LaRoche Owns PNC Park, Leads Pirates to 10-6 Win over Indians

Adam LaRoche continues to dominate PNC Park.  He swings like every at bat appears to be one closer to his last in the City of Champions and he wants to make certain Pirates fans realize what they will be missing. 

Last evening, LaRoche was 3-for4 with 3RBI as the Pirates jumped out to a 10-1 lead.  It should have ended easily as the Pirates got two quick outs from Steven Jackson in the ninth.  Then all of those hanging, belt high sinkers caught up with him. 

An error on 3B Adam LaRoche was ruled a hit.  A two run dong to deep left field followed. 

3B LaRoche boots another.  Then 3B LaRoche threw another one away (Steve Pearce couldn’t even get a glove on it–not even a good effort…..good Lord if 1B LaRoche leaves, that’s what we have to look forward to?)   3B LaRoche should have just ate it.  It was quickly 10-6 after another dong over the Clemente wall.

As Jackson hung his head in the Pirates dugout, Sean Burnett came on and got two quick strikes on Choo.  The fans stood again and a slow grounder to short was thrown to Pearce.  He gloved it for the last out.  Drama Over.  Bucs win.  Series Tied. 

(The bullpen is struggling please read the details below Gopher Balls!)

The Bucs will get a chance to take the series against Cleveland ace Cliff Lee (4-6, 2.94 ERA) tomorrow night.  With their luck against the ace of the oppostion, count on another Pirate victory tomorrow.

1B LaRoche combined with Zach Duke to break the five game losing streak.  Duke threw 94 pitches, 63 for strikes.  His ERA fell to 3.09 on the year after throwing 6 innings and allowing only one run. 

Kudos to Don Long who had a pre-game ”gotta be more agressive fellas” pow-wow with his hitters.  And those hitters (even Duke) had at least one hit by the fourth inning.  And yes your All-Star Andrew McCutchen also extended his hitting streak to twelve games.

Brandon Moss stayed hot.  Moss is 8 for 13 with a walk in his last 13 plate appearances after his double last evening.

1B LaRoche has hit safely in nine straight home games and in 14 of his last 15 games played at PNC.  Hell, he is hitting over .400 in the last 15 games at the best ballpark in America?

LaRoche is so hot at home that he is third in the league in batting average.  He only trails Pablo Sandoval and Miguel Tejada.  He hit his eleventh home run over the center field fence, his second in two nights.

I am not looking forward to Adam LaRoche being gone, if we are left with Steve Pearce.  Not hating.  Just sayin.

The average league first baseman has an 847 OPS this season.  Adam has an 861 OPS for the season.  Heh, is OPS for June is 1.077.  Shut up about Adam.