Ohlendorf, McCutchen Lead Pirates Past Rockies 7-3

Andrew McCutchen reached base four times, scored three runs and stole three bases as the Pirates cooled off the hot Rockies with a 7-3 victory. McCutchen continued a positive trend and showed patience at the plate as he drew three walks.  McCutchen has drawn eight walks in his last ten games.  McCutchen has scored 12 of the Pirates 46 runs in the last ten games.

Ross Ohlendorf reached ten victories on the season.  Ohlendorf pitched six innings, allowed six hits and two runs.  He threw 109 pitches.  It was the fourth time this season he has reached 100 pitches. 

Ohlendorf was 0-4 on the road this season.  The Pirates had lost 17 of 20 since June on the road.  Those numbers meant nothing last night as the Pirates turned the tables and made the Rockies look like a bad ball club forcing numerous errors on the diamond.

Ohlendorf had some of the best velocity of the season.  He threw 83 four seam fastballs according to Brooks Baseballwith his best touching 96.4mph.  His 27 pitch sixth inning was the only time we saw him struggle. 

The Pirates caught the Rox coming off a spirited, high scoring series with the Cubs.  The Pirates were coming off a tough homestand as you all know.

Getting on the road was exactly what the Pirates needed.  The key to the win was that the Pirates showed patience at the plate tonight.  We didn’t expect this, in fact, one would think they would be very agressive looking to break their losing streak, but in hindsight it proved to be a brilliant move.

Rox Rookie Jhoulys Chacin allowed six walks and was chased after 2.2 innings.  Josh Fogg allowed three walks in his 4.1 innings. 

The Pirates weren’t patient when they reached base.  Getting agressive on the basepaths was very much out of character for the Pirates.   The agressiveness led to five stolen bases, the most since July 2005.   Perhaps all the questions regarding who has a green light to run on the Pirates got to JR.

The double steal in the third by Garrett Jones and McCutchen led directly to a run when the throw to second went into centerfield and allowed Cutch to score.  The Pirates would lead the game 5-1 at the end of the third inning as a direct result of the agressiveness on the basepaths.

In the eighth, Cutch stole third and Jones drove him in with his tenth double of the season.  Jones has struggled with RISP, but he hasn’t struggled in his last twelve at bats as he has collected six hits.  (Jones was 8-for-52 with RISP or .154, he has been  .353 with the bases empty.)

When will the Pirates organization allow Jones to move to first base or are the whispers about Jones still not answered?  It appears the Steve Pearce project is lingering as promised making all those Pearce fans (i.e. Third Boss) thrilled. 

Lastings Milledge made a sensational catch against the top of the left field wall.  Milledge also had a double and his seventh RBI of the season (video below). 

Ronny Cedeno stayed hot with two more hits for the Bucs raising his average to .333 since coming over in the Seattle trade.

The fantastic video highlights are located here.  The highlights include the Milledge double, the Milledge catch which saved a couple runs and Young’s triple.  Sorry, but Dexter Fowler catches Delwyn Young triple if he was in center field last night.

If you want to be sad today, click here.  The Wall Street Journal puts a fancy diagram on display detailing  the Pirates rebuilding project all the way back to Bonds.

If you want to be happy today, click here.  The Curve hammered Portland last night. The top of the Curve order was deadly, Gorkys Hernandez had three more hits. Shelby Ford had two hits.   Pedro Alvarez has his average up to .333 after three more hits. 

Alvarez has six multi hit games in his past ten games (four of the past five.)  Alvarez is hitting .462 in that ten game stretch with 39 plate appearances, 18 hits, two homers, six RBI, nine walks, and ten strikeouts.

If you want to be happy today, click here.  Rudy Owens was named Carolina League pitcher of the week.  In his first week in high A for the Lynchburgh Hillcats, Owens pitched 9.1 innings, allowed six hits, no runs and struck out ten batters while allowing only one walk.  Owens is the second Pirate prospect to be named POW (joining Eric Hacker of AAA Indy.)  Owens was named POW twice during his time in the South Atlantic League playing for the West Virginia Power.  Owens season stats here.