Takeaways and Throwaways – Pirates (Finally) Win One in Hotlanta

 The Pittsburgh Pirates make a miraculous comeback in the 9th, then score seven runs in the 10th inning to defeat the Atlanta Braves 12-5 at Suntrust Park.

Welcome to Takeaways & Throwaways. Shortly after every Pittsburgh Pirates game, come to Pirates Breakdown to see our flash recap format. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about the game, without making you read the same boring recap you can see anywhere else.

FINAL: Pittsburgh Pirates – 12 Atlanta Braves – 5

W – Felipe Rivero (2-1 ) L – Josh Collmenter (0-2)  

Takeaways

• Adam Frazier is ON FIRE – He started the game off with a hit, then stole second. He returned in the second inning to finish what he started, by way of a three-run homer. All told tonight he got on base in all five at-bats, ripped a home run and a single, walked 4 times, stole a base and had 3 RBIs. His batting average, the best in the line-up tonight and the team as a whole, is 3.70. What would the Pirates do without this guy?!
• Stew – Chris Stewart‘s spot-on pick off of Braves centerfielder Ender Inciarte in the 7th was a highlight of a great night behind the dish for the back-up catcher. He and Williams were a well-oiled machine out there through five.
• Coming up big in the late innings. Down to their last out, they battled back and for the second game in a row they started producing when the pressure was on. The Bucs scored seven runs in the 10th inning – topped off by three homers in a row by each David Freese, Jose Osuna and Jordy Mercer. Never count these Pirates out!

Throwaways

• Tonight it worked out, but last night the bats were quiet until late and it cost them the game. The Pirates need to figure out how to hit consistently, game after game.
• They say it’s because of the late night last night. They say it’s because everyone needs a night off. Whatever the real reason, Andrew McCutchen sat for tonight’s game and rookie Danny Ortiz got his first MLB start tonight in Cutch’s stead in centerfield. Say what you will about the season the beleaguered veteran is having, but if he were in his usual spot tonight, two of those Braves runs might not have happened. No shade on Ortiz, but he lacks experience and that can be costly to baseball teams.

Line of the Night

Trevor Williams was dealing tonight, even though his 3 earned runs may not reflect it. He went 5 innings, which is his standard thus far, gave up six hits, three runs, struck out 6 and didn’t walk anyone. His ERA, still affected by that disastrous outing in LA stands at 5.93.

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The #Pirates win a wild 10-inning game against the Braves 12-5. Who is your player of the game?

— Jason Rollison (@jrollisonpgh) May 25, 2017

Up Next

The Atlanta series concludes beginning at 12:10 p.m. at SunTrust Park. Ivan Nova (4-3) takes on Big Sexy himself, Bartolo Colon (2-4).

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