Pirates Charlie Morton Electrifies Reds

Charlie Morton went nine electric filled innings as the Pirates dropped the Reds 6-1 at Great American Ballpark. Hit the music. [Believe]

On a debris scattered field Charlie Morton looked in control.  He allowed just five hits, threw 110 pitches,  and a solo homer by Jay Bruce in the ninth inning ruined his shutout.

The Pirates offense came to life with a new lineup from Clint Hurdle with Andrew McCutchen at the top of the order.  McCutchen struckout four times, but it didn’t stop the Bucs from producing runs for Morton with  Garrett Jones and new cleanup hitter Neil Walker hitting bombs off the Reds sickly starter Bronson Arroyo.

The Pirates had 16 hits in a game earlier in the season, but it wasn’t as explosive as the Bucs were last night with Jose Tabata leading the way with a career-high four hits.   Tabata just keeps getting on base for the Buccos.  Manager Clint Hurdle said the Pirates hitters were looking at what they wanted to hit.

It was a point he made after the Brewers series when he said the young Pirates hitters were trying to hit everything.  Hurdle wanted to emphasize the need to simplify things and concentrate on looking for pitches in certain areas of the plate.

It worked.

Morton keeps rolling along, getting 15 outs via the ground ball.

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Ronny Cedeno’s over the head catch was picked as the MLB Network’s play of the day.  Stay Thirsty.