One year ago, on May 8, 2025, Don Kelly assumed manager’s duties with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the immediate aftermath of Derek Shelton’s firing.
A full flip of the calendar found Kelly and the Pirates fresh off a road series win in Arizona, with Friday evening beginning a new three-game series at Oracle Park against the San Francisco Giants.
Carmen Mlodzinski had an efficient six-inning outing, but a quiet evening of offense and bullpen meltdown soon after the starter’s exit contributed to a 5-2 defeat.
Mlodzinski (2-3, 4.50 ERA) took the loss, allowing two runs on seven hits with zero walks while throwing 49 of his 74 pitches for strikes with one strikeout.
“I thought our approach tonight was pretty good, especially against (Giants starter) Robbie (Ray), working the walks and getting guys on base,” Kelly said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “I think it was, again, we just missed that key hit.”
Justin Lawrence, taking over for Mlodzinski in the seventh, had a rough outing, failing to record an out while being charged with three runs.
Offensively, the Pirates (21-18) were limited to five hits.
In the top of the ninth, trailing by four, the Pirates scored a run, got more men aboard and had the tying run at the plate, but the late rally came up short.
Ray (3-4, 2.76 ERA) delivered six innings, allowing a lone run on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.
Leading off the top of the second, Marcell Ozuna jacked the fourth pitch he saw from Ray over the left field wall for his fourth homer of the season, putting the Pirates up 1-0 early.
The 35-year-old Ozuna’s home run was No. 300 in his 15-year career.
“Let’s keep doing it,” Ozuna said. “Let’s get to 400, God willing.”
San Francisco (15-23) did not wait long to tie the game, as Rafael Devers’ fourth home run of the year, a solo shot to center field off Mlodzinski, began the bottom of the second.
After beginning the third with a pair of strikeouts, Ray’s command disappeared, as he issued three consecutive walks to Nick Gonzales, Bryan Reynolds and Ozuna.
That brought Oneil Cruz to the plate, who battled for seven pitches but struck out swinging to end the frame.
In the bottom of the fourth, Mlodzinski found himself in a jam when Gonzales botched a double play ball at second base, putting Casey Schmitt, who singled, at third and Devers at first with no outs.
Mlodzinski battled back to get two outs, which included a nice home run robbery of Willy Adames at the left field wall by Reynolds, but Heliot Ramos singled up the middle to plate a run, giving the Giants a 2-1 advantage.
“He did a nice job,” Kelly said of Mlodzinski’s outing. “He goes six (innings), keeps them at two runs there and gave us a chance to win.”
Gonzales came close to at least partially atoning for his error when in the fifth, he sent a ball deep to the left-center field wall, but Ramos was able to make the catch, robbing Gonzales of extra bases.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lawrence replaced Mlodzinski and things quickly deteriorated for the Pirates, as Adames led off with a base hit and Ramos followed with a double.
Next up was Drew Gilbert, who ripped an RBI single into right field, plating Adames and crafting a 3-1 lead for the Giants.
When Lawrence then plunked Jesus Rodriguez, loading the bases with no outs, he was removed from the game in favor of Evan Sisk.
Sisk managed a quick out, but it was 5-1 Giants when Arraez hit a two-run single that got through the right side of the Pirates’ pulled in infield.
Down to their final three outs in the ninth, the Pirates got Cruz and Griffin aboard via walks before pinch-hitter Spencer Horwitz made it 5-2 with an RBI single.
With two men on, Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, both of whom also pinch-hit, couldn’t keep the rally alive.
Caleb Kilian got Lowe to pop out and O’Hearn to ground out, putting out the fire and ending the game.
“It seems like when we don’t win, that’s a big part of it – we get guys on base and we just aren’t able to capitalize on the opportunity,” Kelly said.