Nick Gonzales had his best game yet, bringing home four runs, and Bailey Falter pitched without allowing the Braves to score until the eighth inning, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates secure an 11-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.
Falter’s impressive streak of 20 scoreless innings over three starts came to an end when Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning. Despite this, Falter, a 24-year-old left-handed pitcher, managed to limit the Braves to six hits while striking out four and walking one, earning his first win since April 23.
Falter shared his strategy, saying, “I just want to keep going smoothly. I aim to get the opposing batters out quickly, ideally within three pitches or less, by throwing first-pitch strikes and avoiding walks. The quicker we get our team back in the dugout, the better chances we have for success, like tonight.”
Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton praised Falter’s performance against a tough Braves lineup, emphasizing his ability to effectively use his fastball on both sides of the plate.
Gonzales played a significant role in the Pirates’ victory, starting with a two-out, two-run single in the first inning to open the scoring. He later extended the lead with a two-run double in the sixth inning, bringing the Pirates’ lead to 10-0.
Since being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on May 10, Gonzales has driven in 13 runs in 14 games, matching his RBI total from last season when he played 35 games as a rookie. Gonzales attributed his improved performance to feeling more comfortable in the major leagues and making necessary adjustments to his game.
Edward Olivares led the Pirates’ offense with three hits, while Andrew McCutchen, Connor Joe, and Gonzales contributed with two hits each.
