Dream day includes Walker's 5 for 5

By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
July 9, 2012

Neil Walker #18 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits an RBI single in the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants during the game on July 8, 2012 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)

 

On any other day, Pirates second baseman Neil Walker would have been the happiest man at the ballpark. He went 5 for 5 Sunday for the second time in his big league career, hit a home run, scored four runs and drove in two. The Pirates crushed the San Francisco Giants, 13-2, to hit the All-Star break in first place in the National League Central Division.

But this wasn't just another day at PNC Park. Paul Foltz was in the house, thanks to Dream Foundation, which makes wishes come true for adults facing a life-threatening illness. He's 70 and lives near Tampa, Fla., but grew up in Evans City, Butler County, and said he has been a Pirates fan for 64 years. Ten operations for colon cancer haven't gotten him anything better than a prognosis of less than a year to live. His wish was to get to a ballgame in Pittsburgh so he could meet Walker, who nearly brought him to tears by posing for pictures with him and giving him an autographed bat and ball outside of the team's clubhouse.

"I played second base like him back in Evans City," Foltz would say later. "They called me, 'Butch,' back then. I was pretty good, but not as good as [Walker]."

Few second basemen in baseball are these days.

Start with Walker's defense. "You look at him and he's incredibly reliable," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington has said. Going into Sunday, Walker had handled more chances (397) than any second baseman in the big leagues. He was tied for sixth in fielding percentage (.990) and tied for sixth in fewest errors (4). He made a really nice play in the fourth inning Sunday to take a hit from Giants third baseman Pedro Sandoval, going far to his right to backhand a groundball and throw across his body to get an out.

But it's Walker's offense that is sizzling. His first-inning double extended his hitting streak to a team-best 12 games. Four hits later, his season average had climbed to .291, up from .256 when the streak started. His OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) has jumped to .774 from .668. He batted .489 in the past 12 games with 8 doubles, 11 RBIs and 15 runs scored. It's no coincidence the Pirates went 10-2 in those games.

"I predicted 5 for 5 for you this morning," Foltz told Walker.

"You're welcome at any of our games," Walker said, grinning.

It has been an amazing offensive turnaround, not just for Walker, but for all of the Pirates. They combined to hit .218 in April and May with 38 home runs and 147 runs scored. They hit .268 in June with 39 home runs and 146 runs. They have showed no signs of cooling off in July. They had 17 hits Sunday, including the home run by Walker and two more by MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen.


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