The Pittsburgh Pirates needed every bit of their bullpen on Aug. 24, and Kirby Yates delivered the kind of escape act that can tilt a long game.
In the series opener at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh survived a tense, extra-inning battle and walked away with a 3-2 win after Yates worked through a bases-loaded jam in the 11th inning. The Pirates had already blown chances to score in both the 10th and 11th, and San Diego looked ready to cash in before Yates slammed the door.
It wasn’t spotless, but it was effective when it mattered most. Yates got second baseman Jake Cronenworth to pop out on a bunt, then issued walks to third baseman Manny Machado and first baseman Ty France to load the bases with one out. From there, he dug in, striking out center fielder Jackson Merrill on three pitches and getting shortstop Xander Bogaerts to line out, preserving the tie and giving Pittsburgh one more shot.
The Pirates took advantage in the 12th.
For Yates, the outing stood out as his best yet since coming over from the Los Angeles Angels at the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Pittsburgh brought in the 39-year-old to help stabilize a bullpen that was already undergoing major changes, and the move has paid off. Through 11 outings, Yates has posted a 1.69 ERA across 10.2 innings, with nine strikeouts, three walks, a .205 batting average allowed and a 1.03 WHIP.
After the game, Yates said he felt in control against San Diego.
"I've been in that situation a few times lately," Yates said to SportsNet Pittsburgh. "Every time I get in that situation, it hasn't gone well. Kind of felt like the first time in a while that I actually helped the team win and it just felt good."
Yates was only part of a bullpen effort that carried Pittsburgh through six scoreless innings. Gregory Soto handled the seventh, Mason Montgomery worked the ninth, Camilo Doval threw a six-pitch 10th inning and Yohan Ramírez struck out the side in the 12th to finish it off.
Since the trade deadline, the Pirates bullpen has been rolling, turning in a 3.22 ERA with 29 earned runs over 81.0 innings pitched.
Manager Don Kelly made sure to single out Yates after the game, calling it a high-pressure spot and a huge response.
“...That was a playoff atmosphere and to have Kirby in that moment, be able to slow things down and get be able to get those outs was huge,” Kelly said.
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