PITTSBURGH — Johan Oviedo was absolutely dominant for large chunks of Sunday’s series-deciding game against the Chicago White Sox, yet his performance isn’t the biggest talking point from this one. The same for the Pirates taking a second consecutive series during a better-than-anticipated start to the season.
No, the big issue at PNC Park involved the biggest player on the field, Oneil Cruz, who was injured sliding into home plate in the bottom of the sixth inning of a 1-0 Pirates win. The play itself was ugly, with Cruz’s left leg basically buckling underneath him.
It’s debatable whether he had a clear lane to slide. White Sox catcher Seby Zavala was blocking a good chunk of Cruz’s path and also had to reach up to handle a high throw. If that didn’t incense the Pirates enough, this did: As Cruz lay motionless on the ground, Zavala seemed to yell something in his direction.
