Holy cow, did you see what Jared Jones just pulled off? The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander, a guy we all knew had serious potential, just reeled off 30 consecutive outs over three starts, a feat no Pirates pitcher has touched since Jim Bibby back in 1981! Talk about making a statement after coming back from injury! Jones continued his remarkable turnaround on Saturday, leading the Pirates to a 7-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in the first game of a doubleheader, making it crystal clear he is beginning to look like one of the brightest young pitchers in baseball again.
Unbelievable Streak and Historic Company
Can you believe Jared Jones just sat down THIRTY straight hitters? That’s not just good pitching, that’s straight-up dominant, the kind of stuff you tell your grandkids about! The 24-year-old was absolutely surgical over three starts before the streak finally ended in the third inning against Cleveland. This kind of consistent shutdown performance is insane: it marks only the third time in the past 70 seasons that a Pirates pitcher has retired at least 30 straight hitters. Jones is in some seriously exclusive company now. This incredible run started on July 2 against the Philadelphia Phillies. After Bryce Harper hit an RBI double in the third, Jones locked in, retiring the final four batters he faced. He then followed that up with six perfect innings against the Atlanta Braves on July 8! He even kicked off Saturday’s game by sending Cleveland’s first eight hitters back to the dugout before Steven Kwan finally lined a single into left field to break it up.
Battling Back and Taking Control
Even after Kwan’s single broke the streak, and then Cleveland rookie All-Star second baseman Travis Bazzana followed it with an RBI triple that cut the lead to 2-1, Jones didn’t fold. “Giving up a run, I had some choice words for myself,” Jones said, and honestly, we all get that. But he quickly regained control. He finished the day with one earned run on three hits, striking out a season-high nine batters over five impressive innings. This guy is showing serious mental toughness. His resurgence is especially encouraging because it follows a rough patch. He struggled through his first six starts after returning from a right elbow injury that kept him sidelined for much of last season. Jim Bibby, the last Pirates pitcher to retire at least 30 consecutive batters, did it with 32 straight outs over two starts in 1981. If Jones keeps this up, he’s absolutely going to reestablish himself as the ace Pittsburgh envisioned before his injury woes.
What’s next for Jones? If he keeps pitching at this level, the sky’s the limit for this young right-hander. We’re talking about a potential ace making noise, and everyone should be watching to see how he builds on this incredible momentum!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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