SB Nation Pittsburgh - Pirates Bats Come Alive In 14-7 Routhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48827/pitt-fv.png2010-08-31T23:20:54-04:00http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14252802010-08-31T23:20:54-04:002010-08-31T23:20:54-04:00Pirates Pile Up Runs In Win Against Cubs
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<p>Sports Network | August 31, 2010</p>
<p>Chicago, IL (Sports Network) – Neil Walker finished 4-for-5 with a two-run homer and four <span class="caps">RBI</span> while Jose Tabata contributed three hits, two <span class="caps">RBI</span> and three runs scored, as the Pittsburgh Pirates scored early and often in a 14-7 drubbing of the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.</p>
<p>Garrett Jones hit a two-run homer and ended with three <span class="caps">RBI</span> for the Pirates, who returned the favor one night after the Cubs won 14-2 in the series opener. Ronny Cedeno and Andrew McCutchen both delivered two <span class="caps">RBI</span> as Pittsburgh halted a four-game skid and also put the brakes on a 14-game road losing streak.</p>
<p>Jeff Karstens (3-10) earned the win after he allowed two runs on four hits over six innings with six strikeouts and no walks.</p>
<p>Koyie Hill went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer the Cubs, who have lost seven of their last nine home games. Alfonso Soriano and Starlin Castro both posted two hits, an <span class="caps">RBI</span> and a run scored in the loss.</p>
<p>Ryan Dempster (12-9) was charged with the loss and allowed seven runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in only three innings pitched.</p>
<p>The Pirates started their big offensive night early with four runs in the first inning. Tabata drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a single by Walker. Jones’ groundout brought home Tabata and a double by Pedro Alvarez scored Walker. After Ryan Doumit was hit by a pitch, a two-run double off the bat of Cedeno capped the rally.</p>
<p>Tabata’s <span class="caps">RBI</span> triple in the second frame made it 5-0.</p>
<p>Two more Pittsburgh runs in the top of the third continued the onslaught. Doumit led off with a base hit and Chris Snyder singled before Karstens bunted both runners ahead one base. McCutchen’s two-run single pushed the visitors’ cushion to seven.</p>
<p>A two-run homer by Jones in the fourth extended the lead further.</p>
<p>Chicago finally reached the scoreboard in the fifth when Soriano’s leadoff single preceded Hill’s home run.</p>
<p>The Pirates, though, responded immediately in the sixth when Walker belted his eighth home run of 2010, a two-run blast over the wall in center field.</p>
<p>An <span class="caps">RBI</span> single by Tabata and a two-run double by Walker in the seventh provided yet more runs for the visitors, who took a 14-2 lead.</p>
<p>Chicago capped the scoring with five runs in the home eighth. Included in the run-producing effort were <span class="caps">RBI</span> singles by Castro, Xavier Nady and Soriano.</p>
<p>Dempster has dropped all three of his starts against the Bucs this season…The Pirates outhit the Cubs, 15-10…Pittsburgh was 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position…It was Jones’ 20th home run of 2010.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2010/8/31/1662167/pirates-pile-up-runs-in-win-cubsCharlie Wilmoth2010-08-31T15:53:09-04:002010-08-31T15:53:09-04:00Pirates Look For Rare Road Win Against Cubs
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<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Sports Network | August 31, 2010</h3>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">(Sports Network) - It has been more than a month since the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pirates</a> last won on the road. It's been even longer since starter <span>Jeff Karstens</span> has found the win column himself.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Pittsburgh will try to halt a 14-game road skid while Karstens aims to snap a string of eight straight losing decisions this evening in the continuation of a three-game set with the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Cubs</a> at Wrigley Field.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Pirates were thumped, 14-2, by the Cubs in last night's opener, marking just fourth loss in 13 games versus Chicago this year. The pounding also prevented Pittsburgh from notching its first road win since July 28.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"It's hard to say, it could be just coincidence," said <span>Garrett Jones</span> when asked to explain the Pirates' struggles on the road. "When you have your home crowd behind you, it helps a little bit more, gives us that little extra. We're capable of playing better on the road, there should be no excuses."</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Paul Maholm</span> came into last night's start with a 7-1 career mark versus the Cubs, but he yielded eight runs over 3 1/3 innings to take the loss, also Pittsburgh's fourth in a row overall.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Hoping to snap both skids will be Karstens, who hasn't won since June 19, posting 11 consecutive winless appearances since. He has pitched to a 7.65 earned run average in losing all four of his August starts and is coming off arguably his worst outing of the season versus the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mets</a> on Aug. 20.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The 27-year-old was charged with seven runs on 11 hits over just 3 1/3 innings, falling to 2-10 with a 4.98 ERA in 24 games this year, including 18 starts. Karstens, who had his last start skipped due to arm fatigue, is also 0-6 with a 4.48 ERA on the road in 2010.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Karstens, a right-hander, lost to the Cubs on June 29 even though he only gave up two earned runs over six innings and is 2-2 with a 4.18 ERA in his career versus Chicago.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Cubs will try to post some more big innings tonight like the ones that helped them win on Monday. Five different players drove in a run during a seven-run fourth inning last night, while starter <span>Carlos Zambrano</span>contributed a two-run homer during a four-run fifth frame.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Aramis Ramirez</span> led the offense with four RBI, while <span>Marlon Byrd</span> and <span>Jeff Baker</span> each had two of Chicago's 18 hits in helping the club to its fifth win in seven games.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">In addition to his first homer of the year and 21st of his career, Zambrano got the win on the mound after giving up one unearned run on four hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings of work.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"He's throwing strikes and he's relaxed," said interim manager Mike Quade, who won his home debut, of Zambrano. "When he's going good, whether it's early in the year or whether it's a couple of years ago, there seem to be some similar components to me. He's got great movement on his fastball and he's throwing his slider for strikes."</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Cubs catcher <span>Geovany Soto</span> is day-to-day due to swelling in his right knee, meaning <span>Koyie Hill</span> is likely to catch <span>Ryan Dempster</span> tonight.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Dempster is 4-0 with a 1.31 ERA over his last five starts and he beat the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Nationals</a> on Wednesday. Dempster was lifted for a pinch-hitter after seven scoreless innings of two-hit and just 79 pitches, striking out eight in the 4-0 triumph.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"Especially when a guy's got such a low pitch count, [Dempster] wanted no part of coming out," Quade told Chicago's website. "He wasn't happy about that, and that's OK, I don't want guys happy. But I think you've got to try and win the game.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The 33-year-old right-hander is 12-8 with a 3.42 ERA this year, but has lost both of his 2010 starts to the Pirates, yielding six runs over 14 innings.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2010/8/31/2320240/pirates-look-for-rare-road-win-against-cubsCharlie Wilmoth