Pirates Have Unsung Hero in Bullpen

Ramírez loaded the bases, but also struck out two batters and then got a ground out, preventing the Cubs from getting the win.

He then had a one-run lead in the 11th inning and got an easy ground ball from leadoff hitter, Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner, but threw it wide of Pirates first baseman Ryan O'Hearn, which moved Hoerner to second base and two runners into scoring position.

Ramírez did the unthinkable, as he got Matt Shaw to line out to right fielder Billy Cook, third baseman Alex Bregman to pop up to O'Hearn and then after intentionally walking left fielder Ian Happ, he got Seiya Suzuki to pop up to O'Hearn and secured the win for the Pirates.

Coming back from that error is no easy feat, but Ramírez knew he had to do what he could for his team and give them a chance to get the victory any way possible.

"I accepted it like it was, an error and flipped the page, basically," Ramírez said through interpreter Stephen Morales in a video from DK Pittsburgh Sports. "I knew I had more opportunities to help the team and get some of those hitters out and that's what I did."

Why Ramírez is So Important for the Pirates

Ramírez threw 32 pitches over two innings, second-most this season in both categories, and served as a key part of a pitching staff that the Pirates need to excel in order to make the postseason.

He has serve as a key, middle-reliever as a right-handed pitcher, which is an important role for the Pirates this season, who don't have many pitchers out of the bullpen that can go longer than an inning.

José Urquidy is the only other pitcher that can do so, but Ramírez has been far more effective and is a true relief pitcher, not a starter like Urquidy is.

Ramírez dropped his ERA down to 1.86 over 9.2 innings over seven appearances this season following this outing, with 11 strikeouts to six walks, a .147 batting average allowed and a 1.14 WHIP.

He had a great showing in the opening series vs. the New York Mets at Citi Field, throwing 2.1 scoreless innings on Opening Day on March 26, as he followed Paul Skenes not making it out of the first inning, and then 1.2 scoreless innings on March 29, coming in after Carmen Mlodzinski.

Ramírez did give up a run each in his first two relief outings in the Pirates first homestand, but has comeback with two scoreless appearances.

The Pirates avoided arbitration with Ramírez by signing him to a one-year, $825,000 contract, giving him a chance to prove he deserves a spot on the major league roster this past offseason.

Ramírez has not only shown that, but also that he can do whatever the Pirates ask of him, with manager Don Kelly describing him as a "swiss army knife out there."

"I don't chose the situation." Ramírez said on his role with the Pirates. "I'm just gonna make sure that I'm ready all the time for when I get the call, I'll be ready to help the team and that's the only thing that I can control. Just to be ready for the situation they call up on me and I'll be there."