After dropping the series opener to the Cardinals on Monday, the Bucs have responded in a big way on Tuesday to take a 9-0 lead over St. Louis. The lineup jumped all over Cards starter Jake Westbrook, whose sinker ball was most certainly not sinking.
Each hitter in the Pittsburgh lineup has a hit (starter James McDonald pitched in with two sacrifices), but Pedro Alvarez has busted out for the highlight night among the group. Alvarez is a perfect four for four so far, driving in four of the Bucs' nine runs. He took a Wesbrook offering over the 410-foot sign in left-center in the third for a two-run shot that made it 3-0.
Pittsburgh's four-run rally in the fifth was also started by Alvarez, who doubled home Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones. Clint Barmes knocked in Alvarez and catcher Matt McKenry to cap the rally and push the lead to seven.
One inning later, Alvarez would go deep for the second time. This one came off reliever Brandon Dickson and was an absolute titanic shot. The ball went well over the bleachers in centerfield and was measured just shy of 470 feet. Alvarez will have at least one more at-bat with a chance for a five-hit game.
James McDonald has been dealing amid the offensive outburst. The young righty pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed jut two hits.
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