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 Walker's RBI single --- his third hit of the game --- with two
outs in the bottom of the ninth inning rallied the Pirates to a 6-5
victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.
Walker's hit scored catcher Russell Martin, who drew a one-out walk
off reliever J.J. Hoover (1-2). Center fielder Andrew McCutchen also
walked before third baseman Pedro Alvarez popped out.
Walker then dropped a bloop into short right field and Martin scored
when right fielder Jay Bruce's throw skipped past catcher Devin
Mesoraco. It was Walker's second career walk-off hit as his
10th-inning home run in the March 31 opener beat the Chicago Cubs
1-0.
"It wasn't the hardest hit ball of my career but it makes up for all
the balls I've hit hard over the years that get caught," Walker
said. "It just feels good to get a win, especially after you lose a
tough one in 14 innings (on Sunday to the Milwaukee Brewers)."
Conversely, it was a tough loss for Hoover to take, especially
pitching in his hometown.
"It's totally on me," he said. "I hung a curveball on 1-2 count to
Walker when I was trying to bury it in the dirt and I left it up a
little bit where he could handle it. And you can't walk guys and
expect to have good results."
McCutchen tied the score at 5-5 with a leadoff home run, his second
homer of the season, in the bottom of the eighth off left-handed
reliever Manny Parra. That came after the Reds went ahead with two
runs in the top of the inning as Bruce doubled in a run and Mesoraco
had an RBI single.
McCutchen and Walker each had three hits for the Pirates and first
baseman Ike Davis hit a grand slam, his first home run in a
Pittsburgh uniform.
"We knew that's what Ike was capable of doing when we traded for
him," Walker said. "As a left-handed hitter in this ballpark, I can
envision him hitting more balls over that Clemente Wall in right
field. This is just the start."
The Reds got three hits each from Mesoraco, second baseman Brandon
Phillips and third baseman Todd Frazier. Mesoraco has a hit in all
10 games this season and is batting .541.
Center fielder Billy Hamilton's sacrifice fly in the seventh drew
the Reds within 4-3.
Jared Hughes (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win after being
recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis earlier in the day.
Pittsburgh starter Francisco Liriano gave up five runs, four earned,
in seven innings. Cincinnati starter Mike Leake allowed four runs — all on Davis' slam — in seven innings.
Davis' fourth-inning grand slam put his new team ahead 4-2. Davis
was acquired from the New York Mets last Friday in a trade.
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The Pirates loaded the bases with no outs against Leake as McCutchen
singled, Alvarez doubled and Walker was hit by a pitch. Davis then
hit a blast into the right-field stands for his second homer of the
season.
Davis said he was just trying to keep the rally going.
"I wanted something up because I know Mike has a good changeup and
sinker so I didn't want to ground into a double play," Davis said,
who was college teammates with Leake at Arizona State. "I was just
looking for something I could hit into the outfield, either get a
sac fly, base hit or, hopefully if I hit it good enough, a homer. I
was just trying to get the ball in the air."
It was Davis' third career grand slam and second this year. The
other one also came against the Reds on April 5, a walk-off shot
against Hoover.
"I broke his bat, you can't do much better than that, and he still
hit it out," Leake said.
NOTES: Pirates LHP Wandy Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day disabled
list with right knee tendinitis and RHP Jared Hughes was recalled
from Triple-A Indianapolis. ... Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman is
tentatively scheduled to throw batting practice on Wednesday, the
first time he will face hitters since suffering facial fractures on
March 19, when he was hit by a line drive during a spring training
game. The closer had a 45-pitch bullpen session on Sunday. ...
Cincinnati RHP Johnny Cueto (1-2, 1.50 ERA) faces Pittsburgh RHP
Edinson Volquez (1-0, 1.71) on Tuesday night.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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