By Jesse Spector
http://www.sportingnews.com
October 6, 2013
Andrew McCutchen reached base four times and scored two runs for the Pirates. (AP Photo)
PITTSBURGH — Everything the Pirates do starts with Andrew McCutchen, including the transformation from laughingstock to a team that is one win away from its first playoff series victory since 1979, seven years before the center fielder was born.
Neil Walker was drafted a year earlier, but having made his major league debut in 2009, McCutchen is the longest-tenured player in Pittsburgh. He is one of the leading contenders for National League MVP honors this year, having posted a .911 OPS with 21 homers and 27 steals while playing a phenomenal center field. In his first playoff appearance, McCutchen is 7-for-13 through four games after going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, and a pair of runs scored, in the Pirates' 5-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of their National League division series.
One of the most impressive things about McCutchen's playoff performance is his patience, with five walks to lead the major leagues after the pair on Sunday. A star player and MVP candidate in his first playoffs might feel pressure to swing away and really carry his team. McCutchen knows that would be a dangerous approach to take.
"I'm just staying within myself, just trying to feel good every single day," McCutchen said. "Staying within myself, that's what it's all about. I'm not trying to do too much, not trying to worry about the ballgame. I'm just trying to go out there and play, and not to get spiritual, I just give it all to God, and let Him take care of it. That's what I've been doing, just letting go and having a lot of fun. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, maybe, and I'm making the most of it."
By staying the course, McCutchen inspires confidence in his ability to continue to deliver. He started Sunday by drawing a two-out walk in the first inning, coming around to score on a Marlon Byrd single. McCutchen scored again in the sixth inning after he drew a leadoff walk. His biggest contribution, though, may have been in an inning when he did not score.
In the top of the eighth inning, Carlos Beltran — who drove in all three St. Louis runs in Game 3 — hit the first home run off Pirates reliever Mark Melancon since Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto took the righthander deep on April 14. The blast tied the game, 3-3, and acted as a pin to the ballooning noise levels on the north bank of the Allegheny River.
The Pirates knew, though, that McCutchen would be leading off the bottom of the eighth. When McCutchen is coming up, so are the levels of hope in Pittsburgh.
"There's a sense of urgency," said Charlie Morton, the Pirates' Game 4 starter. "There's a sense of realizing the importance of every at-bat, every pitch. When you see Cutch come up to the plate, it's the same thing as he's done all year. I've said this before, I'm not surprised by anything he does. I'm not surprised when he gets the big hit. I'm not surprised when he makes the play. There's nothing that he does that really surprises me."
McCutchen doubled off Carlos Martinez, sending a scorching liner down the left field line. Although he was thrown out going to third base on Justin Morneau's hot grounder to shortstop, the Pirates' winning two-run rally does not get going without their leader getting on base as the first hitter.
"We treat it as a 0-0 ballgame after (Beltran's homer), and that's what we did," McCutchen said. "We knew we had the middle of our order coming up, and we know what we're capable of doing. All we had to do was just get on base and make some things happen, and that's what we were able to do."
To the Pirates, that was business as usual, doing what they did during the regular season as Pedro Alvarez eventually delivered the go-ahead RBI on a single, followed by a single from Russell Martin for an insurance run.
The winning run was scored by Josh Harrison pinch-running for Morneau. The rally started with the Pirate who starts everything.
"I wouldn't say I would expect it from him — I wouldn't say I would expect it from anybody," Morton said. "When I say I wouldn't expect it, I almost know that he's gonna do it. But putting expectation onto somebody or something, I don't know. I just think he's Cutch. I think he's Andrew McCutchen, and he's one of the best in the game, if not the best in the game. That's just who he is. So, for me, there's no thought process behind watching these guys play. I'm not thinking about it. I'm just watching them because I feel like I have an understanding of who Cutch is, and he's gonna do the job."
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