(Photo Credit: Gene J. Puskar / AP)
A.J. Burnett followed Liriano’s strong start with one of his own, but this time the Pirates held on to their lead for a pivotal 4 – 2 victory over the Reds on Saturday night.
For the second time in this series, the Reds struck in the first when Brandon Phillips singled and scored on a Ryan Ludwick RBI single. That single would put runners on first and second with one out, but Burnett would induce an inning-ending double play to get out of the jam. The other run he gave up came leading off the second when Zach Cozart homered to left to extend the Reds lead to two. Burnett and Martin would have a quick meeting on the mound.
“That’s all we’ll give up today,” Burnett said.
He would be correct as he would shut the door the rest of the way and allow only one hit and two walks while striking out twelve, a mark he hadn’t reached since 2009 with the Yankees.
“I just wanted to go out and win for these guys and the city, too,” said Burnett. “It’s one pitch at a time and I was focused, I was locked in and it was probably my best command that I’ve had in a long time and I got those fastballs in when we needed them to and I had a put-away pitch tonight which it’s a lot different when you do so.”
The Pirates would help Burnett out in the second thanks to a Joey Votto fielding error on a Pedro Alvarez soft grounder to first with two out. Russell Martin would follow and homer to left field to tie things up.
The Pirates would take the lead for good in the sixth when Andrew McCutchen walked with one out. That’s when they received their second gift of the game when Homer Bailey miss-threw a pick-off throw into foul territory allowing Cutch to advance two bases. Following a Justin Morneau walk, Marlon Byrd hit a sac fly to deep right-center allowing Cutch to tag and score and Morneau to advance to second. Pedro Alvarez then added insurance with a RBI single off of Reds reliever, Zach Duke (Yes, that Zach Duke).
“Anytime your foot’s in the door, you gotta push your way through,” said Hurdle. “With Petey getting down the line for the error and Russell Martin swinging the big bat. Again, with McCutchen on the pick-off and Byrd to pick him up with a sac fly. It was a well-pitched game by both. You looked at the number of hits that ended up on the board, the strikeouts against, there wasn’t a lot of room for error.”
Justin Wilson would inherit a Bryan Morris walk with one out in the eight and got Joey Votto to ground into a double play on a full count to end the inning.
Jason Grilli closed things out for the first time since late July by getting a double play and a ground out to end things.
Final Score: Pirates 4, Reds 2
The Pirates regain a one game lead on the Reds for the first wild card and remain two behind the Cardinals for the NL Central lead.
Starters Lines
Burnett (W, 9 – 11): 7 IN, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 12 K’s, 1 WP, 1 HR.107 Pitches (74 Strikes)
Bailey (L, 11 – 11) : 5 2/3 IN, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K’s, 1 HR. 91 Pitches (53 Strikes)
These two will be back at it for the Pirates home regular season finale tomorrow at 1:35.
Tomorrow’s Starters
(LHP) Jeff Locke (PIT): 10 – 6, 3.27 ERA
(RHP) Branson Arroyo (CIN): 13 – 11, 3.56 ERA
