For seven innings, this game was frustrating. “Why is Brent Morel a Major League player?/Seriously this year is the year that nobody wants to trade for a prospect?/Seriously, why even bother having replay if you can’t look at that play?/OK, really, Vidal Nuno was A WASHINGTON WILD THING!!!” sort of frustrating.
Then, the Pirates’ offense and Diamondbacks’ bullpen combined to put together one of the more fun Pirate wins on the season. In the eighth and ninth innings, Ike Davis made three outs and the rest of the entire Pirate offense made three outs. Of course, the rest of the entire Pirate offense had ten hits in the interim, including a triple and four doubles. You practically need a checklist for all of the big hits the Pirates had in the eighth and ninth:
- Josh Harrison one-out triple to start the eighth inning rally.
- Andrew McCutchen double that was nearly a game-tying three-run home run.
- Pedro Alvarez pinch-hit game-tying double off of a lefty one batter later.
- Josh Harrison one-out double to start the ninth inning rally.
- Jordy Mercer go-ahead double in the ninth.
- Michael Martinez two-run single to bring some insurance runs in.
- Yes, Michael Martinez two-run single.
Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer, and Andrew McCutchen were a combined four-for-four with two walks in the decisive eighth and ninth innings, scoring six total runs in those two innings.
If ever a team needed a pick-me-up, it was the Pirates after Wednesday’s goofy loss, the trade deadline, and last night’s sort of semi-lifeless game. The Pirates are 58-51 now, 2 1/2 behind the Brewers, in sole possession of second place in the NL Central, and a 1/2 game up on Atlanta and St. Louis for the second wild card.
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