Pirates Doumit Gets Last Laugh on Braves, David Ross Tough Guy Act

In the fifth inning, Pittsburgh Pirates announcer Steve Blass broke out

the cowbell.  At various times during the season, the broadcast team reaches for different noises to encite some luck.  Blass called for a leadoff double from Ryan Doumit.  It worked.

However, the Bucs did nothing to move Doumit from second until Aki Iwamura had a two-out single into short right field.   Melky Cabrera came up firing.  It was a perfect throw and Braves catcher David Ross blocked the plate.  Doumit was tagged out and the inning was over.

Look at the photo above, Ross finds it necessary to show Bobby Crosby the ball.  Why Ross was allowed to get to his dugout is beyond me.   I am not a fan of such crap.  It made me even madder when Bob Walk said that Crosby and Ross had a talk before he stepped into the box in the sixth inning.   It’s soft.  It doesn’t match the veteran type of toughness the Pirates could use tremendously.

Doumit would get the last laugh when he hit a walkoff homer to salvage something good from the Pirates homestand.  It was a big day for Doumit.  It was great for Zach Duke too.  He was off the charts allowing just one unearned run in seven innings.

Evan Meek gave up a bomb to Eric Hinske in the eighth inning.  We knew it was coming sooner or later.

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Jake takes a look at the numbers behind the Pirates.  If you want to have a happy Monday, I wouldn’t click this link.  Its scary.  Especially the Walker, Tabata, Alvarez, Sanchez lines against lefties. 

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The Cincinnati Reds have won three times and the Pirates have won three in six meetings this season, each team sweeping.  In the Reds sweep, they outscored the Bucs 16-1.  The Reds are six games above .500 and have won nine of 12 games at home this season.  The Pirates head to Cincinnati for a four game series today.

Joey Votto has pwned the Bucs slamming four homers and 22 RBI in 35 games.  Aaron Harang will go for the Reds and he has had his struggles this season with his ERA sitting at 6.02.  Brian Burres has a 4.91 ERA and will get his first start against the Reds this season.  In his last outing he gave up three runs in six innings.

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John Russell is Forrest Gump-like in this article.

"“You never (know) what you’re going to get; I enjoy that,” Russell said. “Each game has its own personality”"