David Bednar bounces back from rough outing to earn 1st save for Pirates since April 30

One night after David Bednar allowed two runs on three hits against the top of the Cincinnati Reds order and didn’t finish the eighth inning, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly didn’t hesitate to send the right-hander out for the ninth inning while clinging to a one-run lead.

It provided a confidence boost for the two-time All-Star closer, and Bednar rewarded that trust by putting the finishing touches on a 1-0 win Tuesday night to earn his first save since April 30.

“That’s what it’s all about, them having the trust in me, me trusting them and just continuing to deliver in those opportunities,” Bednar said. “In this game, you’ve got to have a short memory. I know what I’m capable of, and I know what I’m able to be. Just get right back out there and get the job done.”

It wasn’t easy, as Bednar had to battle through a 10-pitch at-bat against the leadoff hitter. After taking two called strikes, TJ Friedl evened the count before fouling off four consecutive pitches and hitting a line drive to right field for a single.

Bednar got Santiago Espinal to swing at the first pitch and ground into a 4-6-3 double play. Elly De La Cruz hit a pop fly toward the left-field line that Alexander Canario chased down to make a sliding catch and end it.

It was a pivotal moment for Bednar, who was demoted to Triple-A Indianapolis on April 1 after posting a 27.00 ERA in his first three appearances in the season-opening series at Miami. Since returning to the Pirates on April 19, Bednar had allowed five earned runs with 20 strikeouts against one walk in 12 1/3 innings over 13 appearances entering Tuesday’s game. He has lowered his ERA to 5.02.

Even so, Bednar gave up a double to San Diego star Fernando Tatis Jr., who stole third and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch to lift the Padres to a 2-1 win on May 3 at PNC Park. Pete Alonso hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth inning in a 4-3 walk-off loss at the New York Mets on May 12.

On Monday night, the Reds turned a 2-1 lead into a three-run advantage against Bednar. Friedl hit a leadoff single and scored on a double by De La Cruz, who advanced to third on the throw to home plate. Bednar surrendered an RBI single to Austin Hays, then threw a wild pitch. After striking out Gavin Lux, Bednar was replaced by Colin Holderman.

“Obviously, that one was very frustrating,” Bednar said. “Down a run, you want to keep the game where it is and give our guys a chance to win – and I wasn’t able to do that. That’s incredibly frustrating to me.”

Kelly noted that Bednar “did a heck of a job” in bouncing back from Monday’s outing. That Kelly turned to Dennis Santana in the eighth inning and saved Bednar for the ninth Tuesday night was a sign of his faith in Bednar.

Even so, Kelly wouldn’t commit to naming a setup man or a closer.

“I like playing the matchups right now, just seeing what fits best in that moment and finding the pocket that we feel is best for each guy,” Kelly said. “I mean, we’ll see. Maybe down the road. I like where we’re at right now. Really, David, since he’s been back up, has been pitching really, really well — and Dennis has been great all year. So, we’re just trying to find the right matchups there for both of them.”

The biggest difference for Bednar has been his conviction in throwing his off-speed pitches for strikes, using his curveball and splitter to set up an elevated fastball that averaged 97.5 mph and touched 98.4. When he wasn’t landing those pitches, Bednar said, it limited his ability to attack hitters with his fastball.

“I think just being in the zone with all three is a big reason why I’m able to have success,” Bednar said. “Just filling it up with all of them, and I have all the confidence in the world with all three of them. I think that’s a huge weapon for me.”

The Pirates are hoping Bednar can become a huge weapon for them out of the bullpen again, and his fourth save of the season was a step in the right direction.

“It was great to get the final three outs and secure that win,” Bednar said. “Those are the spots you want to be in. You want to beat those guys and take home a win.”