PNC Park – Jeff Locke and Pedro Alvarez boosted their all-star resumes as the Pirates got by the Phillies 6 – 5 on Wednesday night.
The Pirates looked as if they would blow the game open early as they were able to get at least two runners on in the first three innings, including bases loaded in the second, but they were unable to scratch a run across keeping with their latest theme of stranding runners in scoring position.
The Phillies, also had a golden opportunity in the third. Lannan would help himself out by walking on four straight pitches and would be sent on a two out double by Chase Utley. Cutch would throw a perfect relay to Neil Walker and walker would throw a direct strike to Russell Martin, who had the plate blocked, for the putout to end the inning. “That was part of the plan,” said Locke. “Walk Lannan and hope that they send him.” (Laughs) “I saw Russell make that play. I had a pretty good view of it, he got that ball and he blocked the plate pretty good and my hat goes off to those guys for the fantastic relay and Russ did his job back there.”
They would finally break the streak in the fifth when they would tally four straight hits with one out that culminated with a Pedro Alvarez three run shot to the right-center field seats to make it 4 – 1. “We’re watching a power hitter grow up – at least, that my perspective,” said manager, Clint Hurdle. “There’s going to be some times that you’re going to say, ‘yeah, the pitch isn’t in the zone, I get it, he’s figuring some things out. He’ll be the first one to tell you when he chases out of the zone. He’s still cutting teeth in some areas.”
The Bucs would get another chance with RISP in the sixth and they would again succeed in knocking them in as Cutch would knock a one out triple to the right-center gap. This is typically a double for 95% of the league, but let me state the obvious for you: CUTCH IS FAST. Gaby Sanchez would then be hit by a pitch and Russell Martin would record his second RBI in as many innings with a double. Sanchez would score via wild pitch to end the scoring.
Jeff Locke would surprisingly give up the game’s first run in the fourth after two outs in the inning when Ben Revere would hit a two out single to left to make it 1 – 0.
He would get into trouble before being removed in the sixth. He would allow a two singles sandwiched between two fly outs before being removed for Justin Wilson. Wilson would then allow a pinch-hit RBI single by Kevin Frandsen and Jordy Mercer would boot a ball hit to short to allow Carlos Ruiz to score to make it 4 – 3.
Jeanmar Gomez and Mark Melancon would throw a scoreless seventh and eighth allowing Jason Grilli to come in for his 28th save opportunity.
Grilli would make the game interesting as he would allow a two out single by Jimmy Rollins before Dominic Brown would send a 2 – 2 fastball into the Clemente seats to cut the lead to 6 – 5. Grilli would then strikeout Delmon Young to end it.
Final Score: Pirates 6, Phillies 5
Starters Lines:
Locke (W, 8 – 1): 5 2/3 IN, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB (1 IBB), 2 K’s. 99 Pitches (59 Strikes)
Lannan (L, 1 – 3): 5 IN, 11 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K’s, 1 HR. 93 Pitches (58 Strikes)
Tomorrow’s Starters:
(RHP) Gerrit Cole (PIT): 4 – 0, 3.70 ERA
(LHP) Cole Hamels (PHI): 2 – 11, 4.58 ERA
The rubber match of this three game series will be tomorrow at 1:35.
Follow Travis for Pirates news and in-game updates on Twitter @TBerardi_OVA or @ovathletics
(Photo Credit: Gene J. Puskar)
