The Pirates closed out a tight game with a little drama and some laughs. In the bottom of the ninth, they led by two, but the tying run stood on second. Reliever Bake Vasquez came in for the save, and as the situation got tense, the home fans tried to help. They clapped loud, trying to jinx him or throw him off. It briefly looked like it might work when Vasquez missed outside, sending the count full. But on the final pitch, he struck the batter out and ended the game.
After the final out, Vasquez exchanged a few laughs with fans. One fan acted like their noise had shaken him, but Vasquez didn’t bite, showing it was all in good fun. Then came a funny moment in the dugout. Pirates bench coach Tom Prince refused to let go of Gregory Polanco’s hand after what he thought was a weak handshake. Prince called him out, saying the handshake was too wet. Polanco tried to walk away, but Prince wasn’t letting go until he got a proper one. Polanco laughed and gave him a second shot. Light moment, solid win, and the Pirates escaped with the victory.