(Photo Credit: Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Charlie Morton continues to improve from Tommy John surgery as he threw 6 2/3 innings of one run (unearned) ball while Marlon Byrd hit a homer in his fourth at-bat as a Pirate in a 7 – 1 Bucco victory on Wednesday night.
Morton experienced some trouble out of the gate, much like Locke did last night, as he allowed three base runners in the first. The outcome would be different, though, as he would get a fielders choice, caught stealing and a groundout to get out of the jam. From there, he would cruise through the next five innings, only allowing three singles along the way.
He would get into a small bit of trouble in the seventh with a decent lead as he would allow runners on the corners with two out. One run would then cross the plate on a Russell Martin throwing error. Morton would be done after walking the next batter allowing the tying run to come to the plate. Vin Mazzaro would then get a lineout to second to end the inning. He would then work a scoreless eighth and Jared Hughes would throw a perfect ninth to close things out.
Morton would get plenty of offense in this one as the Pirate bats continued from where they left off last night. Josh Harrison, batting lead-off, scored three times and added an RBI in the fifth which went back-to-back with Jordy Mercer’s lone RBI of the game.
Andrew McCutchen continued his hot streak by going 2-for-4 with an RBI, run and stolen base, but the story of the night would be the Pirates debut of Marlon Byrd. He would come up with two on and no out in the first and rocket a ball back at Brewers starter, Tom Gorzelanny, who was able to snag the liner and throw to first to double up Cutch.
His next at-bat would be just as entertaining as he and Gorzo engaged into a 14-pitch war that Gorzelanny would eventually win by strikeout, but Pirate fans still acknowledged the effort by giving Byrd a standing ovation. For Clint Hurdle, this isn’t an unusual circumstance. “I’m 56 years old. I’ve been around, I hate to admit it, but as far as that, I’ve see some welcoming’s, I’ve seen some late-season throw up big at-bats like that. I actually saw Todd Helton have a 17-pitch at-bat off of Jeff Shaw one time and the people at Dodger stadium were up clapping for the both of them because it was like two kids in the backyard and that’s where it took me today, watching Gorzelanny and watching Byrd’s like watching two kids out in the backyard playing wiffleball.”
The real ovation would come in the seventh with two on and one out against reliever, Burke Badenhop. Byrd took the first-pitch he saw into the center field bushes for a three run blast. It was his 22nd homer of the year and first in the black and gold. He would also take his first curtain-call of his career after the homer. “That’s my first one (curtain call) ever. That’s my first one, so, perfect timing and I enjoyed every bit. To hear the fans cheering, that was a beautiful thing.”
Final Score: Pirates 7, Brewers 1
The Cardinals were defeated by the Reds tonight which pulls the Bucs back to within a 1/2 game for the NL Central lead. They can tie the Cardinals tomorrow as St. Louis is off.
Starters Lines
Morton (W, 6 – 3): 6 2/3 IN, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K’s, 1 HP. 90 Pitches (54 Strikes)
Gorzelanny (L, 3 – 6): 5 1/3 IN, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K’s. 99 Pitches (72 Strikes)
These two will play the rubber match of the 3-game set tomorrow at 7:05
Tomorrow’s Starters
(RHP) Gerrit Cole (PIT): 6 – 6, 3.81 ERA
(RHP) Yovani Gallardo (MIL): 9 – 9, 4.61 ERA
Follow Travis for Pirates news and in-game updates on Twitter @TBerardi_OVA or @OVAthletics
