Ji Hwan Bae scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch during Pittsburgh’s four-run 10th inning, and Joey Bart hit a game-tying double in the ninth as the Pirates came from behind to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 on Sunday.
Through eight innings, both teams had combined for just five hits, with Arizona leading 2-1 going into the ninth. Then things took a turn.
Rowdy Tellez, who missed Saturday night’s game due to back spasms, came in as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and led off with a double against Paul Sewald. Bart followed with a two-out double to tie the game. Sewald’s blown save was his fourth out of 20 chances.
“That was sick — they both came off the bench and hit lasers,” said Pirates right fielder Jared Triolo, who made a diving catch to end the ninth inning.
Bae started the 10th inning with a bunt single, and Justin Martinez (4-2) walked Yasmani Grandal to load the bases.
After Arizona catcher Jose Herrera caught just enough of the plate to get a forceout — which was overturned on review — Martinez threw a wild pitch that allowed the fast Bae to score.
Martinez then hit Alika Williams with a pitch to score another run, and Ke’Bryan Hayes made it 6-2 with a two-run bloop single.
“I think this is our biggest victory,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “To come back from where we were at, the way Mitch (Keller) pitched, just to continue to grind through it.”
But the game wasn’t finished yet.
Arizona’s Eugenio Suárez hit a two-run homer off Colin Holderman in the 10th inning, which was confirmed after review despite Pirates’ left fielder Joshua Palacios believing a fan interfered. Pinch hitter Lourdes Gurriel Jr. then hit a two-out solo home run that just cleared the left foul pole.
