![\"Endy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Rodriguez-1120x630.jpg\")
Photo provided by Matt Lynch \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto provided by Matt Lynch \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
PITTSBURGH \u2014 Games in the middle of May might not seem like they\u2019re very important, but in a division that\u2019s been as tight as the National League Central through the first seven weeks of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates can\u2019t afford to lose ground. <\/p>\n
With the Colorado Rockies in town, the Pirates needed to find a way to come out with a series win. <\/p>\n
Things started out great. Paul Skenes was just about untouchable in eight-scoreless innings in a win on Tuesday night. It looked like the Pirates were on their way to a second straight win until the wheels fell off in the second game of the series, which ended in a 10-4 loss.<\/p>\n
But the Pirates came out swinging in Thursday\u2019s rubber match. They scored three runs in the first \u2014 two on a Ryan O\u2019Hearn home run \u2014 three in the third and tacked on another in the fifth and totaled 12 hits in a 7-2 win<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh, for a long time, has been a bad team that good teams would often beat up. Now, the 24-20 Pirates have the look of a pretty good team, and winning a series against an inferior opponent might not seem like much, but it\u2019s essential if they want to end up where they want to be when the season ends. <\/p>\n \u201cI think yesterday was a tough game to lose,\u201d manager Don Kelly said after Thursday\u2019s win. \u201cWe\u2019ve talked about it throughout the season, being able to bounce back. To come up in the first inning, set the tone like that and put three across, O\u2019Hearn with the big home run, and then continue to grind at-bats out, I think that is the big key. When we\u2019re clicking, we\u2019re getting those big base hits, it\u2019s nice to have.\u201d<\/p>\n A couple more takeaways after taking two of three from the Rockies. <\/p>\n Endy Back in Big Way<\/p>\n The Pirates haven\u2019t received much offense from their catchers this season, but Endy Rodr\u00edguez changed that in his season debut on Thursday.<\/p>\n Playing in his first game with the Pirates since last year on June 6 after undergoing a second significant elbow surgery, Rodr\u00edguez had a big hand in the win. Rodr\u00edguez lined a double to right field in his first trip to the plate. In his second at-bat, he shot a single through the middle to plate a pair of runs. He finished 2 for 3 and also drew a walk.<\/p>\n \u201cThe last couple years, as we know, dealing with the injuries and the way that he\u2019s gone through it and gone about it with the attitude that he has, the energy. He\u2019s so positive,\u201d said Kelly. \u201cIt\u2019s really cool to see him have that game today.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to what he provided offensively, Rodr\u00edguez did a fine job handling a unique game behind the plate. <\/p>\n The Pirates went with an opener in Mason Montgomery. He was followed by Evan Sisk, who covered the second inning, Carmen Mlodzinski, who got the Pirates through the seventh, and Dennis Santana and Yohan Ram\u00edrez, who handled the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. <\/p>\n \u201cIt went great, It was good to see him back out there,\u201d Mlodzinski said after working with Rodr\u00edguez. \u201cI know it\u2019s been a little bit of a grind for him with the last few years, with some injuries to his arm. I think at the end of the day, everybody\u2019s just happy he\u2019s back in the big leagues. I think he\u2019s a special player.\u201d<\/p>\n For Rodr\u00edguez, he was happy to make his much-anticipated return to the Pirates. His big performance was the cherry on top.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels pretty good to be back,\u201d he said after the game.<\/p>\n Speaking of Openers<\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen a lot of controversy about openers on social media, but each time the Pirates have used one, the gameplan seems to always work.<\/p>\n The first instance this year was when Montgomery opened for Mlodzinski on April 15 against the Washington Nationals, a game the Pirates won 2-0. <\/p>\n They used Montgomery in the first inning again on April 27. He threw a scoreless-first, which was followed by a 1-2-3 second inning from Justin Lawrence and four-perfect innings from Mlodzinski. The Pirates had a 2-0 lead that game heading into the ninth, but Dennis Santana allowed four runs for a blown save. <\/p>\n When they\u2019ve used an opener, the Pirates are 2-1, and their record should be 3-0 in such games. <\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s the mindset and the attitude and how they go about it,\u201d Kelly said when asked why the strategy works. \u201cCarmen, he\u2019s come out of the \u2018pen before, but he\u2019s been starting all year. So to take that mindset out to the \u2018pen and come in in the middle of the game in both outings, he\u2019s been really, really good.\u201d<\/p>\n Mlodzinski admitted it\u2019s not easy following in opener, and I understand some of his frustration. But so far, the strategy has largely worked, and the Pirates should continue to do it when opportunities arise.<\/p>\n Look at Thursday\u2019s game. The hot-hitting Mickey Moniak, who bats left-handed, slid down to the sixth spot in the lineup. It didn\u2019t matter much in this one, but potentially taking away a late at-bat from a lineup\u2019s top hitter could pay dividends.<\/p>\n I\u2019m for the opener when it makes sense, and Montgomery\/Mlodzinski \u2014 sometimes separated by a reliever \u2014 is a formula that\u2019s worked. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important for me to be able to do my job and I\u2019m happy with being able to successfully\u00a0do that,\u201d said Montgomery. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Endy Rodriguez<\/a> Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a> <\/p>\n