The Long Ball Returns as Pittsburgh Pirates Crush San Diego Padres

After the Pittsburgh Pirates calmed the fears of Pirates fans by erasing a 5-0 deficit, Steve Blass said that he saw Neil Walker in the Pirates locker room before the game.

"“Walker was pumped up.  He was getting jiggy with it,” Blass said."

It made us laugh out loud, just gotta love Blass.

Walker went out and had a day.  A really big day, going 5-for-5 with a walk from his two spot in the Buccos lineup.

"“The last six weeks, two months in particular, he’s probably swinging the bat offensively as good as any middle infielder in the game,” Hurdle said."

Clint Barmes had the play of the day with a grand slam off the foul pole, continuing the ‘pole dancing’ theme of Pirates home runs this season.  Somebody should do a photoshop or a shirt or something.

The Pirates did something bizarro in the fourth – Barmes hit the grand slam and made the last out, as the Bucs sent 14 men to the plate.  The team plated nine runs, ending their three-game skid and throwing cold water on the six-game winning streak of the Friars.

A special “Thank you,” to Ross Ohlendorf.

Erik Bedard continued the recent tradition – four straight games now – of giving up a leadoff bomb.  Today’s homer came on the Bedard’s second pitch to Chris Denorfia.    It wouldn’t end there, as it took Bedard 38 pitches to give the Padres a 4-0 lead after a half of an inning.

Bedard went five innings, allowed five hits, and struckout six.  His arm might not longer be attached as he threw 44 curveballs.  Only 15 percent of them were strikes – which is even better, we guess.

It was far from pretty.  Bedard deserved better, but the thing we admire about the left hander is nothing fazes this guy.   One would think it’s going to be a few games until Barmes has two errors again.

Let’s just hope if he does, he comes back with another homer and of course, Walker gets jiggy with it again..