SportsPreview
The biggest question facing every WNBA team in training camp
WNBA training camps open with key questions for each team.
ESPN News1 min read
Sports
Pirates Prevail: RamĂrez Shows Grit in Extras for Wild Win Over Cubs at Wrigley
TL;DR
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-3 in 11 innings at Wrigley Field, showcasing resilience and grit. Key plays included a double play that allowed Marcell Ozuna to score in the second inning.
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Yohan Ramirez flips the ball during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, July 7, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
In a wild and whacky game at Wrigley Field, the Pittsburgh Pirates prevailed over the Chicago Cubs with a resilient 4-3 win in 11 innings on Saturday afternoon.
Scoring Plays
Top 2nd, 1-0 PIT: With runners on the corners and no outs, Spencer Horwitz grounded into a double play but Marcell Ozuna scored from third.
Top 3rd, 3-0 PIT: The Pirates (9-5) tacked on two more against Edward Cabrera in the third. Bryan Reynolds roped an RBI single to right and Ryan OâHearn followed with a sacrifice fly.
Bottom 5th, 3-1 PIT: The Cubs (6-8) got on the board in the fifth inning when Nick Hoerner plated Michael Conforto from third base on a groundout to second against Braxton Ashcraft.
Bottom 7th, 3-2 PIT: Hoerner grounded out to short against Justin Lawrence which plated Miguel Amaya.
Bottom 9th, 3-3: Down to their last strike, the Cubs tied the game on Alex Bregmanâs RBI single to right-center off Dennis Santana.
Top 11th, With runners on first and second and two outs, Brandon Lowe hit a tapper back to Caleb Thielbar (1-2). The left-hander delivered an off-line throw to first base, which allowed Nick Gonzales to score on the error.
Key Moments
The Pirates bullpen was able to escape jams in the seventh and eight innings but was unable to do it for a third straight inning. Dennis Santana left an 0-2 sinker up in the zone and Alex Bregman took advantage of the mistake.
After the Pirates came up empty in the top of the 10th, Yohan RamĂrez (2-0) kept the Cubs off the board by getting Dansby Swanson to bounce out to second with the bases loaded to end the inning.
The Cubs had two in scoring position with nobody out following RamĂrez throwing error in the bottom of the 11th. RamĂrez got Travis Shaw to pop out to shallow right and Alex Bregman to foul out to first. After intentionally walking Ian Happ to load the bases, RamĂrez fell behind 3-0 to Seiya Suzuki but got him to foul out to first to end the game.
Player of the Game
Oneil Cruz finished with four hits in five at-bats and stole three bases. His four hits were the most heâs had in a game since Aug. 27. 2024 when he had four hits against the Cubs at PNC Park and his three steals set a career-high.
Stat to Know
Oneil Cruz became the first Pirate with four hits and three steals in a game since Matt Lawton on July 26, 2005 (via Sarah Langs).
Notable Performances
- Braxton Ashcraft: 5.0 innings, four hits, one run, one walk, nine strikeouts, 77 pitches/50 strikes
- Yohan RamĂrez: 2.0 innings, no hits, no runs, three walks, no strikeouts, 32 pitches/18 strikes
- Oneil Cruz: 4 for 5, one double, one run, one walk (intentional), three steals
- Nick Yorke: 3 for 4, one double, one walk
- Bryan Reynolds: 2 for 5, one RBI
Noteworthy
- Oneil Cruz extended his hitting streak to 10 games, which is the longest active streak in baseball and the second-longest of his career.
- Braxton Ashcraft set a career-high with nine strikeouts. His previous career-high was eight, which he set in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park.
- Nick Hoernerâs RBI groundout off Ashcraft snapped a stretch of 15.1-consecutive scoreless innings from Pirates starting pitchers.
- Konnor Griffin recorded the first stolen base of his career in the second inning.
- Entering play, Cubs starter Edward Cabrera hadnât given up a run and allow allowed two hits through his first two starts of the season (11.2 innings).
Up Next
Pittsburgh will look to break out the brroms with RHP Bubba Chandler (0-1, 3.12 ERA) on the mound on Sunday afternoon. Former Pirate RHP Jameson Taillon (0-1, 2.53 ERA) will start for the Cubs. First pitch: 2:20 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh/93.7 The Fan.
The post Pirates Prevail: RamĂrez Shows Grit in Extras for Wild Win Over Cubs at Wrigley appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now.
Q&A
What was the final score of the Pirates vs Cubs game on Saturday?
The final score was 4-3 in favor of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
How did the Pirates manage to win against the Cubs in extra innings?
The Pirates won by scoring a crucial run in the 11th inning, demonstrating resilience throughout the game.
Who scored the winning run for the Pirates against the Cubs?
The winning run for the Pirates was scored by Marcell Ozuna in the second inning.
What key plays contributed to the Pirates' victory over the Cubs?
A significant play was Spencer Horwitz's double play that allowed Marcell Ozuna to score, contributing to the Pirates' lead.
