David Bednar came into the ninth with the bases loaded, two outs, and a one-run lead. The pressure was high, and a rowdy fan behind the plate tried to distract him, shouting and moving around to throw him off. Bednar stayed locked in. He started with a 98 mph fastball up in the zone, then dropped in a tight curveball that got the batter to go around. Catcher pumped his fist, clearly liking the pitch mix.
With the count 0-2, Bednar kept attacking. He went back to the high fastball, brushing the top of the zone. Then another curveball down, which the batter fought off. The catcher kept showing emotion, clapping and staying locked in too. The fan behind home kept taunting, hoping to shake the pitcher or maybe boost the home team’s luck. Bednar stayed cold. He finally got the chase on a breaker, strike three swinging. The batter threw his helmet in frustration as the Pirates bench celebrated.
The pitch sequence stood out. Bednar used elevated heat and sharp curveballs in repeated succession. The tunneling made his pitches hard to read. It was smart, effective, and showed his poise under pressure. The game ended with the Pirates holding the lead and a frustrated hometown crowd.