David Bednar, Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski sharp in shutout of Cubs

When David Bednar took over in the ninth inning Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, he found himself in a familiar position.

At least in a sense.

Bednar has been called on in the ninth by the Pittsburgh Pirates countless times over the last few seasons, in both save and non-save situations.

But Bednar’s outing Tuesday came after he had demoted from the closer’s role at the end of August as a result of season-long struggles.

So when manager Derek Shelton turned to him with the Pirates up 5-0, it was to take care of business in a low-leverage scenario.

Bednar performed the task capably, tossing a scoreless frame, securing the shutout.

Along with starter Paul Skenes and relievers Colin Holderman and Carmen Mlodzinski, Bednar helped blank Chicago, with the Pirates’ pitchers allowing a combined five hits.

“It was awesome – all the pitchers held (the Cubs) to a zero,” said Jared Triolo, who hit a three-run homer in the win, on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “It was great playing defense behind them.”

Bednar started off by getting a quick flyout by Dansby Swanson before striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Down to their final out, the Cubs pinch-hit Mike Tauchman, who flew out on Bednar’s first pitch to him, a 97 mph fastball.

The quick, easy scoreless appearance was Bednar’s second straight since Shelton removed him from the closer’s role.

Putting together outings like that should be big for Bednar’s confidence after a month of August that featured four losses, three blown saves and a 10.97 ERA.

David Bednar just went 1-2-3 in the 9th inning

And he struck out Pete Crow-Armstrong for PCA's 4th K of the night pic.twitter.com/EIkIYSRqbT

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) September 4, 2024

Bednar was not the only Pirates reliever to deliver Tuesday.

Despite not letting up a run, Skenes lasted just five innings, requiring the bullpen to cover the last four.

Shelton inserted Holderman, who, like Bednar, has experienced his own struggles this year, in the sixth.

Holderman went on the injured list Aug. 8 with a right wrist sprain following four brutal outings from July 31-Aug. 7, over which he went 0-4 with two blown saves, allowing seven runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Tuesday in Chicago marked Holderman’s first outing post-activation from the injured list and he was sharp, pitching a scoreless, hitless frame.

Holderman picked up a hold for his efforts, preserving a 2-0 game before Triolo padded the lead with a three-run homer in the seventh.

Colin Holderman is BACK.

1-2-3 6th inning, capped off with a K

83.1 MPH sweeper, 2484 RPM, 33 inVB, 11 inHB pic.twitter.com/n0XaT6e8v4

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) September 4, 2024

Mlodzinski was the third Pirates reliever to turn in a bounce-back effort, having been roughed up for four runs his last time out on Aug. 30 vs. Cleveland.

Mlodzinski, who also endured a recent stint on the injured list before being reactivated Aug. 27, made his third appearance since returning to action.

Shelton entrusted him with the seventh and eighth innings and Mlodzinski did not disappoint, striking out two.

Carmen Mlodzinski tonight:

2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
26 pitches, 19 strikes, 2 whiffs

Exactly what was needed from him tonight. Love it. pic.twitter.com/a4cOxS5nhE

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) September 4, 2024

“It was really important and it goes back to attack,” Shelton said of the bullpen’s efforts Tuesday. “They came in, I think they all threw strike one in every inning they had, they went right after it, they got the first hitter out – overall, really impressed with how they threw the ball.”