The Pittsburgh Pirates Top 5 Home Runs of 2015

4) Gregory Polanco vs Milwaukee Brewers – September 10, 2015 

I mentioned the Brewers giving up more home runs to the Pirates than any other team but none of them came in a bigger spot than this one.

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After starter A.J. Burnett allowed 3 runs in 5 innings, the bullpen needed to keep the team in it and give the offense a chance to answer back. They did just that; six relievers combined for six scoreless innings to allow the Pirates to erase the three-run deficit.

This game also remained tied into the 12th inning when Radhames Liz was called into the game for the Pirates. Liz allowed the Brewers to take the lead with an RBI single by Ryan Braun but having already blown a save in the game, the Milwaukee bullpen was no sure thing.

In the bottom of the 12th, Brewers’ closer Francisco Rodriguez came into the game to face the top of Pittsburgh’s line up. The first man up, Gregory Polanco, took one of Rodriguez’s famous changeups and deposited it into the right field bleachers.

This improved the Pirates’ chances of winning from 18% to 62% and the single by the next batter Josh Harrison got it up to 70%, but the strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play on McCutchen killed the momentum. The Pirates wouldn’t threaten again and Radhames Liz went on to allow two more runs in the 13th inning and the Pirates would lose 6-4, despite one of the biggest home runs of Polanco’s career.