Rookie Colin Moran isn’t big on showing emotion Authentic Alex McGough Jersey , so he took it in stride after hitting his second grand slam of the season.
Manager Clint Hurdle, though, put the feat in perspective.
”Two grand slams in a year is pretty cool. Some guys don’t hit one their whole career,” Hurdle said after Moran’s slam helped carry the Pirates to a 7-5 victory against the San Diego Padres on Sunday. ”In his rookie season, too. He hunts pitches. He’s got a lot of confidence when he goes to the plate. He prepares.”
In fact, none of Hurdle’s 32 home runs over a 10-year career came with the bases loaded.
Corey Dickerson and Elias Diaz also homered for the Pirates, who took two of three games.
Moran connected off Tyson Ross with two outs in the fifth to put the Pirates ahead 6-3. He also hit a grand slam in the home opener on April 2, a 5-4 victory against Minnesota.
Ross, who singled and then had his first career stolen base a half inning earlier, faltered with two outs in the fifth. Austin Meadows doubled, Josh Bell walked and Josh Harrison beat out an infield single to load the bases. Moran then drove a 1-0 pitch to right for his eighth homer.
”It’s cool,” Moran said of hitting two slams in one season. ”But I guess it was just kind of nice to get some runs in there and get us the lead, so that was the biggest thing.”
The only other rookie in Pirates history to hit two grand slams in a season was Wally Westlake in 1947. Moran was the first Pirates player with two grand slams in a season since Jose Bautista in 2006.
”Those are cool things,” Hurdle said. ”They don’t happen for everybody. They don’t happen to many guys whatsoever. It goes back to preparation, opportunity and then production, and he’s been able to pull that off. … He’s ready to hit. He knows what he’s hunting to hit.”
Moran made his big league debut with Houston in 2016 Authentic Sebastian Janikowski Jersey , appearing in nine games. He appeared in seven games with Houston last season before being sent to Pittsburgh along with Joe Musgrove and two other players in the deal for Gerrit Cole. Moran had 34 big league at-bats coming into this season.
”He’s one of the calmest people I’ve ever played with,” Dickerson said. ”He just has no emotion. He has a good plan. He does the same thing every day. You don’t ever change stuff up. He’s very simple. Simple sometimes is the best in great moments like that. He came through.”
Dickerson homered in the second, his sixth, and Diaz homered leading off the sixth, his sixth.
The Padres closed to 7-5 on Wil Myers’ infield RBI single with one out in the sixth and then loaded the bases on Eric Hosmer’s walk. But Steven Brault got Hunter Renfroe to hit a flyball to right that wasn’t deep enough to bring in Jose Pirela, and Kyle Crick struck out pinch-hitter Christian Villanueva.
Crick (1-1) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win. Felipe Vazquez pitched the ninth for his 17th save.
Ross (5-6), who has been mentioned in trade rumors, was chased by Diaz’s homer. Ross had his worst start of the season, allowing seven runs and seven hits, with three walks and no strikeouts.
”I didn’t throw the ball particularly well,” Ross said. ”I could’ve been a lot better with two outs and two strikes. That’s kind of where I really got myself into trouble.
”That big fifth inning, had two strikes on Meadows and two outs, and double to left and then everything kind of unfolded from there. Days like this happen. I still had a chance to win that game, just wasn’t able to put hitters away when I had two-strike counts.”
Said manager Andy Green: ”You’ve got two outs and nobody on and Tyson on the mound, you kind of like that situation right there. Next thing you know, bases are loaded and one pitch is hit out of the ball park Authentic Byron Maxwell Jersey , and that kind of changes the trajectory of the game. It’s a frustrating one.”
Pirates starter Jameson Taillon went 4 2-3 innings, allowing four runs, three earned, and seven hits while striking out four and walking three. He got the first two outs of the fifth before allowing Renfroe’s homer to left, his fifth, that pulled the Padres to 6-4. Taillon allowed singles to Cory Spangenberg and Carlos Asuaje before making way for Edgar Santana, who struck out Freddy Galvis.
Ross hit a sacrifice fly that gave the Padres a 2-1 lead in the second. He singled with two outs in the fourth and then got the first stolen base of his career. He was stranded when Manuel Margot grounded out.
Renfroe also hit an RBI double in the third.
WEATHERS SIGNS
The Padres agreed to terms with LHP Ryan Weathers, their first-round selection, seventh overall, in June’s amateur draft. He is the son of former big league pitcher David Weathers.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Nick Kingham (2-3, 3.82) is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to start Monday night’s opener of a three-game series at the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will counter with LHP Alex Wood (4-5, 4.00).
