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Tyler Glasnow pitches against the Phillies Thursday.
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Tyler Glasnow takes pride in not allowing inherited runners to score

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Tyler Glasnow takes pride in not allowing inherited runners to score

PHILADELPHIA — Tyler Glasnow came in during the bottom of the second inning of the Pirates’ 7-0 loss Thursday night to the Philadelphia Phillies. With two outs, he whiffed Rhys Hoskins, who had led off that inning with a homer, and stranded two runners inherited from Jameson Taillon.

“I know how it feels as a starter to get those runners, and to get the outs and not have the runners score is a great feeling,” Glasnow said. “Those runners mean 10 times more, I think to anyone in the bullpen, than their own.”

“There’s value to looking at the game different ways based on the role reversal,” echoed Pirates manager Clint Hurdle.

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In 3⅔ innings, Glasnow struck out seven and allowed two runs. After six games this season, he has a strikeout rate of 13.14 per nine innings, to go with a 5.84 ERA and a 3.46 FIP (fielding independent pitching). He, along with Richard Rodriguez, also saved the Pirates from having to dip deeper into the bullpen after Taillon’s short outing.

“He was able to pick up Jamo [Thursday] night, and then Rodriguez was able to pick up him,” Hurdle said.

Glasnow said he hasenjoyed the quick, adrenaline-inducing warm-up of the reliever, and the athleticism of coming in with runners on. He also said he has made a mental adjustment this season — treating each inning like its own, rather than thinking about depth of innings, a natural byproduct of being a reliever.

“Just go in as a reliever, and I’m going to take this inning like it’s my last,” Glasnow said, “and then if I go out again, just think about the pitch then and there rather than think about how many innings I’m going to go.”

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“Sometimes the inability to game-plan, or situationally game-plan, calendar-wise, I think can help people,” Hurdle said.

Rodriguez’s good outing

Hurdle had plenty to say about Rodriguez’s outing, his second of the season. He struck out six Thursday in 2⅔ innings.

Rodriguez, 28, made his major league debut in 2017 with the Baltimore Orioles, allowing nine runs in 5⅔ innings. Hurdle said he saw a different pitcher Thursday night than the one he saw in video with Baltimore.

“I think in Rich’s case, there’s maturity there that’s come without major league experience,” Hurdle said. “He’s had to show some grit, some resolve. The numbers were hard last year.”

The Pirates signed Rodriguez to a minor league free-agent deal this winter. He appeared in 23 games with Aguilas Cibaenas of the Dominican winter league, continuing to pitch after the Pirates signed him, and the Pirates gave him a bit of a break in spring training to recover from fatigue.

Rodriguez bounced back quickly, Hurdle said, and while he didn’t make the opening-day roster, he was promoted last week along with Kyle Crick. Thursday, he threw 40 pitches — 29 fastballs (averaging 93 mph) and 11 curveballs.

“You watch the pitch sequences, the high spin rate at the top of the zone, the breaking ball’s better than it’s ever been, than he’s ever had … but the confidence,” Hurdle said. “He’s throwing pitches. He’s throwing strikes. He’s challenging guys, maybe more so than he ever did before.”

Schugel’s rehab

A.J. Schugel’s rehabilitation assignment was transferred to Class AAA Indianapolis. Schugel, who began the season on the disabled list with right shoulder discomfort, made two rehabilitation appearances with Class A Bradenton, most recently Wednesday.

Elizabeth Bloom: ebloom@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BloomPG.

First Published: April 20, 2018, 10:54 p.m.

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Tyler Glasnow pitches against the Phillies Thursday.  (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
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