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'Just a gritty group of guys:' New-look bullpen standing out among baseball's best early

CHICAGO -- It was the type of leverage spot that you would want your ace reliever for. Seiya Suzuki, the early season league leader in OPS, was up to bat with the tying run 90 feet away and two outs in the seventh.

Enter David Bednar, who told him good morning, good afternoon and good night with three straight fastballs.

"I just want to be aggressive with it," was Bednar's approach. He did just that.

It was one of the few times the Pirates' bullpen had to sweat Thursday. Bednar, Wil Crowe, Dillon Peters, Heath Hembree and Chris Stratton combined to go six shutout innings, allowing a combined one hit and one walk while striking out 10 to spark a comeback win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, 4-3.