Pirates rookie Chandler takes perfect game into sixth inning of second major league start

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pirates rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler turns 23 on Sunday.

He started celebrating one day earlier.

Chandler, making his second major league start, took a perfect game into the sixth inning to help the Pirates snap a seven-game losing streak with a 5-1 win against the Washington Nationals on Saturday. He allowed a run and two hits over six innings, striking out seven without a walk while throwing 81 pitches.

“Unbelievable," manager Don Kelly said. “Held the velocity all the way through. The intent with which he threw every pitch and the ability to mix it up. Throwing 100-plus and still able to go to the changeup and slider effectively for strikes. Just pitched really awesome.”

Chandler allowed a leadoff single to Dylan Crews to start the sixth and Crews later scored on a single by Robert Hassell III to give Washington a 1-0 lead they held until the eighth.

It was quite the bounce back for Chandler, who was Pittsburgh's third-round pick in the 2021 draft and is rated No. 7 among MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects. Called up on Aug. 22, he had three relief appearances before making his first start on Sept. 7 against the Brewers. However, he lasted just 2 2/3 innings, giving up nine runs and nine hits, leaving him 2-1 with a 7.36 ERA.

“I think I had a good plan this week," Chandler said. "(Pitching coach) Oscar (Marin), we kind of assessed what went wrong and we fixed it pretty quickly. Today, just came in really confident.”

Chandler cruised through the first five innings, including striking out CJ Abrams, James Wood (looking) and the red-hot Josh Bell in the fourth.

“He was throwing good, 100-mile per hour fastball, good slider, good curveball, good changeup,” Nationals manager Miguel Cairo said. “He pitched well. And you have the shadows in the back? That’s tough to hit.”

Chandler hadn't thrown more than 68 pitches in any of his previous four big-league appearances and Kelly wasn't sure how far he would have let his starter go.

“I wish I had to make that decision, but he did so well getting out of that (sixth inning) with one run," Kelly said. "First time he’s been into the sixth. Just did great.”

Meanwhile, Chandler said he knew what he was working on as the game progressed.

“Really cool experience," he said. "Playing in the nation’s capital, major league field. It’s awesome and I’m glad we got the win today. No complaints.”

After Chandler departed the Pirates got two-run singles from Andrew McCutchen and Nick Yorke in the eighth inning and a solo homer from Jared Triola in the ninth to end their skid.

The next time Chandler takes the mound it will be as a 23-year-old.

“Last start as a 22-year-old," he said. “Glad it went that way.”

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