In what has almost become a trend, the Pirates used late-game heroics to win a game. What has not been a trend is Pittsburgh winning at Miller Park, which thanks to a four-run eighth inning they did on Wednesday with a 6-4 win against the Brewers.
With the Pirates trailing 4-2, Travis Snider reached base on a broken-bat pinch hit single before Starling Marte smashed a ball over the fence in left-center field to tie the game. Jose Tabata reached on a single and appeared to injure his leg stealing second base and surprisingly (or not considering the Pirates’ bench situation) James McDonald entered the game to run for Tabata. Brandon Inge hit what appeared to be a harmless blooper into shallow right field and when the Brewers’ Rickie Weeks attempted to make a play on the ball he kicked it deep into the outfield and allowed Inge to reach third base. He would eventually score on a Pedro Alvarez single.
In the eighth and ninth it was Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli doing what they do and shutting down any comeback attempt Milwaukee had planned. Ho hum.
The win kept Pittsburgh from being swept for only the second time this season (the first was in Los Angeles against the Dodgers the first weekend of the season).
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Notes
– Alvarez crushed a ball deep to right field in the second inning for his fifth home run of the season.
– Melancon’s ERA is now 0.64 in 14 innings this season. He earned his 10th hold of 2013 Wednesday before Grilli came on for his 11th save of the season.
– Pittsburgh has Thursday off before returning to PNC Park for a three-game series with Washington. The popular Twitter rumor on Wednesday afternoon was that Friday’s game will feature Pierogi vs. Presidents series of races. The Pirates and Nationals have done this before and it was awesome. Also Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper will be playing in Pittsburgh but MASCOT RACES.
