CHRISTOPHER PANSINO – OVATHLETICS.COM
The Pirates were again at the .500 mark yesterday as some late heroics by Lastings Milledge the night before helped secure the win despite the bullpen nearly gave the game to the Reds.
Yesterday, the Pirates were looking to win their first two home series for the first time since 1992.
However, not everything was peaches and cream as Daniel McCutchen got his second pitching start.
Daniel, who was optioned to triple-A not more than a week ago, was recalled yesterday after Ross Ohlendorf
Was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
McCutchen, who gave up nine runs in his first start, faired better today, though not much better. McCutchen would go 4 innings with 4 hits, 3 earned runs, 3 walks, and a strikeout, blowing an early 3-1 Pirate lead.
However, McCutchen was not the only person who struggled yesterday as the Pirates bats went quiet after the Ronny Cedeno homerun in the second inning. They would not get another hit again until the ninth inning.
In the bottom of the ninth inning Reds brought in Francisco Cordeo to close out the 4-3 Reds lead. After getting out the first batter, Cordeo struggled with pitch placement allowed the next three runners, walking two, to get on base.
Then with McCutchen at bat, Cordeo drops a slider into the center of the strike zone, which McCutchen drove into the gap in center field for what looked like the game winning hit. Instead the wind carried the ball into the outstretched glove of the left fielder for two outs.
However, Cedeno was not able to pitch his way out of the inning as with the bases still loaded and the count full against Lastings Milledge, he walked in the game-tying run.
Then the next batter, Adam Jones, knocked in the winning run to give the Pirates their third walk off hit of the season and their second in the row.
The 5-4 wins marks the second come from behind victory for the Pirates this season and showed the girt and determination that was lacking in their road trip.
The Pirates, now 6-5, look to sweep the series Sunday at 1:35 pm.
