Ortiz guides way as Bucs claim long-awaited win streak

CHICAGO -- The Pirates accomplished something on Saturday at Guaranteed Rate Field that they hadn’t pulled off since May 6. They did so largely thanks to a pitcher who, after an uneven 2023 campaign, continues to emphatically re-establish himself as a starter.

With their 6-2 win over the White Sox, the Bucs earned their first three-game winning streak in 68 days. Guiding them to such a pivotal accomplishment was righty Luis Ortiz, who allowed just one run across 5 2/3 innings in his third start of the season after spending the bulk of the year coming out of Pittsburgh’s bullpen.

“He’s done a really good job,” manager Derek Shelton said. “He’s a guy that we knew had started before, we brought him to the big leagues at the beginning of the year in a different role. Our pitching group has done a really good job transitioning him in.

“He continues to throw strikes; he had one walk today. That’s the most important thing. His stuff plays, he’s just got to challenge people with it.”

That Ortiz’s lone walk on Saturday represents the only free pass he’s allowed since transitioning back to a starter highlights just how much he’s improved since last season.

The right-hander struggled to maintain what success he came across in 2023, eventually being optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis last July after 10 starts. Though he eventually made it back to the big leagues in late August, consistency still proved tough to come by.

Ortiz found some stability as a reliever to open this season, posting a 3.49 ERA in 22 appearances out of the Bucs’ bullpen. But after Jared Jones and Bailey Falter suffered injuries while Marco Gonzales worked his way back from the 60-day IL, the depth of Pittsburgh’s rotation was suddenly being tested.

What Ortiz has done since moving back into the starter’s role has gone a long way towards easing those concerns.

In three turns through the rotation, Ortiz has given up just two earned runs in 17 2/3 innings (1.02 ERA). He’s struck out 17 while posting a paltry 0.74 WHIP and holding opposing hitters to a .190 average.

When asked what helped him complete such a dramatic turnaround, Ortiz credited his ability to stay present on the mound.

“Just staying calm, in control,” Ortiz said via interpreter Stephen Morales. “Just making sure that I use my mental toughness and be there in the moment with my mind. Know that I have to execute my pitches and just go out there and do the job.”

That task initially looked like a difficult one on Saturday. Ortiz walked leadoff hitter Tommy Pham after getting ahead 0-2 in the count during a 24-pitch first inning. Ortiz was able to escape unscathed despite the early troubles, quickly settling in after a dugout pep talk.

“It looked like he lost his delivery a little bit,” Shelton said. “He got sped up today. [Pitching coach Oscar Marin] had a good conversation with him, slowed him back down and then I think we saw the results after that.”

Those results were five straight dominant frames, with the fourth and fifth innings featuring Ortiz putting a runner in scoring position with one out before whiffing the next two batters he faced.

“I always feel good to get out of those types of situations with a strikeout,” Ortiz said. “It’s just a matter of keeping myself under control.”

Ortiz eventually departed with two outs in the sixth after allowing a game-tying single from Luis Robert Jr. He came one out shy of turning in his third quality start, but the Pirates’ offense made sure his efforts didn’t go to waste.

Bryan Reynolds singled home a pair of runs in the following frame to give Pittsburgh the lead for good, then plated two more in the ninth to add some insurance. Per Shelton, the outburst was a result of his telling Reynolds’ son Reese to give his dad a pep talk before the game.

“He just told me to get some hits,” Reynolds said of his son’s advice. “So I figured I’d do that so maybe he’ll sleep. Just tit for tat.”

Those hits, along with another stellar start from Ortiz, put the Pirates (47-48) in position to enter the All-Star break with a .500 record. That Pittsburgh, in its eighth attempt to do so since May 6, finally cashed in on a winning streak shows how much effort has been put into hitting the break on a high note.

“They keep going. They’re grinding,” Shelton said. “I’m proud of them. We’re playing good baseball right now, and we need to finish the first half strong.”