Tommy Pham gets last laugh with Pirates' game-winner to send home whiny Jays fans

Isn't that something.
Toronto Blue Jays v Pittsburgh Pirates
Toronto Blue Jays v Pittsburgh Pirates | Justin K. Aller/GettyImages

Tommy Pham was showered with boos by a group of traveling Toronto Blue Jays fans when he stepped up to the plate Wednesday at PNC Park, but it was he who got the last laugh when his two-run double proved to be the difference maker in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 2-1 win.

Pham was back in the lineup for Wednesday's game after getting a rare day off on Tuesday – the timing of which was hardly coincidental, considering he had been at the center of a benches-clearing incident between the two teams the day before.

In Monday's series opener (also a Pirates win), Pham bat-flipped a walk and had some choice words for Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman, who had been arguing balls and strikes throughout the at-bat. Pham then proceeded to get into an online beef with basically the entire Toronto metropolitan area late Monday night, when he took to social media to explain his side of the story and argue with just about any fan who dared to challenge him.

Hence, the boos Pham received as he stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the first inning on Wednesday for his first at-bat since Monday's kerfuffle. The Pirates were down by a run early, thanks to a solo homer by George Springer in the top of the first. But with two outs and runners on first and second, Pham smoked a second-pitch sinker from Chris Bassitt to left field that scored Bryan Reynolds and Spencer Horwitz to put the Pirates on top, 2-1.

As it turned out, that would be the only offense the Pirates would need to defeat the American League East-leading Blue Jays.

Tommy Pham gets last laugh, Johan Oviedo shines as Pirates take series from Blue Jays

Besides Pham’s double, the Pirates' offense did very little against Bassitt, who allowed six hits and two walks but struck out 10. Pittsburgh left nine runners on base, leaving the bases loaded in the fifth and stranding two in the sixth and seventh.

On the mound for the Pirates, right-hander Johan Oviedo retired the next eight hitters he faced after surrendering the leadoff homer to Springer. Oviedo had just been promoted from Triple-A before the game for just his second Major League start since September 2023. It went much better than his first, as he allowed two hits, a walk and an earned run and struck out six through five innings to get back in the win column.

With the win, Oviedo likely solidified his spot in the Pirates' starting rotation moving forward – and Pham likely solidified his rent-free space in the heads of Blue Jays fans for the rest of his career.

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