With the Pirates counting on their bulllpen in the second game of a series against the Twins at PNC Park, Luis Ortiz executed when he needed to and put together 4 1/3 scoreless innings, as six relievers combined to toss a shutout in a 4-0 victory Saturday afternoon.
Ortiz, who relieved starter Carmen Mlodzinski after five outs, allowed three hits and a walk while striking out the side in a clean fourth inning. Justin Bruihl, Hunter Stratton, Colin Holderman and David Bednar also contributed to the unblemished outing, the second straight for a Pirates team that has posted three shutouts this week.
"I was pleased, obviously, with not giving up any runs, pleased with our entire effort, but with (Ortiz) he continued to execute, he continued to throw strikes, the cutter was good," Derek Shelton said. "When he's gotten behind in the past, we've seen him kind of lose his delivery a little bit. I think he lost it with one pitch today when he went back and tried to get some extra velo. But he calmed himself back down. Outstanding outing. Carmen, we were hoping we got three outs, we got five, Bruihl came in a did his job, Stratton gave us the one out that we needed there on the pinch-hitter and then (Holderman and Bednar) at the end finished it."
Ortiz, who made 15 starts last year and four in 2022, said he's made himself ready for any situation all season long. If it's a multi-inning relief role, he's served as a valuable asset. If the assignment involves him going more than four innings like it did on this day, he's eager to accept the challenge.
“I’m more than happy to go out there and just do my job," Ortiz said via interpreter and major-league coach Stephen Morales. "I’ve been in that spot before where I started short relief and long relief, that’s not new for me.
“The only difference was that I knew right away I might go longer this game. Just controlled myself more and, not pace myself, but save a little bit for a few extra innings. Just attacked the strike zone.”
