Young Pirates lead the way in 4-1 victory against Tigers
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Reality hasn’t hit Alika Williams yet, but he knows it’s coming — the fact that he’s in the majors with a couple of his buddies, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates win games.
“I don’t think it’s really smacked me yet. It’s going to,” he said.
That’s OK with the Pirates’ rookie shortstop because he’ll gladly accept what happened Tuesday night when he collected two hits as the No. 9 man in the batting order during the Pirates’ 4-1 victory against the Detroit Tigers.
The victory in front of a PNC Park crowd of 19,427 was the Pirates’ seventh in the past 11 games, their best 11-game stretch since they flirted with first place in the National League Central in early June.
The Pirates (48-58) collected eight hits, four by rookies Williams, Endy Rodriguez and Jared Triolo. Rodriguez hit his second triple in three games, 22-year-old Liover Peguero homered for the third time in 10 games and leadoff hitter Josh Palacios lifted a sacrifice fly for the fourth run.
In a game that started mere hours after the Pirates traded away four players who started the season in Pittsburgh, none of the players who recorded RBIs — Palacios, Rodriguez and Peguero — were with the team on Opening Day.
“You look to your left and you look to your right and you see guys who are the same age as you and it’s pretty cool,” Williams said. “And they’re really good baseball players. It’s a really cool, unique situation. The young guys are getting it done right now.”
Even though he’s new to the clubhouse, Williams has known a few of his Pirates teammates a long time. He played against Nick Gonzales, another rookie who didn’t play Tuesday, in college. Triolo was his roommate one year in summer ball.
Williams said reaching the majors is “a dream come true” after he started the season in Double-A Montgomery (Ala.) in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Rising to the big leagues for the second half of the season was never a thought, he said.
“I was just trying to perform in Double-A and be where my feet are,” he said.
Peguero, who started the season in Double-A Altoona and joined the Pirates on July 17, likes being a part of the team’s youth movement.
“It’s something that makes you feel that you are very important and something you have to take care of,” he said. “Also, I feel really glad to have those guys around me, being able to experience this up here. Having those guys around you makes you feel like you have to do the best you can all the time.”
Henry Davis, the Pirates’ rookie right fielder, also didn’t play Tuesday. Yet Peguero felt his influence.
“Having (Davis) next to you is like having a dad,” he said. “That’s something I’m never going to stop saying. I feel that’s a big part of the things that are happening right now.”
Peguero hit 11 home runs in 69 games with Altoona this season, but he’s nearly doubled the frequency in Pittsburgh.
“I wasn’t even expecting that. I’ll tell you it’s something I will take every time,” he said.
How is it happening?
“Be patient at the plate, not trying to rush anything,” he said. “Be myself, just be fluid up there and try to put the best swing on the pitch I’m trying to swing at.”
Meanwhile, 25-year-old starting pitcher Johan Oviedo (5-11), whose ability to produce outs gained significance Tuesday when Rich Hill was traded to the San Diego Padres, shut out the Tigers (47-60) through 6 ⅓ innings on the way to his second consecutive victory. Oviedo allowed six hits and struck out five batters in seven innings.
Sporting an undesirable 6.28 ERA through five July starts, Oviedo has allowed three runs and 10 hits while striking out 20 batters in three of his past four outings.
“He was in command of his pitches the entire game. Really solid start,” manager Derek Shelton said.
“Super exciting and happy to be here and to have the opportunity to keep learning and growing,” Oviedo said.
Relief pitchers Angel Perdomo and David Bednar each threw one hitless, scoreless inning in the eighth and ninth. Bednar needed only nine pitches (eight strikes) to end the 2 hour, 4 minute game, record his 22nd save and lower his ERA to 1.24.
What does it all mean to the big picture? Peguero has an interesting thought.
Liover Peguero, one of the young Bucs. pic.twitter.com/Pa6ThTP9JX
— Jerry DiPaola (@JDiPaola_Trib) August 2, 2023
“This is something we’ve been talking about every year,” he said. “This team is going to be a championship winner. I promise you, it will be – very soon.”