Roughriders softball falls to the Bulldogs on Tuesday night.
PITTSBURGH — Craig Kimbrel’s twoyear journey through the wilderness appears to be over.
The seven-time AllStar stuff is back. And the Chicago Cubs closer used every bit of it while finishing off the reeling Pittsburgh Pirates in a 4-2 win on Thursday to become the 12th pitcher in major league history with 350 career saves.
Kimbrel struck out Dustin Fowler and pinch-hitter Wilmer Difo with the bases loaded to end the eighth, then retired the Pirates in order for his first fiveout save of his 12-year big league career.
“It’s a tremendous accomplishment,” Kimbrel said. “Glad I was able to get here. Plan is to get to 400 now.”
Kimbrel’s 22-pitch performance didn’t exactly leave him gassed. The 32-year-old spent nearly an hour going through his usual postgame workout routine.
“He’s a special one and we’re fortunate to have him,” Chicago starter Jake Arrieta said after working six innings to improve to 2-0. “He’s going to climb the ranks. Especially with the stuff that he still has. He might end up being No. 1 at the end of the day.”
A prospect that seemed far-fetched during Kimbrel’s welldocumented struggles. He slogged through 2019 and 2020, going 0-5 with a 6.00 ERA in 41 appearances for Chicago.
It is fast becoming a somewhat distant memory. Kimbrel has yet to allow a hit in 4 2/3 innings in 2021. Asked what the difference is between now and the last couple seasons, Kimbrel just shrugged his shoulders.
“Throwing strikes,” he said with a laugh.
SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES
The Cubs broke out of an opening funk by pounding out 11 hits against Tyler Anderson (0-2) and four relievers. Javy Baez hit a go-ahead two-run shot for the Cubs in the sixth. Rizzo and Bryant also homered as Chicago raised its major league-worst team batting average from .143 to .157.
“It’s nice to get the big boys going and when they get going we have a really good chance to win that day,” Cubs manager David Ross said.
Arrieta (2-0) survived a sometimes wobbly six innings to improve to 14-6 against the Pirates. Arrieta allowed two runs, seven hits and three walks and four strikeouts.
“Didn’t have a few pitches throughout the game but was able to find them in big situations when I needed them,” Arrieta said.
PLUNGING PIRATES
Adam Frazier and Gregory Polanco had two hits each for the Pirates but couldn’t stop Pittsburgh from dropping its sixth straight.
The Pirates welcomed 7,784 fans back to PNC Park, though the team is in a far different place than it was when it ended the 2019 regular season with a 3-1 loss to Cincinnati just hours after firing then-manager Clint Hurdle.
Pittsburgh is in the midst of an organizational-wide overhaul, one focused more on the future than the present. A year after finishing with the worst record in the majors, the Pirates are off to another sluggish start under secondyear manager Derek Shelton.
The offense is in a funk and the pitching has been problematic at best. The Pirates entered with the secondhighest ERA in the National League and while it dropped to 6.83 they continued to struggle keeping hitters in the ballpark.
Pittsburgh has allowed a major leaguehigh 14 home runs, though the shots by Bryant and Baez were more a product of good hitting. Bryant sent a fastball low in the zone to the bushes behind the fence in center in the first. Baez scrapped an Anderson offering off the plate and flicked it into the short-porch in left field in the sixth to put the Cubs in front.
Still, Shelton remained upbeat.
“I think our fans realize that we’re building something here and that it’s going to be a journey,” he said. “I really appreciate their support, not only today but how they’ve been throughout. It’s outstanding.”
N.Y. Mets 3, Miami 2
NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff McNeil launched a tying homer in the bottom of the ninth inning on his 29th birthday and the New York Mets were handed the winning run on a disputed hit by pitch for a bizarre 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins in their home opener Thursday.
With the bases loaded and one out, a scuffling Michael Conforto appeared to stick out his right elbow pad just enough to get it grazed by a 1-2 breaking ball from closer Anthony Bass that looked to be in the strike zone.
Plate umpire and crew chief Ron Kulpa at first signaled strike, then quickly ruled Conforto was hit by the pitch. Conforto headed toward first base as Luis Guillorme scored and the Mets celebrated a comeback win in front of the first crowd at Citi Field in 557 days.
Marlins players and manager Don Mattingly argued with Kulpa before a replay review was initiated.