Padres: LHP Clayton Richard (7-7, 4.29) is scheduled to start Tuesday night’s opener of a two-game series at Oakland, which counters with RHP Chris Bassitt (1-3, 2.82).
The Cincinnati Reds have climbed back to respectability in the NL Central Authentic Ed Dickson Jersey , thanks largely to suddenly solid pitching.
Tyler Mahle kept it up Friday by tossing one-run ball into the seventh inning and the Reds edged the Cubs 3-2 for their fifth straight victory over Chicago.
Adam Duvall and Scooter Gennett drove in runs as the Reds won for the 14th time in 18 games and ended the Cubs’ six-game winning streak. Billy Hamilton, Cincinnati’s No. 9 hitter, had three hits and leadoff man Jose Peraza had two.
Mahle (7-6) allowed five hits and struck out four over 6 2/3 innings to win his fourth straight decision. In his last seven starts, the 23-year-old right-hander has a 2.06 ERA.
”He’s just a great competitor, a very composed young man,” manager Jim Riggleman said. ”He just challenged hitters and really gave us another good ballgame.”
With a stiff wind blowing in from the north at Wrigley Field, Mahle could afford to be aggressive on a 70-degree day. Deep flies by both teams that might have carried into the bleachers in warmer conditions stayed in the ballpark.
”We had some guys who really got into some balls, and they didn’t go anywhere,” Mahle said. ”I knew being kind of a flyball pitcher that I was going to be OK.”
The Reds are 36-34 since Riggleman took over for Bryan Price on April 19 when they were 3-15.
”All of us realize that we’re a lot better than we what we were at the start,” Mahle said. ”We just go out and kind of expect to win at this point.”
Raisel Iglesias, Cincinnati’s third reliever, got the final five outs for his 17th save in 20 chances.
Albert Almora Jr. and Ben Zobrist drove in the Cubs’ runs.
Cubs starter Mike Montgomery (3-3) allowed three runs on six hits in five innings while walking two and hitting two batters. He scuffled in the fourth and fifth as the Reds built a 3-0 lead.
The Reds swept the Cubs, he reigning NL Central champions, in a four-game series in Cincinnati two weeks ago.
”They always could hit,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. ”The difference is they’re keeping the other side down now.
”It’s not just us. Their pitching is really, I think Authentic Barkevious Mingo Jersey , the lynchpin of their success right now.”
The Reds jumped ahead 2-0 in the fourth after loading the bases with no outs.
Duvall lined a single up the middle to score Gennett, then Joey Votto came home on Scott Schebler’s double-play grounder.
Cincinnati tacked on a run in the fifth when Hamilton scored from third on Gennett’s sacrifice fly.
The Cubs cut it to 3-1 in the bottom half of the inning when Almora grounded into a forceout and closed to 3-2 in the eighth on Zobrist’s sac fly.
REDS ROSTER MOVE
INF Dilson Herrera was promoted from Triple-A Louisville to fill the spot vacated by LHP Cody Reed, who was sent down. Herrera had a .297 batting average and seven home runs at Louisville and was part of the Jay Bruce trade with the Mets last August.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: Montgomery hit Votto with a pitch on the back of the helmet in the fifth, but Votto sprinted to first and remained in the game.
Cubs: Carl Edwards Jr. (right shoulder inflammation) was activated off the DL and Dillon Maples was optioned to Triple-A Iowa. … Theo Epstein said Yu Darvish (right triceps tendinitis/right elbow impingement and inflammation) is feeling better and is optimistic the star right-hander will make a ”solid contribution” this season. Epstein, the Cubs president of baseball operations, didn’t provide a timetable for the starter’s return. Darvish is in a strengthening phase. … Epstein said INF/OF Kris Bryant (left shoulder inflammation) had a good day in the batting cage on Friday and is nearing a return. Epstein planned to meet with Bryant on Friday to determine next steps, which might include a brief rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Reds RHP Matt Harvey (4-5, 4.91) takes the mound against Cubs RHP Tyler Chatwood (3-5, 4.54) on Saturday. Harvey has won his last three starts, with a 1.47 ERA over 18 1/3 innings. Chatwood yielded seven runs in five innings to the Twins in his last outing, but still got a win as Chicago outslugged Minnesota 14-9. He leads the majors with 66 walks.