[Featured Image/Jared Wickerham/Getty Images]
The Pirates have had a magical season this year, and tonight was the night that Pirates fans have been waiting for. They finally made it to the postseason, and tonight, they beat the Reds 6-2 in the National League Wild Card game.
This was a hit-less game until the bottom of the 2nd inning, when Marlon Byrd hit a solo home run to left field. Later in the inning, Russell Martin also hit a solo homer. Martin has had a lot of experience in the postseason, with the Dodgers and the Yankees. The Pirates were up 2-0 after two innings.
The Pirates scored again in the bottom of the third, when Pedro Alvarez hit a sacrifice fly to center; the Pirates were then up 3-0. In the top of the 4th inning, Jay Bruce hit an RBI single that scored Shin-Soo Choo, and then the Reds were only down by two runs. In the bottom of the fourth though, the Pirates answered, and scored two runs to give them some separation from the Reds. They were then up 5-1.
The starting pitcher for the Pirates, Francisco Lirano, threw 7 innings and gave up only one earned run. He did great today, just like he did for basically the entire regular season. The starting pitcher for the Reds, Johnny Cueto, only pitched 3.1 innings. He gave up 4 runs tonight, but only three of them were earned.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Russell Martin hit another home run, and this gave the Pirates a 6-1 lead. The Reds were not done though. In the top of the 8th inning, Shin-Soo Choo homered to right field. The Reds were then only down 6-2.
In the top of the ninth, with the Pirates being up 6-2, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle gave Jason Grilli the baseball. Grilli threw a 1-2-3 top of the ninth, and the Pirates won the game 6-2. This is a huge night for Pirates fans. This was their first taste of playoff baseball since 1992. Pirates fans have waited a long time for this, and it’s about time that the Pirates have brought playoff baseball back to Pittsburgh.
The Pirates will now take on the Cardinals in the National League Division Series.
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