Andrey McCutchen of the Pittsburg Pirates was ecstatic after his team pulled off a stunning 13-12 comeback win at the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, recovering from a nine-run deficit. McCutchen didn't play due to a season-ending injury.
Pittsburgh gave nine runs in the first three innings before rebounding in the middle frames. They went on a 13- run stretch without any return and stopped a late rally by Cincinnati, who stranded the tying run at third base in the ninth.
It marked the Pirates' first comeback from a nine-run deficit since they were formed in 1882 as Allegheny City. Since then, they have had four eight-run comebacks, the latest of which was in the 11-8 win over the Houston Astros in 1994.
Pittsburg's win on Saturday was the highest deficit erased this season. It bettered the Chicago Cubs recovering from 7-0 down to beat the Seattle Mariners 14-9.
Understandably, fans were thrilled by their performance, and that also included McCutchen. The 36-year-old veteran has been ruled out of the season due to an Achilles injury. Nevertheless, the DH was all praise for his team, tweeting:
"Wow!!! What a game for the battling Buccos! Best game of the year!It may not mean much to most ppl but that was just a gutsy effort!"
Pittsburgh Pirates put dent on Cincinnati Reds' postseason hopes
The Cincinnati Reds lost for the fourth straight game and are now 2.5 games behind the last NL Wild Card spots. With six games to go, the Reds have their work cut out if they want to seal their postseason spot.
As for the Pirates, it seems like they will be heading to another losing record for a season. Nevertheless, it would still be an improvement from their 100-loss season in 2022 as they hope to fare better next season.