Kevin Newman's 10th-inning walk-off single saves Pirates, helps sweep Reds

Just how they drew it up.

That could not be said of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ extra-innings win over Cincinnati on Wednesday afternoon.

Kevin Newman’s 10th-inning walk-off single to center field sealed a 4-3 victory and completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Reds.

The last time the two teams met, in Cincinnati earlier this month, the Pirates also walked away with a sweep in four games.

Thus, Newman’s heroics provide the Pirates (59-97) with a seven-game win streak over the Reds to end their 2022 meetings.

“It’s always special anytime to come through,” Newman said. “For my teammates, for the crowd, the organization, just to end the game on a walk-off is awesome.”

Entering the top of the ninth inning, the Pirates looked safe and sound to put a bow on things, leading 3-0 with bullpen ace Chase De Jong on the mound.

Wednesday’s starter, Bryse Wilson, was in line for the win, having thrown a season-high eight innings and allowing just three hits to go with six strikeouts and a walk over 90 pitches.

But shortly after De Jong got started, things got hairy. Spencer Steer began the top of the ninth with a single, and Kyle Farmer then hit his 14th homer of the year to left-center field, trimming his team’s deficit to 3-2.

Still with no outs, Jake Fraley followed with a home run over the Clemente Wall, tying the score.

Manager Derek Shelton expressed no regrets in yanking Wilson in favor of De Jong after eight innings.

Even with the benefit of hindsight, capping his starter’s afternoon at 90 pitches and then sending out De Jong, a year-long steady Eddie, to close things out, hardly seemed like an unsound decision.

“(With a) 3-0 lead, (Wilson) had done his job, and Chase has been really good for us all year,” Shelton said after the game. “It’s kind of hard to fault a guy that’s probably been our most consistent performer out of the bullpen.”

De Jong eventually got out of the inning but not before allowing a double to Matt Reynolds. The Pirates got a man on base in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, when Bryan Reynolds was hit by a pitch, but Diego Castillo then struck out, sending the game into extra innings.

Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz made a solid defensive play in the top of the 10th. With Yohan Ramirez (who earned the win) pitching, Cruz snagged Steer’s line drive that would have scored Jose Barrero from third.

Barrero, as the final out in the ninth, began the 10th at second base.

In their half of the 10th, the Pirates began with Rodolfo Castro on second base, and the Reds intentionally walked Ben Gamel.

After Ke’Bryan Hayes struck out and Jack Suwinski flew out, Newman came to the plate.

On a 2-2 count from Cincinnati reliever Alexis Diaz, he delivered.

Thanks to some early offense, Wilson pitched with the lead for nearly his entire performance, rarely running into trouble throughout the game.

“I threw 90 pitches,” Wilson said. “I didn’t perfectly execute 90 pitches, but I think a lot that goes into it is the mix. The pitch usage was really, really good today, and I think sometimes the usage and keeping the hitters off-balance is when you can get away with those mistakes.”

Cruz, batting leadoff, got aboard in the bottom of the first via a two-strike, opposite-field single to left, with Miguel Andujar plating him on a double to center field.

On Tuesday night, Andujar hit a bases-clearing double to the same part of center field, albeit with a bit more power, as it hit off the wall shielding the visiting team’s bullpen.

Andujar, who had a single later in the fifth, continued to make his presence known in Pittsburgh since being claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees earlier this week. Through three games with the Pirates, he is 4 for 11 (.367) with two doubles and four RBIs.

In the bottom of the second, Cal Mitchell and Jose Godoy singled to right field, with Ji Hwan Bae drawing a walk to load the bases for Cruz, who promptly crushed a two-run double off the Clemente Wall.

Cruz went 2 for 5 and is now batting .292 (29 for 99) in September.

Mitchell also had a two-hit day, going 2 for 4.