Pirates pitcher Quinn Priester limits damage vs. Brewers, records 1st victory of season

Pittsburgh Pirates pitching coach Oscar Marin trotted to the mound in the third inning Tuesday night at American Family Field in Milwaukee, hoping to settle down pitcher Quinn Priester.

It was an important timeout because Priester was in the midst of surrendering two runs to the Brewers.

But, as it turned out, those were the Brewers’ only runs in a 12-2 loss to the Pirates, and one of them was unearned.

Marin’s visit worked.

“It became simple,” Priester said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show.

What did Marin say?

“Throw it through Joey’s chest (catcher Joey Bart). Stop worrying about anything else. Play to my strengths,” said Priester, relating the brief conversation.

In the end, Priester recorded his first victory in six decisions this season only hours after being recalled from a rehab assignment in Triple-A Indianapolis. Recovered from a right lat muscle injury and pitching for the Pirates for the first time since June 2, Priester relieved opener Josh Fleming in the second inning and went on to strike out a career-high eight in six innings, allowing four hits and two walks.

Getting an 8-2 lead in the sixth surely helped.

“The offense was plentiful. It was easy to go out there and fill up (the strike zone),” he said.

Priester used a sinker, four-seam fastball and slider to take the sting out of Brewers bats that have carried the team into first place in the National League Central.

“We were able to limit the damage in that inning and continue to roll through the rest of the outing,” he said. “That feels like something I’m getting better at with each outing. Being able to learn the game through the experience I’m getting, through the (catchers) behind the plate, going back in the dugout and learning from those mistakes, those (big innings) are going to show up a lot less as I continue to grow as a pitcher.”

What’s to become of Priester now that the Pirates have two huge holes in their starting rotation with Jared Jones and Bailey Falter on the injured list? Will he return to a starting role? Or will long relief be in his future?

“I’ll help the team in whatever way,” he said. “I think of myself as a starter. But if there’s a better way to help the team win, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Priester admitted the relief role was “a little weird, routine a little bit different.”

“No challenge that I wasn’t ready for,” he said. “The coaching staff knew that I could dominate. Having their faith really pushed me to do that.”

Manager Derek Shelton has a decision to make going forward, but he was pleased Tuesday night that Priester was able to help his injury-plagued pitching staff.

“He executed pitches,” the manager said. “He put the ball on the ground when he needed to, and he got strikeouts. Outstanding. He did a really good job. Proud of how he came back and executed.”