Ivan Nova was mostly dominant, and the Pittsburgh Pirates jumped all over the Atlanta Braves. They then put things on cruise control for a 9-4 win.
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 – 9 Atlanta Braves – 4
W – Ivan Nova (5-3 , 2.83 ERA) L – Bartolo Colon (2-5, 6.96 ERA)
Takeaways
- On a day with many standout performances, Ivan Nova was quite possibly the headliner. His final line – 8.1 IP / 10 H / 4 ER / 1 BB /1 SO – belies just how dominant he was. The Braves had no answer for him until the seventh inning, even if they were not classically overpowered. Nova continues to provide incredible value relative to his contract.
- What further can we say about Adam Frazier? Since his return from the DL, Frazier has been a revelation at the top of the lineup. He started the scoring today with a three run home run in the second inning. The left-handed bat is slashing .442/.547/.558 since his return from injury.
- Josh Harrison had a solid day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a walk. He also chipped in a plus-defensive play on a Bartolo Colon fly ball. Yes, you heard that right.
- Francisco Cervelli was a major factor, with a 4-for-5 day with two RBI. He is 7-for-10 in his last 10 plate appearances.
Throwaways
- There was barely anything to pick apart today. The Pittsburgh Pirates played a complete game in all facets, and it showed.
- If we absolutely were forced to find fault with anything in today’s win, it could be that manager Clint Hurdle kept Nova in for the ninth inning when it was not necessary. Nova was cruising throughout much of the game, and Hurdle was undoubtedly trying to give Nova a chance to notch his sixth complete game with the club. Again, hard to nitpick but the Braves did see a little bit of life in their half of the ninth as a result.
Line of the Day
Choosing a line of the day is a daunting task in a game such as this, so we are going to take a cop out.
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ 1 through 5 hitters combined to go 10-for-23 with five RBI and two walks.
Vote in Our Player of the Game Poll
After each game, win or lose, Pirates Breakdown will ask YOU for your Pittsburgh Pirates player of the game. Hop over to our twitter to cast your vote!
#Pirates jump on Braves early then hit cruise control in 9-4 win over the #Braves. Who is your Player Of the Game?
— Jason Rollison (@jrollisonpgh) May 25, 2017
Up Next
The Pittsburgh Pirates will head home for a home stand that kicks off tomorrow with a three-gamer against the New York Mets. Pittsburgh will throw a trio of right-handers at the Mets comprised of Chad Kuhl, Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow. The Mets will counter with Zach Wheeler in game one and the dreaded TBD in game two, who is undefeated for his career. Matt Harvey is scheduled to pitch the third game for the Mets, unless he is tempted by Pittsburgh’s famed Carson Street fare the night before.
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