Jared Jones recovers from shaky start, tosses 7 innings as Pirates top Rays to even series

Taking the hill Saturday at PNC Park vs. the Tampa Bay Rays one outing removed from walking a career-high four batters, Jared Jones did not inspire much confidence out of the gate that he’d gotten his command issues under control.

In the top of the first inning, Jones quickly hit Brandon Lowe in the foot with a slider and walked Randy Arozarena.

Then, after a wild pitch, the Pittsburgh Pirates starter drilled Amed Rosario in the helmet with a 99.6 mph fastball, forcing Rosario to exit the game.

But Jones recovered after his erratic first, throwing seven innings in a 4-3 victory.

Jones (5-6, 3.66 ERA) was Saturday’s winning pitcher, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Speaking with reporters postgame, Jones immediately offered his well-wishes to Rosario.

“That sucked,” he said. “I felt really bad and obviously just let a fastball go way up inside on him. That stuff really just can’t happen. I heard it’s just stitches but really hope he’s OK.”

Per Rays manager Kevin Cash, Rosario required stitches in his upper lip but otherwise avoided any serious injury.

“Pretty best-case scenario,” Cash said. “That was a scary moment for both clubs, certainly our club, and I’m glad he’s OK.”

While Lowe’s hit-by-pitch was far less violent than Rosario’s, he suffered a broken toe and is day-to-day.

Oneil Cruz hit a 445-foot moonshot in the win, becoming the sixth player to hit a home run directly into the Allegheny River in the bottom of the first inning off Tampa Bay’s Zach Eflin.

Bryan Reynolds, extending his hit streak to 19 games, an ongoing career-best, had an RBI single, as did Rowdy Tellez, with Nick Gonzales adding an RBI groundout in a key three-run third inning for the Pirates.

The Rays went up 1-0 in the first, capitalizing on Jones’ wild beginning, with Josh Lowe knocking in Brandon Lowe with an RBI groundout.

After Cruz tied the score, the Pirates (37-39) went up 4-1 in the third, which featured a triple by Andrew McCutchen, the 50th of his MLB career and first since 2021.

In the fourth, the Rays made it 4-2 courtesy of a Ben Rortvedt RBI single, which plated Richie Palacios, who entered the game in place of Rosario and had singled and stolen second base.

Jones did a commendable job stabilizing from there, pitching scoreless fifth, sixth and seventh frames before Colin Holderman took over in the eighth.

“We’ve got to remember, this kid’s 22 years old,” manager Derek Shelton said. “He hit somebody up near the head or in the head — that can rattle you a bit. The fact that he bounced back, (pitching coach) Oscar (Marin) was able to calm him down. I think (catcher) Jason (Delay) did a nice job with him.”

Shelton said postgame that closer David Bednar was unavailable because of “left side tightness” that will be further assessed Sunday.

As a result, Aroldis Chapman pitched the top of the ninth.

He gave up an RBI double to Yandy Diaz, making the score 4-3.

Isaac Paredes then came to bat with the tying run on second base but grounded out to end the game, handing Chapman his second save of the year.

Eflin (3-5, 4.20 ERA) took the loss Saturday, allowing four runs on five hits over seven innings. He struck out six and walked one.