The Pirates and Giants combined for 33 hits and 20 runs in a Pittsburgh 12 – 8 victory Wednesday night.
The Giants struck right out of the gate when Andres Torres led the game off with a walk. He would then advance to second on a ground out and score on a Hunter Pence double. The Pirates would directly answer when Starling Marte led-off the bottom with an infield single and advanced to second on an overthrow.
Jordy Mercer would advance him to third on a single and Andrew McCutchen would knock him in with a single to make it 1 – 1 after an inning. Marte ended the day going 4-for-5 with 2 stolen bases and 4 runs scored. It was his first 4-hit game of his career. Via interpreter “He said he felt good, today, at the plate, relaxed and he tried to hit the ball to the opposite field.”
They would extend the lead to 4 – 1 in the third with three more singles by the top of the order complete with a Cutch 2RBI single. He would score when Russell Martin hit into a double play. The Giants, again came back to tie the game with a run in the fourth (Pence double, scored on Juan Perez sac fly) and two in the fifth when Joaquin Arias singled in Torres and Tony Abreu to tie it again at four.
That would be the final time the Giants were alongside the Pirates as the Buccos put 4 up in the fifth and 2 in the sixth to extend their lead to 10 – 4. Gaby Sanchez, Martin, Pedro Alvarez, and Neil Walker (2) had RBI’s and Alex Presley added with a pinch-hit solo shot in the sixth.
The Giants did, however, try to claw back as they posted two in the seventh. Abreu scored on a Jordy Mercer throwing error which allowed Hunter Pence to reach second. Pence would then score on an Arias single to make it 10 – 6.
Walker would add a solo shot in the seventh and Martin knocked in McCutchen in the eighth while the Giants would match with two off of Tony Watson in the eighth. Jason Grilli would come in and throw a perfect ninth to finish it off Final Score: Pirates 12, Giants 8. “They just kept coming and we kept adding on to keep that separation” said manager Clint Hurdle.
The Pirates go for the sweep tomorrow at 7:05.
Worth Noting:
The Pirates top three hitters (Marte, Mercer, McCutchen) went 10-for-15 (.667) with a double, 3 RBI, 2 SB, and 8 runs. Jordy Mercer likes the fact that he’s hitting between two playmakers in Marte and McCutchen; “It’s pretty special. It is because you know the guy in front of you, if he gets on, more than likely will steal a bag and basically you have one job to do, and that’s to get him over and you know the guy behind you is going to pick you up. It’s pretty cool to hit between those two guys, that’s for sure.”
— Tonight’s win was the 10,000 victory in the history of the Pittsburgh Baseball Club.
Starters Lines:
Liriano (W, 5 – 2): 6 IN, 4 R, 4 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 2 K’s. 91 Pitches (57 Strikes)
Zito (L, 4 – 5): 4 2/3 IN, 8 R, 8 ER, 11 H, 1 BB, 4 K’s. 86 Pitches (53 Strikes)
Tomorrow’s Starters:
(RHP) Charlie Morton (PIT) 2013 Debut
(RHP) Matt Cain (SF) 4 – 3, 5.09 ERA
(Photo Credit: Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
