|
 "We seem to surprise people when we do things like this," Hurdle
said after the Pirates scored eight runs in the final two innings of
a 9-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
"It's backyard baseball. It's nothing spectacular other than we just
play."
Shortstop Jordy Mercer had two doubles and drove in the tie-breaking
run in a five-run ninth inning after pinch-hitter Pedro Alvarez had
a two-run double to tie the game at four in the eighth.
"This is a team that doesn't stop playing until the last out is
made," Alvarez said. "It's kind of been evident the last few years.
That's something that hasn't wavered from our play, no matter what
time of the year it is."
The Pirates (58-51) had 36 comeback victories while making the
playoffs for the first time in 21 years in 2014. They are on a
similar pace this season, picking up their 27th come-from-behind win
of the season Friday.
 Third baseman Josh Harrison doubled with one out in the ninth inning
and scored on Mercer's double off right-hander Bo Schultz (0-1) to
make the score 5-4.
After center fielder Andrew McCutchen was intentionally walked,
pinch-hitter Michael Martinez singled in Mercer for a 6-4 lead and
his first RBI of the season.
Catcher Russell Martin added an RBI single and left fielder Travis
Snider capped the rally with a two-run single.
"It's nice to be able to do that," Martin said of the comeback. "You
don't want to put yourself in that position too often.
"It just shows the resilience that we have. We grind out at-bats all
the way through the game, whether we are down. It doesn't matter. We
play hard every night. It doesn't mean we are going to win every
night, but it means we can trust each other to play that kind of
baseball."
Mercer scored three times and McCutchen had two hits and an RBI for
the Pirates, who have won four out of six and moved a half-game past
St. Louis and into second place in the NL Central.
Left-hander Tony Watson (8-1) pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning for the
victory.
The Diamondbacks (49-62) had won three of their last four and jumped
out to a 4-0 lead when rookie center fielder Ender Inciarte hit a
three-run home run in the fifth inning.
Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt was hit on top of the left
hand by pitch from Ernesto Frieri in the ninth inning after entering
the game in a double-switch in the top of the inning.
[to top of second column] |
Goldschmidt remained in the game but had X-rays immediately after. He said
he did not know the results, and that hand specialist Dr. Don Sheridan
would evaluate the injury Saturday.
"Obviously there is still some pain because it hit it pretty good,"
Goldschmidt said. "I don't know what it would feel like if it was or
wasn't anything wrong with it. It's part of the game, getting hit."
Harrison doubled, tripled and scored twice while getting an extra-base
hit in his sixth straight game.
Harrison tripled with one out in the eighth inning before Mercer walked.
McCutchen doubled off the batter's eye in center field to drive in one
run, and pinch-hitter Pedro Alvarez doubled in two runs to tie the game
at 4.
Arizona left-hander Vidal Nuno gave up one run and three hits in six
innings.
NOTES: Arizona 3B Andy Marte made his start since Oct. 2, 2010, a day
after hitting a pinch-home run in a 7-4 victory over Pittsburgh on
Thursday. It was his first major league appearance since 2010. ...
Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt did not start for the second time this
season. He did not play June 3 at Colorado. Goldschmidt entered the game
third in the major leagues in defensive innings played with 965 2/3,
behind only Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman (981 1/3) and San Francisco RF
Hunter Pence (975). ... Pittsburgh LF Josh Harrison became a regular in
the Pirates' lineup on May 18 in the second game of a doubleheader
against the New York Yankees that was started by LHP Vidal Nuno, who was
on the mound for Arizona on Friday night. ... Pirates CF Andrew
McCutchen and Colorado SS Troy Tulowitzki are the only National League
players since the start of the 2013 season with a .300 batting average,
a .400 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage. Detroit 1B
Miguel Cabrera and Angels OF Mike Trout are the only American League
players to have done it.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
