Bednar secures 20th save in nail-biter 9th inning

SAN DIEGO -- After the Padres' Trent Grisham waved at a curveball for the final out of the game, Pirates closer David Bednar hopped in the air and pounded his fist into his glove. Save No. 20 had a bit of extra juice.

Perhaps it was because it came on the Petco Park mound Bednar once called home. Perhaps it was the drama of the final inning. Perhaps it was because it put a “W” next to starter Johan Oviedo’s name for the first time since mid-May. Definitely it was because it secured the Pirates’ 3-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon and a series win to wrap a six-game West Coast trip.

“It’s cool to be back here -- and leave here with a series win,” Bednar said.

That win did not come easy. In fact, it required 37 pitches from Bednar - - his most since he threw 43 to earn an eight-out save against the Cardinals on June 15 last year.

Bednar survived losing a 12-pitch battle with Xander Bogaerts, a hit batter and a bases-loaded walk to Juan Soto. He bent, but he did not break.

“He’s an All-Star, man,” said Pirates bench coach Don Kelly, who served as acting manager with Derek Shelton serving a one-game suspension. “Just the way he’s able to compose himself in that moment, crowd going wild. He was able to slow things down and really hone it in when he needed to. That’s why he’s an All-Star.”

Bednar, a Padres 35th-round Draft pick in 2016 who spent his first two MLB seasons in San Diego, jogged to the mound with a two-run lead. He quickly struck out Manny Machado with a darting splitter, but got into trouble after Bogaerts battled back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk. Luis Campusano singled, and Jake Cronenworth took a curve off his back foot to load the bases.

Up stepped Soto as a pinch-hitter. Soto was out of the lineup because of a right middle finger issue that will require an MRI, but the Pirates didn’t know that at the time. Bednar tread carefully in the All-Star vs. All-Star matchup with the game in the balance.

Four straight balls, all inside, where Soto wouldn’t be able to get his arms extended if he had chosen to swing. In came a run, but Bednar had two outs to work with against the bottom of the Padres’ lineup.

“I wouldn’t say it was on purpose,” Bednar said of the bases-loaded walk. “I just wasn’t going to give in to him and let him beat us.”

Bednar gathered himself and induced a pop foul to third base by rookie Taylor Kohlwey for the second out. Then he struck out Grisham to end matters.

“He was able to compose himself, get back in the zone and got a popup and a punchout,” Kelly said. “He did a great job.”

Said Bednar: “It’s just staying aggressive, no matter what.”

Bednar’s escape act allowed the Bucs to prevail on the strength of Oviedo’s six strong innings and solo home runs from Ji Man Choi, Bryan Reynolds and Carlos Santana. No. 51 is retired in San Diego in honor of Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman, but Bednar gave Petco Park a glimpse of a No. 51 earning a save in the bottom half of the ninth, instead of the top.

Bednar got to know Hoffman during his days in San Diego and certainly admires him. But that’s not why he wears No. 51 with his hometown Pirates.

“It was just given to me,” Bednar said. “But when I got traded from the Padres, I thought, ‘Pretty good number to have.’ I did not choose the number. I was low man on the totem pole.”

Bednar has made a steady climb ever since.