Pirates Win 8-5 in a Wild One at PNC

Jeff Karstens pitched a masterpiece in relief of Ross Ohlendorf last evening.  It’s a shame he didn’t get to finish what he started.   He threw three scoreless  innings, just one more inning and he would have had a well deserved save.  But the Brew Crew got payback, and perhaps an emotional check mate last night.

Karstens came in and immediately got a 1-2-3 sixth inning.  He is sporting a 2.45 ERA out of the pen. He came right at Hart with his first high and inside pitch.  ( And perhaps that’s where the fun began)

He had a nice streak going as well by retiring 20 of the last 21 batters he faced befrore giving up one of his three walks.  Karstens mixed some nice breaking pitches with some good location on his heater throughout the game as his work was key in the Pirates holding on to win 8-5.

The 20.2 scoreless innings pitched by the Pirates bullpen held up even after after Karstens danced through a minefield of an eighth inning unscathed.

Karstens came to bat in the bottom of the eighth knowing he could get some chin music, Jason Kendall dropped the full fist, setup inside,  and Smith plunked Karstens in the elbow.

(Of course you remember April 27. Braun talked a lot. Hence, redemption for the Brew Crew.)

But Smith wasn’t tossed for obviously throwing his 85 mile an hour dart at Karstens elbow. Hilarious.

Kendall puts his hands on Karstens after he was hit and Karstens flipped the bat and made an upward motion with his arm as if to say what the hell at Smith.  Kendall leaned into Karstens and even threw off his catchers glove after he had been pointing with it to first base.

Benches emptied.  Bullpens emptied.  Video here

Finally after taking, at my count, 16 steps to get between them, home plate ump Wally seperated Kendall and Karstens.  Kendall never took off his mask as he did his best to push Karstens around.  Tough guy.

Joe Kerrigan wasn’t afraid of the thinning by the month surfer boy and let Kendall have a few heated words as Prince Fielder held him.  (You are such an awful physical specimen Kendall that a pitching coach left you have it?)  Order was quickly restored and no punches were thrown.  But doesn’t Kendall look like a young Charlie Manson in this picture?

The Bucs got an insurance run later as a tailor made double play ball was hit to  3B Counsell who threw to 2B Lopez and he missed the ball?  Weird play. Karstens scored smiling as Kendall had taken his catchers mitt off waiting for any action.  Nah, just another run scored on you Kendall, no take out slide needed.  Although a quick elbow to the head would have been interesting.

Garrett Jones just missed hitting his second homer of the game flying out near the warning track for the first out of the eighth inning.

Karstens put his jacket on and didn’t get to go back out for the ninth, forced to enjoy his scoreless three innings pitched from the trainers room.

Hilarious. We lose Karstens.
He doesn’t get the save, just a knock on the left elbow.

Umpire Wally Bell went out and had a chat with Chavez to start the ninth as Kendall came to plate.

Nothing came close to his chin. He flew out to left. Want some fire? Put Donnie Veal in the game and drill Kendall.

8-3 Pirates lead when Counsell placed a two-out double down the right field line.

Want some fire? Put Donnie Veal in the game and drill Braun.  Nope.  Ryan Braun goes deep for two run shot. 8-5. Nothing near his chin.  Scoreless streak by the bullpen gone.

Want some fire? Put Donnie Veal in the game and drill Fielder.  Prince Fielder comes to the plate and goes down swinging. The losing streak to the Brewers is over.  I am not a manager, but I don’t argee with allowing this to happen.  Something must be done to gain back the emotional edge for the Pirates.

I was embarassed to watch that ninth inning.  The only thing I enjoyed was the Brewers having to keep their shirts tucked in after the Pirates ”held on” to win.

We had the opportunities to blow this open, didn’t happen.

And then we are pushed around?  I don’t like it.  And I really don’t like the Brewers.

Andrew McCutchen was stellar last night.  He had a leadoff double and was moved over on a Jones flyout.  Then 1b LaRoche had a nice piece of hitting, he stayed back on a breaking pitch popped a two-out liner past second base into right center for an RBI.

Delwyn Young followed with a three run bomb two-out bomb that went over 400 feet to right center between the Trib and Comcast sign!

Ross Ohlendorf didn’t have his best stuff last night despite being very solid at PNC Park lately, in his last three games at PNC he was 2-0. 1.35. 12K 5BB.

With the Bucs holding a 4-1 lead, McCutchen singled, Sanchez singled, Jones walked and then Doumit hit a liner off pitcher Burns shoulder with the bases full in the bottom of the second.

The Pirates were poised to blow the game open, but then 1B Laroche does his best GIDP.  The opportunity escapes and the Pirates lead 6 to 1

Third inning web gem. Cutch snared a Braun liner to shallow center with ease for second out. Nice play. All because he isn’t playing at the fence but was up and challenging the Brewer All-Star.

Kendall had a sac fly in the fourth to make it 6-2. Burns was pinch hit for and Jody Gerut flew out to Young in right to end the inning.

Felipe Lopez was four for four on the night. With a walk in his first appearance since being acquired from DBacks. Nice pickup Brew Crew.

Andrew McCutchen was three for five.

Ross threw 74 pitches in his five innings for the win. A lot of fly ball concerned me, but not nearly as much as the message the Brewers sent our young team.

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Alvarez 359 in July at Alotona

Rumbunter readers came out in full force Sunday, I heard 5,000 walk up fans in the few hours before the start of the game.  Exciting stuff.