Freese’s error costly, gives Rays victory in 10th

RAYS 4, PIRATES 2 (10)

PITTSBURGH — David Freese was thinking about throwing the ball before it was in his glove. He never got the chance to wing it.

Freese misplayed a groundball at third base, allowing Steven Souza Jr. to score in the 10th inning to give the Tampa Bay Rays a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

With Souza at first base and no outs, Wilson Ramos hit a hard grounder off Felipe Rivero (3-2) that Freese missed with a backhand stab. Adeiny Hechavarria added a sacrifice fly in the inning, giving him two RBI in his first game since being traded from the Miami Marlins.

Freese was anticipating his throw to second base when the ball skipped right by him.

“I just booted the ball,” he said. “It was good [hop]. I just chose to backhand it, thinking it would give me a stronger throw wherever it was going. I just botched it.”

The Pirates were no-hit through six innings by starter Alex Cobb, but Andrew McCutchen forced extra innings with a two-run double down the left field line in the ninth.

Tommy Hunter pitched the 10th for his first save of the season.

Cobb allowed 2 hits with 4 strikeouts over 8 scoreless innings. He lost his no-hitter when Josh Harrison led off the seventh with a single. Harrison also had a walk in the fourth.

“It all starts with Alex Cobb,” Rays Manager Kevin Cash said. “Just an outstanding performance by his part and he was dominating. That’s probably the best way to put it. A lot of soft contact. He made big pitches.”