Bucs' top plays of 2010s led by outfield gloves

PITTSBURGH -- This past decade saw three Pirates, all outfielders, win a total of four Gold Glove Awards. Andrew McCutchen won one in center field, then Starling Marte (twice) and Corey Dickerson captured Gold Gloves for their outstanding defensive work in left field.

But the Pirates made dozens of Gold Glove-caliber plays in each of the past 10 years, and it should come as no surprise that a whole bunch of them came in the outfield. Here’s a look at the Pirates’ top 10 defensive plays of the 2010s, along with six others worthy of consideration:

1) Snider robs a home run
Sept. 27, 2012, at Mets

This is, as Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown said at the time, “one of the best catches you will ever see,” period. Travis Snider launched his body all the way up the right-field fence at Citi Field, hung there for a moment, reached his right arm several feet above the wall to rob Mike Baxter of an all-but-certain home run, then nailed the dismount. That’s what every outfielder has in mind, but few have executed such a high-degree-of-difficulty play quite as well as Snider did here.

2) The clinching relay
Sept. 23, 2013, at Cubs

The Pirates’ 20-year losing streak began after a play at the plate, when Sid Bream slid home to score the winning run in Game 7 of the 1992 National League Championship Series. Their two-decade postseason drought all but officially ended, fittingly enough, with another play at the plate. With Pittsburgh clinging to a 2-1 lead and Jason Grilli on the mound, the Cubs’ Ryan Sweeney hit a single to right field. Marlon Byrd booted it, but McCutchen picked up the ball and got rid of it as quickly as he could. First baseman Justin Morneau, who had had drifted toward the mound, scooped it up and made the relay throw to catcher Russell Martin. Nate Schierholtz barreled into Martin, but the catcher held onto the ball, rolled over and raised his first upward. The Pirates retreated into the clubhouse, where they soon sprayed champagne and celebrated. Watch here >>

3) Marte saves the day
July 31, 2015, at Reds

We could fill a separate list with nothing but Marte’s highlight-reel plays. In fact, just one game-saving moment wasn’t enough in this particular inning for the two-time Gold Glove winner in left field, so he made two. It was all on display here as Marte threw out the tying run at the plate on one play then flung his body toward the ball to make the game-ending catch. Marte’s incredible instincts, his cannon of an arm, his quick first step, his range and his absurd athleticism made him one of the game’s best defensive outfielders over the past decade. Watch here >>

4) A trip, trip, triple play
Sept. 14, 2014, vs. Cubs

The play itself actually looked fairly routine, but a triple play is a triple play -- and this was the first one in the history of PNC Park, not to mention the Pirates’ first since April 2009. Josh Harrison, arguably the Pirates’ most versatile defender of the decade, got things going by fielding a grounder from the Cubs’ Matt Szczur at third base to start an around-the-horn triple play that ended with Andrew Lambo, who just happened to be making his first MLB appearance at first base. That was just one of the moments that stood out from Harrison’s incredible 2014 season, when he put the “super” in super-utility man. Watch here >>

5) First of its kind
May 19, 2015, vs. Cardinals

This was an odd bit of Major League history: the first 4-5-4 triple play. It started with second baseman Neil Walker leaving his feet to snag Yadier Molina’s line drive. Rather than stepping on second for the double play, Walker noticed Jhonny Peralta was a long way from third base and quickly threw the ball to Jung Ho Kang for the second out. Jason Heyward, who took off from second when Molina made contact, was practically standing next to Kang by that point, but Kang slowly circled around the base while everyone in the Pirates' dugout screamed at him -- “in multiple languages,” then-manager Clint Hurdle noted. Kang took the hint and threw the ball back to Walker, completing the historic triple play. Before that, the Cardinals hadn’t hit into a triple play since Aug. 10, 2003.

6) Air Cutch
May 27, 2014, vs. Mets

McCutchen won his Gold Glove Award in 2012, but he was still an elite center fielder in ’14, when he made this incredible running, diving catch to rob Juan Lagares of an extra-base hit. The sheer efficiency of this play was illuminated later, as it was one of the first plays examined by Statcast. According to the tracking technology, McCutchen was on the run 0.17 seconds after the ball left the bat, and he took a virtually flawless route (99.7% efficiency) as he hustled 83 feet to make the catch. This was Cutch at his clinical best. Watch here >>

7) Don’t. Run. On. Marte.
Sept. 16, 2015, vs. Cubs

On Roberto Clemente Day at PNC Park, Steve Blass offered Marte just about the highest compliment imaginable after this ridiculous throw from the left-field corner to cut down the Cubs’ Tommy La Stella at second base: “Clemente would have been proud of that one.” Marte went a long way to backhand the sinking liner after it rolled into foul territory, barely had time to balance himself, then fired a one-hop strike to Harrison at second base for the way-easier-than-it-should-be out in the 11th inning. Marte’s career has been full of similar, triple-digit assists from all over the outfield. Watch here >>

8) A Gold Glove robbery
May 28, 2018, vs. Cubs

Dickerson joined the Pirates with a reputation as a below-average defensive outfielder. Boy, did he change that in a hurry. This was arguably Dickerson’s best play in a season full of them, a full-scale robbery of Kyle Schwarber at a tricky angle in the left-field corner at PNC Park. Dickerson’s hard work was rewarded with a Gold Glove at the end of the season.

9) PFP pays off
July 24, 2018, at Indians

When he was traded to the Pirates, starter Joe Musgrove might have immediately become the second-best all-around athlete on the team behind only Marte. Musgrove takes his hitting and fielding as seriously as he approaches pitching, and it shows on plays like this -- moments that make him seem destined to win a Gold Glove of his own someday. The Indians’ Michael Brantley dropped a bunt that rolled to Musgrove’s right, but the pitcher made a sharp, sliding stop and, in one smooth motion, unleashed a sidearm laser to first baseman Josh Bell for the out.

“One of the best you will ever see by a pitcher,” Brown exclaimed.

10) J-Hay takes flight
May 22, 2014 vs. Nationals

Previously on this list, you’ve seen Harrison at second and third base. Well, here he is making an elite play in right field, taking flight like Superman and fully extending his 5-foot-8 frame to rob Wilson Ramos of extra bases on a line drive into the gap. Harrison truly did it all in 2014, earning his first All-Star nod and NL MVP consideration. Watch here >>

Honorable mentions
• Walker’s off-balance -- but on-target -- double-play turn on July 28, 2014. Watch here >>

• Rookie outfielder Bryan Reynolds’ home run robbery in left field on Aug. 5, 2019, and his diving catch in center on Sept. 4. Watch here >>

• Edinson Vólquez snagging a comebacker behind his back on Aug. 12, 2014. Watch here >>

• Marte’s ridiculous catch against the wall to rob Chris Carter of a home run at PNC Park on April 15, 2016. Watch here >>

• McCutchen’s hustling, diving grab on May 2, 2015. Watch here >>

• Lastings Milledge’s diving, stretching, game-ending catch on June 5, 2010. Watch here >>