Instant analysis: Andrew Heaney, relievers shut out the Angels

Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Apr 24, 2025

Published in Baseball

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — In his return to the ballpark where he spent the first half of his career, Andrew Heaney combined with three relievers for a two-hit gem.

The Pirates beat the Angels 3-0 at Angel Stadium on Wednesday night, facing just three batters over the minimum. Heaney had a no-hitter through the first four-plus innings and the Pirates allowed just two hits. The Pirates have won the first two games of the series and will go for the sweep, their first of the year, on Thursday.

Pittsburgh opened the scoring in the third inning. Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa led off with a single up the middle, then center fielder Oneil Cruz singled him to third. Right fielder Bryan Reynolds hit a deep sacrifice fly to right field to score Kiner-Falefa.

Cruz crushed a ball in the fifth inning, hitting a middle-middle slider halfway up the turf hill in center field. The ball traveled 463 feet, the fourth-longest home run in the majors this season.

The Angels broke up Heaney’s no-hit bid in the fifth. After two near-misses with two homers pulled foul in the fourth, catcher Travis d’Arnaud hooked a double down the left-field line. Heaney faced his first jam after shortstop Kiner-Falefa dropped a liner for an error, but he got a lineout to center and struck out second baseman Kyren Paris to end the threat.

David Bednar, pitching for the second night in a row, struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 seventh. Lefty Caleb Ferguson pitched the eighth, inducing three consecutive groundouts.

Right-handed reliever Dennis Santana earned the save in the ninth inning, his third of the year. He allowed a one-out double to designated hitter Jorge Soler but stranded him with two quick outs.

It was over when…

Left fielder Tommy Pham picked up an insurance run in the ninth inning. Right-handed reliever Carl Edwards Jr. struggled with his command and walked second baseman Adam Frazier on five pitches, then forgot to hold him on first base. With Frazier on second, Pham hit a broken-bat single to center for an all-important third run.

On the mound

After Heaney’s strong start, the bullpen continued its recent success. In the first two games of this series, Pirates relievers have combined for eight scoreless innings. Santana’s allowed double was the first hit the bullpen has given up in two games.

At the plate

Like Tuesday, the Pirates had double-digit hits and failed to make the most of it. Unlike Tuesday, they didn’t break it open in the ninth. Like Tuesday, strong pitching meant it didn’t matter.

Pittsburgh had 11 hits in the game but left seven on base, grounding into three double plays. All 10 Pirates had a hit, with Cruz the only Pirate to record multiple.

Most valuable player

Heaney baffled the Angels, getting 24 whiffs even on pitches that appeared over the heart of the plate. He did this, as he has all this season, by varying his delivery and regularly using a sidearm arm slot. In his first five starts with the Pirates, Heaney has a 1.72 ERA.

Up next

The Angels and Pirates conclude their three-game series on Thursday at 9:29 p.m. Right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (1-3, 7.41 ERA) will throw against Angels lefty Tyler Anderson (2-0, 2.08). The game will be televised on SportsNet Pittsburgh and broadcast on the radio on 93.7 The Fan.