Derek Shelton predicted that Gregory Polanco’s bat would come round. The Pittsburgh Pirates manager looked something special in the right field player despite his low batting average and high strikeout rate.
Shelton was of the opinion that Polanco was too healthy and talented for his endeavor to continue, and the hard hits would become extra-base hits. And he did not hesitate to tell Polanco so much.
Polanco broke out of its decline in a big way Saturday afternoon, with a two-run home run that sparked a hit parade as the Pirates cruised to a 12-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park.
“It feels good, man,” Polanco said. ‘It’s been a tough month for me, but you know me. I’m a grinder. I will keep sneaking. I will continue to work hard. I will keep fighting. I seek my things that I do, for the small things. … I worked so hard here last month. Good to have a day like this. ”
After missing time with a positive test for covid-19, Polanco was at .085 (4 for 47) and had 24 strikeouts in 15 games. He went 2 for 3 with a double in his first hit before strutting a 1-1 pitch 434 feet into right field to give the Pirates a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning.
Polanco was one of four Pirates with multiple hits, collecting 14 against five pitchers from Brewers. Adam Frazier (3 for 5) and Jacob Stallings (2 for 3) also home, Colin Moran (3 for 4) had his first career game with three doubles and Bryan Reynolds went 2 for 5 with a double.
In the first inning, Moran doubled the line from the right field to score Frazier, whose main-first slide hit the tag of Manny Pina on the plate. The game was revisited, but Frazier was safely ruled out, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead.
Starting pitcher Derek Holland benefited from double plays in the first two innings, but Mark Mathias hit a leadoff double in the third. Holland exacerbated the situation when he spun to get Mathias in second place, but no one covered the base. Holland tried to stop, but his throw sailed into shallow right field, allowing Mathias to continue to the third.
Holland came back to knock out Orlando Arcia, get Ryan Braun to second and Christian Yelich to first to finish the end. That would not be Holland’s last bad throw of the game. After giving up a 423-foot home to Jedd Gyorko to tie it at 1-1 in the fourth, Holland ran Avisail Garcia. Holland’s pick-up went wide of Josh Bell’s initially, allowing Garcia to advance to second place. But Holland (1-1) knocked out Luis Urias with a high fastball to end the inning, earning his first victory with the Pirates and his first win since April 9, 2019.
Polanco beat the two-run homer in the fourth for a 3-1 lead, and the Pirates never looked back.
“He hit the ball really hard, so when he’s hitting, it’s great,” Moran said. ‘It’s always good to see that big smile he gets It gets contagious, his energy, and everyone pulls for him to get those two big hits. When he first smoked, everyone could breathe a little and extend that lead and get us to battle. ‘
Kevin Gorman is a staff writer for Tribune Review. You can contact Kevin via email at [email protected] or via Twitter .
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