How to Use pinch-hit in a Sentence

pinch-hit

1 of 2 verb
  • Lux was not in the lineup for Game 2 but was available to pinch-hit.
    — Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024
  • Roberts puts him in a platoon role and pinch-hits for him but not for Andy Pages or Gavin Lux.
    — Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
  • The Cubs took the lead in the fifth on Justin Turner’s two-out, pinch-hit, infield single with the bases loaded.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The Cubs took the lead in the fifth on Justin Turner’s two-out, pinch-hit, infield single with the bases loaded.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
  • In the sixth, Penders declined to pinch-hit for him with the game tied and Garbowski back at the hotel.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 31 May 2024
  • Sanchez was then removed from the game as Schumaker pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the inning.
    — Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald, 2 May 2024
  • Then, Kris Bryant came on to pinch-hit with the bases loaded and one out, and struck out, prompting a smattering of boos.
    — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Axl Rose even stepped in as a pinch-hitting lead vocalist in 2016.
    — Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Axl Rose even stepped in as a pinch-hitting lead vocalist in 2016.
    — Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
  • For a couple of season, the Dodgers had two guys who just pinch-hit: Mota and Vic Davalillo.
    — Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The outfielder was not in the lineup for Tuesday night’s game but was available to pinch-hit.
    — Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024
  • Bo Naylor entered off the bench to pinch-hit for Austin Hedges, but Hjelle was on the verge of sending him right back to the dugout, getting ahead in the count, 0-2.
    — Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 7 July 2024
  • With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Warwick pinch-hit for Ray Sadecki with the score tied 4-4 and the go-ahead run on second base.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Iglesias drew a walk and singled before Cronenworth pinch-hit to face a righty in the sixth.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
  • He was removed from the game as a pitcher with a right middle finger blister and Adell pinch-hit for Ohtani his next at-bat in the top of the ninth.
    — Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2023
  • The Rangers countered by pinch-hitting Josh Jung, a right-handed hitter.
    — Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 28 June 2023
  • Eighteen players have at least 100 pinch-hits in their career.
    — Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2024
  • Eighteen players have at least 100 pinch-hits in their career.
    — Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Joey Bart entered the game late after manager Gabe Kapler pinch-hit for Pérez.
    — Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle, 31 Mar. 2023
  • There was no reason to have him and Matt Carpenter both as veterans on the bench to pinch-hit, even if one bats right and the other left.
    — Scott Miller, New York Times, 8 July 2023
  • The Dodgers continue to start Trayce Thompson against left-handed pitching, and bring him in to pinch-hit late against lefties.
    — Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2023
  • The Cubs countered by pinch-hitting Patrick Wisdom, a right-handed hitter, but Diekman still struck him out for the one-out save.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 26 June 2024
  • Matt Vierling pinch-hit for Carpenter and singled to move McKinstry to third.
    — Field Level Media, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2024
  • Garrett Hampson got the pinch-hitting duty when Isbel left the game with low back tightness.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2024
  • Former governor Terry McAuliffe (D) stepped in to pinch-hit.
    — Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 20 July 2023
  • Gonzalez went 0-for-1 with a flyout and made an error in left field before Gavin Sheets pinch-hit for him in the seventh inning.
    — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Noel, perhaps the most anonymous of Cleveland’s unsung personnel, stepped up to pinch-hit.
    — Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2024
  • San Diego State led the Sooners 3-0 after two innings thanks to an inspired pinch-hitting decision — and a big hit.
    — Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025
  • Raley, who might have been pinch-hit for had Coulombe entered, capitalized on that decision and hit his 19th homer of the season.
    — Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 14 Sep. 2023
  • While Rice homered, Reyes pinch-hit for Cabrera — a switch-hitter who is better against right-handers — and ended the game with a lineout.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025

pinch hit

2 of 2 noun
  • Davis pinch hit only in Game 2 and was the DH in Game 3.
    — Evan Grant, Dallas News, 24 May 2021
  • Tellez did pinch hit in the fourth inning and struck out.
    — Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2021
  • Chapman pinch hit with two outs in the ninth and struck out.
    — John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Apr. 2021
  • On Sunday, he was called on to pinch hit in the eighth and drew a walk to load the bases.
    — Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2019
  • With two on and two outs, the Yankees brought Aaron Judge in to pinch hit.
    — Ashley Bastock, cleveland, 3 July 2022
  • Wisdom pinch hit in the eighth, flied out and remained in the game at first.
    — Matt Carlson, Star Tribune, 25 Sep. 2020
  • Escobar pinch hit in the ninth and flew out to left. ...
    — David Brandt, ajc, 5 July 2021
  • When’s the right time to pinch hit for a starting pitcher?
    — John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Apr. 2021
  • Vosler pinch hit for Gausman in the eighth and fouled out in his first big-league at-bat.
    — Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Apr. 2021
  • Naylor did pinch hit in the eighth, bouncing out to first.
    — Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 19 July 2023
  • But with the Yankees trailing the Orioles late in the game, he was called on to pinch hit.
    — WSJ, 19 Apr. 2018
  • Both of Williams’ homers this season have come as pinch hits.
    — Matt Breen, Philly.com, 13 May 2018
  • Seager was out of the starting lineup the next day, but still pinch hit late in the game.
    — Ryan Divish, The Seattle Times, 1 Oct. 2018
  • Black said after the game Cron was not available to pinch hit.
    — David Solomon, Star Tribune, 8 May 2021
  • Brandon Lowe pinch hit and drove in Cruz with a single to right.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2021
  • Bochy said Heim would have been available to pinch hit if the team needed him to.
    — Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 13 May 2023
  • Gaedel, who was pinch hitting, walked on four straight balls.
    — Kimberly Fornek, chicagotribune.com, 14 Sep. 2019
  • Of course, things come up and team members need to pinch hit for each other.
    — Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
  • Gwynn pinch hit in the ninth inning and grounded to short in his final at-bat.
    — Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 27 Dec. 2024
  • Miller walked Caleb Joseph to load the bases and Caleb’s brother Corban came on to pinch hit in the pitcher’s spot.
    — Peter Schmuck, baltimoresun.com, 20 June 2018
  • Gustavo Nunez got hurt on a swing in the seventh and was pinch hit for by Perez.
    — Ronald Blum, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Aug. 2021
  • Bryant pinch hit for Ian Happ and drew a walk in the eighth inning of a 3-2 loss at Busch Stadium.
    — Meghan Montemurro, chicagotribune.com, 23 July 2021
  • Wilson was available to pinch hit in the ninth, but the Jaguars never got a runner on base.
    — Creg Stephenson | [email protected], al, 19 Feb. 2021
  • The rookie stood at home plate and watched his first pinch hit homer soar, then tossed his bat high toward the home dugout.
    — Jake Seiner, courant.com, 1 Sep. 2019
  • This was his biggest: A two-out, two-run pinch hit tiebreaking double in the sixth.
    — Dallas News, 3 May 2022
  • Jack Lopez pinch hit for Bubba Starling and struck out.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 31 July 2021
  • Andrus doubled with one out in the ninth and Eloy Jiménez, who pinch hit for Engel, walked.
    — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2022
  • In the bottom of the fourth, Ruston pinch hit and smacked a two-run home run just out of the reach of the center fielder to put the game out of reach at 5-1.
    — Tim Bielik, cleveland, 28 Aug. 2022
  • His seven pinch hits this season are the second most in the majors.
    — Matt Breen, Philly.com, 14 May 2018
  • The Dodgers trailed by a run as Utley pinch hit against Justin Verlander.
    — Andy McCullough, latimes.com, 9 Apr. 2018

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pinch-hit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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