Not only could the Pirates not hit Brett Myers tonight, they also had trouble with fundamentals – Ronny Cedeno and Zach Duke couldn’t manage to do a rundown correctly, Andy LaRoche got picked off for no particular reason, and there were the usual problems with catcher defense. Here’s the recap from the Sports Network.
Recap: Pittsburgh vs. Houston
Sports Network | July 16, 2010
Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) – Jeff Keppinger homered and drove in three runs to support 7 2/3 sturdy innings from Brett Myers in Houston’s 5-2 win over the Pirates in the opener of a three-game set.
Hunter Pence singled twice, scored two runs and walked, and Jason Bourgeois scored twice and swiped two bases for the Astros, who have won all seven games between the teams this season.
Myers (7-6) allowed two runs on five hits for Houston, which has won five of its last seven games. He walked one and struck out four in extending his franchise record to 19 straight starts of six innings or more to open the season. Matt Lindstrom retired the side in order in the ninth to nail down his 22nd save of the season.
Zach Duke (3-9) suffered the loss in his first start since June 16, yielding a pair of runs on five hits over five frames while fanning five for the Pirates, who have dropped seven straight.