Ryan Doumit picked up the Pirates offense in a big way. He had four hits and hit a three run homer to support the efforts of James McDonald. Xavier Paul also dingered as Pittsburgh took a much needed win from St. Louis.
The Pirates got the long ball bats going. Paul hit a solo dinger off Jake Westbrook leading off the bottom of the first. After an RBI double from Rafael Furcal in the third inning tied it up, Doumit cranked a three run bomb in the bottom of the fourth with Neil Walker and Garrett Jones aboard.
St. Louis narrowed it to 4-2 in the sixth. Albert Pujols hit a one out single. He moved to second when McDonald walked Lance Berkman with two outs. David Freese singled in Pujols. That would be the last batter McDonald would face. Jason Grilli relieved. He got Yadier Molina on an infield pop fly to end the inning.
The Pirate got that run back in the bottom of the sixth. Walker walked. Doumit singled him to third. Ronny Cedeno reached on a miscue from Furcal with Walker scoring and Doumit moving to second on the play. Matt Diaz, pinch hitting for Grilli, was retired and Jake Westbrook’s night was over. Arthur Rhodes was pulled out of the pen to face Paul, from whom he induced a ground ball out.
Daniel McCutchen played with fire in the seventh. He gave up a lead off single to Ryan Theriot. He was erased on a double play from Corey Patterson. McCutchen got into more trouble when Skip Schumaker singled and Furcal walked. Albert Pujols loomed on deck. That prompted a move to Jose Veras who struck out Pujols to send the game to the stretch.
Mitchell Boggs allowed an insurance run in the eighth. He walked Ryan Ludwick with two outs and gave up an RBI double to Walker.
McDonald went 5-2/3 and gave up six hits. He allowed two run and struck out four while walking two. Westbrook also went 5-2/3. He was charged with five runs (four earned) on nine hits and one walk. He struck out three. Joel Hanrahan closed out the ninth in a non-save situation.
The Good
Bucs turned three double plays.
Winning against a contender.
No issues with McDonald.
Doumit had four hits and Walker and Paul both had two.
The Bad
Daniel McCutchen scuffled in the seventh. Other than that, nothing.
The Rest
Westbrook came into the game with an 0-2 career mark against the Pirates. McDonald was 1-1 against St. Louis.
None of the current Pirates came into the game with more than five at bats against Westbrook. The same is true for the Cardinals against McDonald.
This was Doumit’s first four hit game of 2011 and second time in 2011 collecting three knocks. His last four hit game was 9/30/09 against the Cubs. He had not homered with runners on base since May 8.
Paul came into the game on a mini-tear, hitting .381 (8-21) over his last eight games.
Bucs came into the game averaging just 3.2 runs in August.
Walker has just four RBI in August and this was his first since August 8.
