multi-hit games in May, including three in the first two weeks, raising his batting average to .275. It’s his highest average of the season. His OPS also increased to a season-high .762.