Pirates Third Base Coach Takes Blame on Baserunning Debacle
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't made it easy on themselves this season, and a recent poor play hurt them in their last game.
The Pirates could've scored a few runs in the fourth inning, but a base-running mistake kept them from scoring in the 5-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in the series opener at PNC Park on Sept. 15.
Pirates catcher Rafael Flores Jr. hit a ball that bounced off of Brewers third baseman David Hamilton's glove into the outfield, which should've scored third baseman Nick Gonzales, who was running from second base.
Gonzales instead stopped at third base, and Pirates designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn, who expected Gonzales to score, kept running past second base, but got tagged out heading back after Gonzales stopped.
The Pirates, who could've at least tied the game at 1-1, scored no runs and lost momentum that would've helped them in a crucial game.
Pirates 3B Coach Tony Beasley Addresses Decision
Pirates fans, unsurprisingly, booed the play and were frustrated with Gonzales, who they thought should've scored.
Replay showed that Pirates third base coach Tony Beasley stopped Gonzales, instead of waving him around to score, which was why Gonzales stopped.
Beasley took responsibility for Gonzales not scoring postgame, attributing it to him not seeing the ball from his box, instead of being up the line.
New rule changes ensure that both the first base and third base coaches are within the drawn parameters whenever a pitcher is on the rubber.
Beasley couldn't see the ball go into the outfield after it bounced off Hamilton's glove before it was too late, and since he was worried about Gonzales, he wouldn't let him go to home plate.
"It was a big play in the game, obviously with Misiorowski on the mound, we know runs are a premium," Beasley said. "We had an opportunity to score runs. I probably had the worst view from that play for anybody in the house, third base coach's box.
“I see a third baseman dive and from my vantage view, the ball hit his glove and disappeared. I didn't see the ball again, I saw the shortstop and third baseman and that was it. In my direct line of sight, so I'm thinking about control, gotta stop Nick. I can't let him get up and throw him out on the play.
Well, I focus on Nick then see O'Hearn rounding second, so I know something's weird so I see the ball then, it's in the outfield but that's too late. I just had a bad view and I had the worst view in the house.
”I'm not known for being passive at third base, I don't think so. So obviously if I saw trickle, I'm going to score Nick. It's one of those weird plays..."
Gonzales didn't take the play too seriously, as he did what Beasley instructed him, which he is supposed to do in that situation.
“Just was held up,” Gonzales said. “I stopped because I was held up. I'm not blaming anybody. It's just the game. I was going home and got held up.”
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.