Game 35: Buc Bats Break Out Hibernation

Thanks goodness for Wrigley. The Pirate bats woke up. Big time.

Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones each collected five hits and homered. The Bucs used a late comeback against Carlos Zambrano to win it.

Brian Burres was ineffective, yielding six runs in four innings. The bullpen was tough – going the rest of the way without allowing a run. Former Bucco Tom Gorzelanny wasn’t much better. But he was in line for the win after he left, having tossed five innings and giving up five runs.

But Zambrano gave up a three run jack to Jones in the 8th to break a 6-6 tie. McCutchen piled on by smacking a solo homer in the 9th inning. That made a winner of Evan Meek. He gave up two hits in two innings, while whiffing four. Zambrano took the loss.

The Good
16 hits and 10 runs. Woo hoo.

McCutchen stole a pair of bags and scored five times.

The Bad
Andy LaRoche made another error, leading to an unearned run.

The Rest
Last pair of Bucs to have five hits in the same game since Bob Robertson and Willie Stargell on 8/1/70. Pittsburgh beat Atlanta 20-10.

Jones set single game bests for both RBIs (five) and hits. It was also McCutchen’s first five hit game and first five run game.

Pittsburgh had scored 10 runs combined in their last six games.

Bucs are a game better (15-20) than they were last year (14-21).

After going 0-6, Aki Iwamura now has one hit in his last 38 at bats.

Buc pitchers struck out 10 batters for the fourth time this year.