Mark it down: Zach Duke will make the All-Star team this year. Duke won his seventh game against four defeats by going eight and allowing just three runs. The Pirates jumped on Tigers starter Armando Galarraga with four second inning runs. He was pulled in the third after giving up consecutive hits to start the inning. Nate Robertson got out of that jam unharmed. The same wasn’t true in the following frame when Freddy Sanchez hit a two out grand slam.
Duke did the rest, giving up two solo homers and a double among the seven hits he allowed. Jesse Chavez pitched the ninth.
The Good
Duke was sharp, yet again.
Every starter had a hit and everyone but Duke scored at least once. Some consistency would be nice.
The Bad
Bucs grounded into three DPs and Andrew McCutchen was thrown out at home to end the second.
The Rest
This was Sanchez first four RBI game since 7-21-08. This is the 8th career 4 RBI game four him. This was his second career salami.
This was Galarraga’s first career appearance against the Pirates. Last time the Bucs beat a starter making his first appearance against Pittsburgh happened earlier this year on 4-21-09 against Anibal Sanchez. Freddy Sanchez also homered in that game.
Last time Sanchez and Adam LaRoche homered in the same contest was also in an interleague game – 6-14-08 against Baltimore.
