Pirates hitters aren't pitching in

By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
June 16, 2012

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 15: Neil Walker #18 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a single during the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on June 15, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

CLEVELAND- Pirates manager Clint Hurdle didn't like Garrett Jones' approach to his at-bat in the sixth inning Friday night at Progressive Field. Jones popped out to second base with a runner on third and one out. Hurdle didn't like Alex Presley's at-bat in the seventh. Presley flied out to left field with runners on second and third and two outs. Hurdle wasn't asked about Jose Tabata's at-bat in the fourth, but he couldn't have liked that, either. Tabata chased a breaking ball way out of the hitting zone for strike three with the bases loaded and two outs.

It's safe to say there was just one thing Hurdle liked about the Pirates' lame 2-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians, their fourth consecutive defeat.

That would be the pitching of James McDonald.

"Absolutely," Hurdle said. "I'll take that every night."

The Pirates surged to the top of the National League Central Division earlier this month behind the strength of their starting pitching. It was due to drop off -- and it did. Don't look now, but the Pirates trail the first-place Cincinnati Reds by four games. It's not all because of inept hitting, although that's the sorest spot with Hurdle. The starting pitchers have hit such a rough period that he talked before the game Friday afternoon for the first time of getting close to reaching down to the minors. For a Rudy Owens, perhaps? A Jeff Locke? A Justin Wilson? Even a Rick VandenHurk?

It's hard to blame Hurdle. Brad Lincoln has had two bad starts in a row. Erik Bedard was crushed by the Baltimore Orioles Thursday night and is 2-3 with a 6.39 earned run average in his past six starts. Kevin Correia was lousy against the Orioles Wednesday night and is 1-6 with a 4.43 ERA in his past nine starts. Even McDonald struggled in getting a no-decision in his previous start against the Kansas City Royals Saturday night. We'll give him that one tough start, just as we gave A.J. Burnett one when he got lit up for 12 runs May 2 in St. Louis. McDonald and Burnett have been remarkably consistent.

Still, the Pirates needed a good start from McDonald to have any chance against an Indians team that had just been swept in three games by the Reds. McDonald gave it to them, allowing just a run and three hits in six innings. He retired the final 10 batters he faced after the Indians' Carlos Santana cued a weak ground ball just inside the third-base bag for a double that drove in the first Cleveland run.


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