Game 149: Walker’s 8th Inning Dinger Gives Bucs Sweep

The Pirates rallied from two runs down to win with a three run eighth inning. Neil Walker played hero with the game winning two run dinger.

Pittsburgh got started early when Andrew McCutchen led off the home half of the first with a dinger off Arizona starter Daniel Hudson. Arizona used a walk and a pair of doubles (from Adam LaRoche and John Hester) to go up 2-1 against Zach Duke.

Duke pitched into the eighth inning but was pulled after Ryan Roberts hit a solo homer to make it 3-1 Snakes. The Pirates went to town in the the bottom of the inning. Aaron Heilmann started the inning by giving up a single to Ronny Cedeno. McCutchen’s one out single put runners on the corners. Jose Tabata grounded out, scoring Cedeno and erasing Cutch. Up stepped Walker and he delivered the game deciding blow.

Joel Hanrahan relieved Duke after the homer by Roberts. He whiffed both hitters he faced to get the W. Evan Meek pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. Duke went 7-1/3 and gave up three earned runs. He allowed six hits and walked one. He struck out three. Hudson limited Pittsburgh to only three hits in 6-1/3. He gave up a run and two walks while striking out six.

The Good
Sweep.

Hitting multiple homers again.

No complaints about Duke’s outing.

The Bad
Nothing of any consequence. John Bowker made an error.

The Rest
Duke remains 3-3 against Arizona in eight career starts. Hudson had not face Pittsburgh prior to this outing.

Bucs hit three homers in a game for three straight time for the first time since July 9-11 against Milwaukee.

Bucs are now 9-44 in games in which they collect six hits or fewer.

Bowker has seven hits in his last 17 at bats.