CHRISTOPHER PANSINO – OVATHLETICS.COM
After a half of season of subpar baseball in which the Pirates offense is often left sitting on the bench, the Pirates have put together back-to-back offensive extravaganzas. After the a 17 hit, 12 run game Saturday night the Pirates had a 19 hit, 9-0 blowout of the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Like last night the Pirates got hits from the core of their lineup. Everyone with the exception of the pitcher spot contributed in some major way to today’s win. Wither it was Ronny Cedeno who went 4 for 4 including two runs scored or Andrew McCutchen who went 1 for 4, but had a pair of RBIs in the sixth inning, everyone contributed to the win.
And though the Pirates stomped the Astros today 9-0, they score really didn’t do the game justice as they stranded a total of 20 men on base before the end of the eighth inning.
Sunday was also special as they allowed Paul Maholm to pitch a complete game today, just the second of his career. Maholm allowed just three hits, but relied heavily on the Pirates fielding to get most of the outs yesterday.
Up until today the Pirates have not let anyone pitch a complete game due to strict 100-pitch maximum that pitching coach Joe Kerrigan had instituted. Maholm pitched just over 100 pitches Sunday, at 103, which is perhaps the biggest factor for his complete game win today.
One bit of bad news though; as Andrew McCutchen left the game in the eighth inning after suffering a mildly sprained AC join in his right shoulder. He has not yet been ruled out for tomorrow’s game, but will be reexamined before the game against Milwaukee at PNC Park,
