Pirates' Max Kranick throws 5 perfect innings in MLB debut, beats Cardinals

On the day he could do no wrong — when only a force as powerful as the weather could stop him — Max Kranick still found it necessary to say, “I’m sorry.”

KE'BRYAN HAYES.

THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE TWEET. pic.twitter.com/Bh3Mrir1i4

— Pirates (@Pirates) June 27, 2021

Kranick said his phone was “blowing up” after he threw five perfect innings in his major league debut — 50 pitches, 36 strikes, 15 up, 15 down — while leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-2 victory Sunday against the Cardinals in St. Louis.

“When I came back in (after the game), I tried to answer my family, people who were here, as quick as I can,” he said. “Everyone else, I’m sorry. I’ll have to get back to you later. I appreciate you reaching out. It means a lot to me.

“Definitely a day I’ll remember forever.”

Kranick, 23, became the fourth Pirates pitcher since 2010 to be perfect through five innings, joining A.J. Burnett, Nick Kingham and Jeff Locke. He also is the first major-leaguer since 1893 with a perfect completed start of at least five innings in his MLB debut. Kingham pitched 6 2/3 perfect innings in his debut in 2018, but he allowed a single to the Cardinals’ Paul De Jong in the seventh.

Derek Shelton liked what he saw from Kranick, who had made only seven starts in Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis before he was thrust onto the Busch Stadium mound.

The Pirates manager liked Kranick’s fastball and cutter, but those are weapons many pitchers possess. The things you can’t track on a radar gun are what Shelton wanted to discuss.

“I learned a ton about his composure because the first inning, it was raining really hard,” he said. “It really could have been a situation to lose focus, and he went the exact opposite way.

“Executing his fastball, going right after a good lineup. Very impressive. It’s unfortunate the rain stopped him.”

The game was delayed 64 minutes after the fifth inning, but Shelton said he didn’t even consider bringing Kranick back after such a long period of inactivity.

Shelton also said he might have allowed Kranick to chase the perfect game, if he maintained his efficiency and tempo.

“He was in a good spot. As long as he stayed efficient, he was probably going to stay in the game,” he said. “He was in control of the game the whole time, and that’s impressive for not only a young pitcher, but a pitcher making his major-league debut.”

Left fielder Ben Gamel said Kranick’s tempo — he averaged only 10 pitches per inning — helped the fielders.

“Oh, my gosh. He made our lives way easier in the outfield,” Gamel said. “His tempo. He was making pitches. How do you not rally around that? It was absolutely incredible to watch.

“One, two, three. One, two, three. If you blink, you miss it.”

It should be noted that Kranick had some help. Relievers Duane Underwood Jr. and David Bednar each threw a hitless inning — sixth and ninth — although Underwood allowed the Cardinals single runs in the seventh and eighth.

Then, there was third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes’ catch and throw that retired Yadier Molina in the second inning.

Hayes fielded a ground ball at the edge of the infield dirt and made a long, looping throw to first base across his body while his momentum carried him behind the coach’s box.

“Kind of instinctively went ahead and made a throw over there,” said Hayes, who said he practiced the play last year during quarantine in Altoona. “I thought I threw it a little too high, one of those do-or-die plays.”

Said Shelton: “He’s special over there.”

Almost lost in Kranick’s performance was the Pirates’ 12-hit effort in their sixth victory in the past nine games.

Adam Frazier and Gamel had three hits each, including a homer for Gamel, Bryan Reynolds drove in two runs and Polanco also homered.

Kranick even had a chance to bat before he threw a pitch when the Pirates sent nine men to the plate in the first inning.

It has been a strange few days for Kranick, a Scranton native who passed up a chance to pitch at University of Virginia before the Pirates drafted him in the 11th round in 2016 and signed him.

When Indianapolis pitching coach Joel Hanrahan and manager Brian Esposito called him into the office to tell him he was going to the majors, they initially joked he was in trouble after pine tar was discovered on his baseballs.

“He’s the best,” Kranick said of Hanrahan, a former Pirates reliever. “Someone we’ve always looked up to as a player, more as a person, father figure to a lot of us. He said attack the zone with the best stuff, and good things will happen.”

The only uncertainty is what happens to Kranick now.

General manager Ben Cherington said the Pirates will use a six-man rotation into the All-Star break, but Shelton said he doesn’t know the identity of that sixth man. “It’s something Ben and I will talk about.”

If he isn’t sent back to Indianapolis, Kranick’s turn in the rotation would come during the Fourth of July weekend at PNC Park.

“I’m not too sure of that, but that would be amazing,” Kranick said, “especially being in Pittsburgh and being close to home. More people can make it out.”