Pirates Split DH With Reds And Lose Both Catchers

CINCINNATI — Josh VanMeter had just one thought when he suddenly realized the Pittsburgh Pirates needed him as a catcher. “Pure panic,” he said. Forced into an emergency role, VanMeter had a rough time Saturday when he moved from second base for his first try behind the plate since he was a teenager. The Cincinnati Reds took advantage to end a nine-game losing streak, beating the Pirates 9-2 in the opener of a doubleheader. In the nightcap, Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer and Yoshi Tsutsugo and Diego Castillo had back-to-back home runs as Pittsburgh won 8-5 for a split. VanMeter did not play in the second game after his position switch in the first game. Tyler Stephenson fouled a ball hard off VanMeter’s mask, then hit a tiebreaking, bases-loaded double in the eighth inning that fueled a seven-run burst. Pirates starting catcher Roberto Pérez was helped off the field with a left hamstring injury after falling while rounding second base in the top of the eighth of the opener. Backup catcher Andrew Knapp had been ejected by plate umpire Will Little in the bottom of the sixth for chirping from the dugout. That left VanMeter as the Pirates’ next best option behind the plate, so he traded his infielder’s glove for a catcher’s mitt. It had been a while, too, for a player who’s listed as a second baseman/outfielder. “I think it was when I was 14 in summer ball, but they didn’t throw as hard and their stuff didn’t move like that,” he said. VanMeter quickly gathered the equipment he needed. He grabbed Knapp’s gear, but wound up using Perez’s glove.