|
 "In the fifth, I was at 60 pitches or something like that, so I
was thinking about a (complete game)," he said. "I didn't ask for
it. (Manager} Clint (Hurdle) asked me in the eighth if I wanted to
go back out, and I said, 'Yes, I only threw 64 pitches last time,'
and he laughed at me."
Volquez used his extra energy well, limiting the Tampa Bay Rays to
five singles and a run over eight inning as the Pirates rolled, 8-1,
to open a three-game series at Tropicana Field.
Pittsburgh, which evened its record at 38-38, has the best record in
the National League since May 6 -- 26-18. The Pirates, an NL
wild-card team last season, have not had a winning record since
April 14. Meanwhile, the Rays (31-47) missed a chance to shed the
indignity of being baseball's worst team statistically for the first
time in 20 days.
Volquez (5-6) walked two and struck out one, benefiting from three
double plays from a Rays team that has hit into 71 this season and
is among the league's most prolific in the category. Volquez
fashioned his second scoreless start in his last three, but he was
coming off an eight-run, 2 1/3-inning pasting by the Cincinnati Reds
in his last start.
 Pittsburgh left fielder Starling Marte and center fielder Andrew
McCutchen went a combined 3-for-8, scored four runs, knocked in two
and stole three bases. Marte has been particularly dangerous
recently, going 20-for-53 (.377) with five doubles while hitting
safely in 11 of his past 12 games.
The hard-hitting speedsters were central in Pittsburgh's first two
scoring innings, which effectively settled the game by the third
inning.
Third baseman Pedro Alvarez's 12th homer of the season, a mammoth
three-run shot to center off Rays starter Alex Cobb, gave Pittsburgh
a 6-1 lead in the third inning.
Marte led off the four-run inning with a double and scored on a
single by McCutchen for a 3-1 Pirates advantage. Cobb, who logged
four scoreless outings in his previous nine, retired the next two
batters but worked himself back into trouble with a walk to second
baseman Josh Harrison. Alvarez homered on the next pitch, ending a
season-worst 16-game homerless run.
"A lot of the time people have been taking their chances with Pedro,
and he's an important part of our offense," Hurdle said. "We need
him to fire. We need him to drive in runs, and that was very good to
see from him tonight. Three-run homers always play well."
[to top of second column] |
Pittsburgh's potent Marte-McCutchen combination in the No. 2 and No.
3 spots helped manufacture a 2-0 lead in the first. Marte was hit by
a pitch and stole second with one out, then advanced to third on a
McCutchen single. He scored on a groundout by first baseman Ike
Davis. McCutchen also stole second against catcher Ryan Hanigan and
scored on a base hit by catcher Russell Martin.
Rookie Gregory Polanco later stole a base, giving the Pirates a
season-high four in the game. Rays manager Joe Maddon said the
running threat impacted the game and took Cobb out of his rhythm.
"Every time you're giving up a single, you're giving up a stolen
base on top of that," Cobb added.
Tampa Bay countered with a run against Volquez in the first, as
center fielder Desmond Jennings singled leading off, took second on
a fielder's choice and scored on a two-out single by first baseman
James Loney.
Cobb (2-6) was charged with six runs on six hits in five innings,
swelling his ERA from 3.48 to 4.10. He walked three, one off his
season high, and struck out just two, tying his season low.
NOTES: Pittsburgh has won its last four road series after dropping
its previous seven. ... The Pirates are the only team in the
National League this season to have five players with hitting
streaks of 10-plus games at some point: CF Andrew McCutchen (12), 2B
Neil Walker (11), LF Starling Marte (10) UT Josh Harrison (10), RF
Gregory Polanco (11). ... Tampa Bay placed UT Jerry Sands (strained
left wrist tendon) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled INF Cole
Figueroa from Triple-A Durham.
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reserved.]
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