It was just like Sunday. Only it wasn’t a walk off. And it didn’t happen in extra innings. So, it wasn’t just like Sunday except in the outcome. Ryan Doumit’s solo homer in the top of the 9th put the Pirates up to stay, 2-1.
Paul Maholm and Mike Leake locked in a tidy pitcher’s duel. Maholm allowed no runs on six hits and two walks over seven innings. Leake was almost as good. He went 7-1/3 but allowed 10 hits. The Pirates had four runners erased on the bases (two double plays, a caught stealing and a pick off). Their only run off Leake was courtesy of an RBI double from newly recalled Neil Walker in the top of the 8th.
Joel Hanrahan relieved Maholm to start the 8th and gave up a game tying homer to Brandon Phillips. That set the stage for Doumit’s heroics. He blasted a two out solo homer off Nick Masset. Octavio Dotel tossed a scoreless ninth. Doumit’s dinger made a winner of Hanrahan.
Welcome Neil Walker!
The Good
Doumit is on fire!
The Bad
Hanrahan had gone nine straight games without allowing a run until Sunday. He was touched again today.
Getting four people erased on the basepaths.
The Rest
Aki Iwamura has a three game hitting streak.
Leake had another hit and ranks in the top five among all pitchers in hitting. The flip side is Maholm having just one hit in his last 55 at bats going back to last year.
