The Pirates streaked to a 4-0 first inning lead and cruised home with a 7-4 win over the Nationals yesterday in a rain-delayed game in Washington. Jack Suwinski and Henry Davis lifted sacrifice flies and Rowdy Telez hit a two-run single in the first. Then Connor Joe blasted a two-run homer in the fifth.
Michael A. Taylor had three hits and Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, and Tellez each had two. Martín Perez threw 6-and-two-thirds innings and struck out six, allowing two runs as he became the first Pirates pitcher to win a game on his birthday since Kip Wells did it on his 28th birthday in April of 2005 against the Reds. Perez turned 33 yesterday,
Manager Derek Shelton loved watching Perez pitch.
Perez led the game 4-0 before he even threw a pitch yesterday. He says that’s a good feeling.
Conner Joe says a 4-0 lead against the Nats’ Josiah Gray is a bit deceptive, because Gray was tough.
The Pirates are 6-1 and tied with the Yankees for the best record in baseball as they prep for today’s home opener against Baltimore. A rookie battery will take the field as righthander Jared Jones pitches for the Bucs, throwing to catcher Henry Davis. The Orioles will use righthander Grayson Rodriguez.
Soon-to-be Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland will throw out the first pitch and catching that pitch will be a former catcher whose career was ended by an elbow injury before he could make it to the big leagues…current Pirates manager Derek Shelton.
The pregame airs at 3:40 with first pitch scheduled for 4:12.
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