After yesterday’s thrilling, walk-off game, Pirates skipper Clint Hurdle stressed the importance of starting pitching on this year’s team. With Erik Bedard and Jeff Karstens going toe-to-toe with Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee respectively, Sunday’s starter James McDonald was expected to follow suite. Facing the Pirates for the Phillies, was second-year pitcher Vance Worley. With the only non-Cy Young winner in their first four games, the Pirates bats were going to be counted on to heat up in the series finale. As expected, they did, and once again, the Pirates delivered the 19,856 fans in attendance with another astonishing walk-off victory, this time by Andrew McCutchen.
“I was trying to do everything I could to just get on base at least. I wasn’t trying to go back on that field, we all weren’t,” McCutchen said. “We didn’t get it with one out, so I said ‘man, we have to get this done’.”
Setting the tone in the ninth inning was Casey McGehee, who led off with his second double of the ball game. After Josh Harrison replaced McGehee at second as a pinch-runner, Alex Presley sacrificed Harrison over to third, setting the stage for McCutchen. McCutchen took the 3-2 pitch over Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino’s head and won the game for the Pirates, 5-4.
The hot Pirate bats started with a Pedro Alvarez bomb onto the riverwalk in right field. The home run was Alvarez’s first since September 20 of last year in Arizona, and his first home run at PNC Park since September 25 2010.
“It felt good, I put a good swing on it and hit the ball solid,” Alvarez said. “The fact that it was a home run is definitely a plus, but I’m not focusing on hitting home runs, I’m just trying to put good swings and make good contact.”
Hurdle said he and his team felt good for his player.
“I think everybody felt better for him, everybody’s pulling for him, he knows it,” Hurdle said. “He’s got a wealth of support on this ball club and in this clubhouse, so there was a lot of excitement when he hit the ball.”
The blast brought the Pirates to within one run after Hunter Pence took McDonald deep to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. The other Phillie runs came by way of mental error on the Pirates, in particular the first basemen.
After Shane Victorino reached base in the top of the first inning, Jimmy Rollins hit a sharp grounder to first baseman Garrett Jones. In what looked to be a routine double play ball, Jones allowed Victorino to advance to second and took the easy out at first in a head scratching move. Jones, a converted first baseman, has struggled in the past with making throws from first base. Victorino would come around to score after a Pence double.
In the top of the seventh, the Pirates brought in McGehee to replace Jones at first. McGehee, who committed an error last night at first base, had his second in as many days after he dropped the ball after Freddy Galvis tried to give himself up via the sacrifice bunt. The error put runners on second and first and once again, the Phillies took advantage of the Pirates mistake. Juan Pierre would hit a two-run double to give the Phillies a 4-1 lead.
The Pirates fought back as Alvarez reached on an error by Phillies first baseman Ty Wiggington and came around to score after an RBI double by McGehee. Bucco tone setter Alex Presley continued his hot start, collecting another hit and driving in McGehee. The effort continued as McCutchen singled and stole second to put himself into scoring position as the tying run. After a Yamaico Navarro walk, Matt Hague came up to bat as a pinch-hitter for Alvarez. Hague, who made his first career appearance in last night’s game, came through with his first Major League hit, an RBI double to score McCutchen and tie the game.
“I was just trying to put a good at bat together there and I hit it alright, but it found a hole so I’ll take it,” said Hague.
“I’ll probably put it in a little frame and give it to my parents,” Hague said when asked what he will do with the ball he collected his first hit with.
McDonald (0-0) continued the weekend trend of pitching well for the Pirates, going six innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, walking two and striking out three receiving a no decision.
“Our pitching was very, very good,” Hurdle said. “Good pitching beats good hitting. Our guys have something to prove.”
For the Phillies, Worley (0-0) also went six innings, allowing just the one run on five hits, while walking one and striking out five. He also received a no decision.
Earning the victory for the Pirates was closer Joel Hanrahan (1-0). The losing pitcher was David Herndon (0-1).
The Pirates have an off-day tomorrow, as they will travel to Los Angeles to open their three-game set with the Dodgers on Tuesday. The probable pitchers are Kevin Correia (0-0) for the Pirates and Clayton Kershaw (0-0) for the Dodgers. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.
Pirates:
Presley – 1-4
Tabata -1-5
McCutchen – 3-4
Walker -1-4
Jones -0-3
Barmes – 0-4
Alvarez – 1-3
McKenry – 1-4
McDonald – 0-2
McGehee – 2-2
Hague – 1-1
Phillies:
Pierre – 2-4
Victorino – 1-2
Rollins – 0-4
Pence – 2-3
Thome – 0-3
Polanco – 0-1
Wiggington – 0-3
Galvis – 0-2
Schneider – 0-4
Worley – 0-2
Nix (PH) – 0-1
Mayberry – 0-1
Photo credits: Getty Images
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