CINCINNATI - The Pirates had already been punched in the gut by another late collapse Friday night at Great American Ball Park. Then Ryan O’Hearn grabbed at his left quad while sprinting to first in the top of the ninth, and the loss suddenly felt a lot bigger than an 8-7 final.
O’Hearn was limping badly before he reached the bag, and he left the field with help from manager Don Kelly and a member of the training staff. By the time Pittsburgh made its final out two batters later, the club had dropped its fourth straight game and slipped back under .500 at 55-56 for the first time since July 3.
The injury adds a fresh layer of concern for a team that can’t seem to stop getting hit with bad news. O’Hearn was seen using a crutch in the clubhouse after the game, and while there was no official diagnosis, the way it looked suggested he could miss time. That’s especially troubling because the Pirates’ top free-agent addition this offseason had already spent two weeks out earlier in the year with a right quad strain.
“It's really hard. I was pretty emotional about it, honestly,” infielder Nick Gonzales said postgame.
“That's a big-time player on our team, but also a leader. I love that guy to death, and feel really bad for him.
Feel really bad for the team for losing him and everything. But it's really unfortunate.
He's one of my best friends on this team, and it's really tough to see that.”
There’s still a chance Pittsburgh has options coming soon. Spencer Horwitz is close to returning after dealing with a hamstring strain and a concussion, and he’s expected to handle first base when he’s back. With the Trade Deadline arriving Monday, the Pirates could also be looking outside the organization for help.
“Every loss hurts, but to couple that with the loss of a guy like O'Hearn, nothing ever feels good when that happens, and we're just praying that it's not as bad as it could be,” Brandon Lowe said.
The Pirates had actually fought their way into a lead before everything unraveled. Down a run in the eighth, they strung together five singles in six at-bats and scored three times, turning the game into a 7-5 advantage the old-fashioned way.
That comeback was built in part on three scoreless innings from Antwone Kelly after Paul Skenes struggled through four innings and allowed five earned runs. But the bullpen couldn’t finish the job.
Wilber Dotel came on in the eighth and saw the first two batters reach on singles. After a strikeout, Sal Stewart lined a single to tie it.
The real damage came moments later. With two outs and runners on first and third after an intentional walk, Mason Montgomery entered and seemed to be one clean play away from ending the threat.
Nathaniel Lowe hit a hard grounder to Gonzales at third, and with an easy throw to first available, Gonzales chose to go for the force at second instead. Lowe at second was playing deep, well off the bag, and Gonzales hesitated before throwing late to Lowe covering the base.
Kelly said he’d need to look at the video to know exactly what happened. Lowe said he has to catch the ball. Gonzales accepted the blame, too.
“It was a hard-hit ball from the lefty. Just trying to throw it to second, get a force out, and once I saw how the shift was and everything, I should have thrown to first and [get] the out there,” Gonzales said.
“So, it's on me. Should have thrown to first soon as I saw nobody there [at second].”
For Pittsburgh, the night ended with the same feeling that’s been hanging around too often lately: another loss, another injury, and another reminder that the margin is shrinking fast.
“Doesn't really feel like we're able to catch a break at any turn,” Lowe said. “As soon as we're looking to get some people back, we lose some other guys.
And yeah, it's going to hurt. But hopefully, we've got enough talent here to hopefully weather this storm, too.”
In Other News...
Pirates May Have Found A Trade Path For Bullpen Help
The Pirates search for bullpen help may be getting a little clearer as the trade market starts to take shape, and the Texas Rangers are suddenly part of the conversation. After a rough stretch, Texas has let other clubs know that no player is entirely off-limits, which opens the door for teams like Pittsburgh to at least explore ways to add depth without paying premium prices.
For the Pirates, the appeal appears to be in the Rangers relief mix rather than the headline names. Peyton Gray and Tyler Alexander have both put together solid seasons, and they fit the kind of lower-cost path Pittsburgh would likely have to pursue. The bigger-ticket Rangers pieces remain a different matter, with players such as Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi not expected to be available to a club like Pittsburgh. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates May Have Found A Bullpen Arm Worth Watching Closely
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Dovals first outing with his new club was a mixed one, as he gave up a solo homer but otherwise worked through the inning with authority. Kelly and Doval both addressed what the appearance meant for his role moving forward, and for a Pirates bullpen that is always looking for someone who can give it a little more late-game stability. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Bullpen Pressure Just Grew For Ben Cherington At Deadline
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Ben Cherington is still searching for answers, and the pressure around the Pirates bullpen has only grown as the club continues to look at other possibilities. Luke Weaver and Brooks Raley remain among the targets being explored, but the broader issue is familiar by now: Pittsburgh needs more certainty in relief, and every missed opportunity only sharpens the focus on the general manager to deliver something that actually steadies the group. [Read more 🡒]