Tim Hudson and James McDonald each pitched six shutout innings. Only McDonald would throw a seventh shutout inning.
Limited to only three hits through six innings, the Pirates broke through against Hudson in the seventh. Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez hit consecutive one out doubles to put the Pirates up 1-0. After an IBB to Ryan Doumit, Ronny Cedeno made Hudson pay with a two run triple. Peter Moylan entered and whiffed Chris Snyder. Delwyn Young was called on to pinch hit as Eric O’Flaherty entered the game. Young belted a two run homer to put Pittsburgh up 5-0.
McDonald allowed just five hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out three. Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan combined six of seven Atlanta hitters they faced to close out the game. Hudson went 6-1/3 and gave up four runs. He struck out four and walked one. He allowed 14 ground balls and only two fly balls.
The Good
Winning two in a row.
McDonald’s outing was sharp.
Neil Walker doubled in the eighth to extend his hitting streak to fourteen games.
The Bad
Bucs only walk was Doumit’s IBB.
The Rest
Hudson came into the game with a 2.45 career ERA and a 5-3 mark in nine starts against the Pirates. The current crop of Pirates was collectively 3-43 against Hudson prior to this contest. This was McDonald’s first career start against Atlanta.
Garrett Jones started off August in a 5-36 slump and had just two multi-hit games all month. This was his second multi-hit game of September and he is 5-22 on the month.
Alvarez has a five game hitting streak.
Doumit started in RF and came into the game hitting less than .200 in that position.
This was Meek’s fourth straight scoreless appearance. He hadn’t had a streak of four scoreless apperances since mid-July.
