Pirates Walk It Off 6-5 on Reynolds Bloop Single

The Pittsbugh Pirates took game two of three in walk off fashion, defeating the Miami Marlins by a score of 6-5 at PNC Park on Wednesday. Rookie sensation Bryan Reynolds did it again, as he blooped a two RBI single into left field to score the winning run and avoid a series loss.

Both teams scored in the first frame, as Starlin Castro ripped a two-out double, one of his four extra base hits on the evening, to center field. Garrett Cooper drove him in with a ground rule double of his own. But Josh Bell answered for the Bucs in the bottom of the first, as he poked an RBI single to center field, scoring Reynolds.

Rookie Robert Dugger and Trevor Williams dealt scoreless second and third innings, though there were plenty of hits and walks to go around. Williams did his part again in the top of the fourth inning, but the Pirates pushed across a run in the bottom of the frame to take the 2-1 lead. After a walk by Jacob Stallings, it was Adam Frazier who tripled home the run on a high fly ball off the Clemente Wall in right field.

A fielding error by Bell in the top of the fifth inning followed by a Castro homer to center field quickly gave the Marlins the lead. The Pirates fought back in the sixth inning though, when pinch hitter Pablo Reyes double home Cole Tucker with two outs. It was 3-3 heading into the seventh.

Kyle Crick entered the game to relieve Williams, and after two quick outs, he promptly gave the Marlins the lead back. Castro doubled for his third extra base hit of the game, and Cooper mashed a middle-middle slider into the center field bushes. Crick can’t seem to get out of his way, and that blast gave the Fish a 5-3 lead.

Things were quiet until the bottom of the ninth innings, when Elias Diaz hammered a 1-0 fastball the other way over the 375 sign in right center field. With the Pirates down just one run, pinch hitter and recent call-up Kevin Kramer worked a walk. He was replaced by Erik Gonzalez on the bases, and Frazier came through again with a double. With men on second and third and no outs, Reynolds blooped a single over the drawn in infield that Frazier read perfectly. The ball was mishandled in shallow left, and Frazier scored the winning run standing up.

On top of his heroic base hit, Reynolds had two fine diving catches in center field tonight while filling in for Starling Marte. He’s been impressive by all accounts and continues to contend for the NL batting title. He and the Pirates will host the rubber match of the series against these same Marlins on Thursday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm Eastern, as Dario Agrazal will take on RHP Elieser Hernandez.