PITTSBURGH (AP) – Starling Marte’s confidence can be an unwieldy weapon. There is nothing the Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder thinks he can’t do on a baseball diamond.
That mindset potentially cost the Pirates a valuable run on Saturday against the San Francisco Giants. A short time later, it won them the game.
Marte hit a solo home run off George Kontos into the sun-drenched bleachers in left field with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Pirates to a 3-2 victory on a brilliant afternoon that felt more like early October than late August.
“He’s an exciting player,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “He sometimes tries to get some things done and make some things happen.”
Even when they don’t work out.