It seems like so long since the Pirates have strung this many hits together that I barely know what to say about it. Every position player on the team except Andrew McCutchen had at least two hits (Neil Walker had three) and when that happens it’s almost impossible not to string runs together. The Pirates needed those runs tonight because Ross Ohlendorf couldn’t get out of the second inning, when he quickly coughed up the three-run lead the Pirates handed him in the bottom of the first.
I’ll be honest; I almost gave up on the game right then. But the Pirates got the runs right back, then answered the Astros in the fifth when they retook the lead. It was the exact sort of thing I wanted to see them do last night to kick off the second half, but beggars can’t be choosers. 12 runs is 12 runs and finally beating the Astros is finally beating the Astros.
I want to make a quick note of Eric Kratz’s two hits in his big league debut tonight. Kratz is the sort of guy that’s impossible not to root for. He spent nine years and 611 games in the minor leagues before getting the call over the weekend and tonight he responded with two hits, his first big league RBI, and his first run, which also happened to put the Pirates ahead in the fifth. Seeing a guy get his first hits after all that time in the minors and his family go nuts, well, it’s one of those things that would be cool to see on a team that’s 31-59 or 59-31. You can read more about Kratz at Scott McCauely’s blog.
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