Following their 2-1 defeat in game one of the doubleheader on Wednesday, game two started out the same way. Going into the bottom of the fifth inning, it was a 0-0 game between the Rockies and Pirates, and had the makings of a typical game this season. However, at 63 degrees and sunny, the Pirates took full advantage of the Rockies in the bottom of the frame exploding for five runs, which would prove to be all they would need as they took game two 5-1.
Alex Presley led off the inning with a double to right field, extending his hit streak to ten games in the process. Nate McLouth came to the dish and delivered what looked to be a routine fly ball to left, but Carlos Gonzalez lost it in the sun resulting in a McLouth double and the first run of the game.
While the Pirates know they got a lucky break, Manager Clint Hurdle knows the importance of jumping on the opportunities.
“We’ve had opportunities present themselves before and haven’t been able to move on them, but we were able to move on an opportunity in the fifth inning in the second game,” Hurdle said. “We were able to move on it dramatically.”
It worked so well, Andrew McCutchen hit one to the opposite field and Gonzalez once again had trouble playing it, leading to another run and a single. Following McCutchen’s hit, Rockies’ shortstop Troy Tulowitzki ran a pair of sunglasses out to Gonzalez to help him with the sun. While the gesture was nice, it wouldn’t help with the next two batters as Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez hit back-to-back home runs.
“Today was a very good day for him (Pedro),” Hurdle said. “He put together some good at bats. Some very good at bats.”
For Jones, the two-run shot was the Pirates first multi-run home run since September 23 of last season. For Alvarez, it now gives him four home runs on the season. Alvarez also hit a solo shot in game one of the doubleheader..
Alvarez, who also added a double just feet shy of another home run in the bottom of the seventh, said he felt good at the plate today.
“It’s a matter of going out there and competing and keeping it as simple as possible,” Alvarez said.
Hurdle feels that some of Alvarez’s recent success can be attributed to his confidence.
“We are slaves to success sometimes mentally and nothing breeds confidence in sport like success,” Hurdle said.
Pirates starter Charlie Morton continued the trend that the Pirates pitching staff has established early this season, and pitched a great outing. Morton went seven innings, allowing just six hits and striking out two all while giving up one run, a solo shot to Ramon Hernandez in the seventh.
“I wish I could redo that,” Morton said when asked about the pitch he gave to Hernandez.
The Pirates pitchers haven’t had the benefit of pitching with the lead that often this season, but according to Morton, it really isn’t that different.
“It’s a little different, but you’re just trying to go out there and put zeros up,” Morton said. “It is always nice to have the lead.”
With the tough road schedule of the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals upcoming, this was a series that the Pirates had to have. Taking two-of-three from the Rockies, and seeing some signs of offense in all three games is a good sign for the Pirates.
“We need to improve as a ball club to put the three components together,” Hurdle said. “The thing is, rather than bemoan the offense, what I do is build up the pitching and the job they do. A lot of times in tearing down one component, we don’t get enough credit to the component that is performing well.”
The Pirates will enjoy an off day tomorrow before starting their series in Atlanta on Friday at 7:35 p.m. ET. The probable pitchers are A.J. Burnett for the Pirates (1-0, 0.00 ERA) and Tommy Hanson (2-2, 3.38 ERA) for the Braves.
Photo credits: Getty Images
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