The Pittsburgh Pirates earned their first series win of the season, taking two of three from the division-rival Cincinnati Reds. And in doing so, they made a statement.<\/p>\n
For years, this franchise has worn a label it couldn\u2019t quite shake \u2014 young and talented, yes, but ultimately easy to push around. A team that might flash potential but wouldn\u2019t necessarily fight back when things got uncomfortable. That perception doesn\u2019t disappear overnight, but if you\u2019re looking for a moment that suggests it might finally be changing, look no further than the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game in Cincinnati.<\/p>\n
When Eugenio Su\u00e1rez appeared to swing at an 0-2 pitch, the sequence should have ended there. Even Su\u00e1rez himself<\/a> seemed to think so, taking a few steps toward the dugout. Instead, the call went the other way \u2014 and suddenly, what should have been a key out turned into a second life for the Reds.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the kind of moment that has historically snowballed on teams like the Pirates. A bad call, a shrug, a few quiet complaints, and then things unravel. But not this time.<\/p>\n The Pirates\u2019 dugout erupted, and manager Don Kelly<\/a> made sure the frustration didn\u2019t stay contained. He took it directly to home plate umpire Jordan Baker, knowing full well what the likely outcome would be. The ejection came quickly \u2014 but so did the message.<\/p>\n Enough is enough.<\/p>\n Pirates won’t be pushovers as long as Don Kelly has anything to say about it<\/p>\n