Friday, August 03, 2007
By Paul Meyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Usually reliable David Eckstein -- the Most Valuable Player in the World Series last year -- gave the Pirates two chances to win their game against St. Louis yesterday.
Teammates celebrate with Jose Castillo after he hit a two-out single in the 11th to lift the Pirates to a 5-4 victory against Cardinals.
Click photo for larger image.
They managed to capitalize on the second gift, but it took some doing before they claimed a 5-4 victory in 11 hot, humid innings.
"A great game to win," manager Jim Tracy said.
With the Pirates 18 games under .500, any game would be great for them to win, but this one gave them a series victory against the Cardinals.
Small steps, don't forget.
Anyway, Eckstein dropped a bouncer hit into the hole by Ronny Paulino with one out in the ninth, but pinch-hitter Xavier Nady, whose strained left hamstring kept him from starting, struck out and Cesar Izturis flied to center.
It was a different story in the 11th.
This time, Eckstein fumbled Jason Bay's leadoff ground ball for another error. Ryan Doumit lined a single to right that sent Bay to second.
Tracy had Paulino bunt, and the catcher bunted right to charging first baseman Albert Pujols, who began a first-to-third-to first double play.
That should have taken the wind out of the Pirates' sails, but little-used Jose Castillo found a way to get them quickly and safely to port.
Castillo lined an 0-2 pitch from right-hander Brad Thompson for a pinch-hit single to right-center field that scored Doumit.
"It was exciting," Paulino said. "He comes off the bench and ... it was amazing."
Jason Bay makes a diving catch on a ball hit by the Cardinals' Aaron Miles in the first inning yesterday at PNC. Park.
Click photo for larger image.
"A great at-bat," Tracy said. "It looked like on the two-strike pitch they were trying to expand the strike zone and they didn't get the breaking ball far enough outside. If Jose tries to pull that ball, it's a ground ball. For him to stay with that pitch was terrific."
The Cardinals, who Tuesday night seem poised to make a run at first place in the mediocrity-laden National League Central, grabbed a 3-0 lead in the fourth.
After Pirates starter Shane Youman allowed only one hit in the first three innings throwing nothing but well-located fastballs, he walked Pujols on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the fourth. Juan Encarnacion's ground ball crawled into center, allowing Pujols to reach third.
Scott Rolen's slow bouncer, on which the Pirates could only get a force at second, scored Pujols.
Youman then walked Ryan Ludwick on five pitches and Yadier Molina on a 3-2 pitch. Aaron Miles' double into left-center field scored Rolen and Ludwick.
"My Achilles' heel is nit-picking, and I fell into that in the fourth inning," Youman said.
"He tried to be too perfect and forgot about being aggressive," Paulino said.
The Pirates picked up Youman with three runs in the fifth.
Paulino lined a one-out double off the right-field wall and eased to third on Anthony Reyes' balk.
Jack Wilson drove a 2-2 pitch down the left-field line for a double that scored Paulino. Josh Phelps, batting for Youman, fell behind 0-2, then walked.
Nate McLouth spanked a 2-1 pitch off the first-base bag and into right field for another double that scored Wilson. Jose Bautista's sacrifice fly to center tied the score.
Masumi Kuwata wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, then found himself in position to pick up his first major-league victory.
Jason Bay breaks his bat against Cardinals pitcher Randy Flores in the eighth inning yesterday at PNC Park. The Pirates won, 5-4.
Click photo for larger image.
Paulino, continuing to rebound from his Tuesday night debacle, smoked a 2-2 pitch into the left-field seats with two outs in the sixth to put the Pirates ahead, 4-3.
That lead lasted three pitches.
In the seventh, Pujols pummeled a high 0-2 fastball from Shawn Chacon into the bullpen behind center field to tie the score.
Thereafter, though, the Pirates' bullpen was, in Tracy's word, "terrific."
Chacon used a double-play ball from Rolen to begin finishing the seventh.
Left-hander Damaso Marte, virtually unhittable these days, replaced Chacon with a runner on third and one out in the eighth. Marte struck out switch-hitting Scott Spiezio, batting for Jim Edmonds, and Eckstein.
"Absolutely huge," Tracy said.
Marte, who sliced his ERA to 1.30, also struck out Gary Bennett to begin the ninth before giving way to Matt Capps.
"Marte has been terrific," Tracy said. "To this point, he's had a terrific season. He's throwing strikes with all his pitches. He's throwing quality fastballs to get ahead in the count early, and that opens doors for him later in the count."
Capps retired his only two batters in the ninth.
Salomon Torres allowed two base runners in the 10th, but he struck out Spiezio looking for the third out -- a called strike that got Spiezio ejected by umpire Bob Davidson.
Torres then breezed through a perfect 11th inning and wound up the winner thanks to Castillo.
Paul Meyer can be reached at pmeyer@post-gazette.com
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