Pirates Crush Dodgers 11-1; Cases of Champagne FedExed to San Diego

After an impressive comeback against the Dodgers in the ninth inning yesterday, the Pirates went out today

and took the series.  The 11-1 victory was the sledge hammer version.  Double digit hits by the team, impressive defensive, numerous Bucs with multiple hit games.

The Bucs jumped all over the Dodgers and after 5 innings the Bucs had a 7-0 lead. Andy LaRoche feasted on the team that gave up on him.  LaRoche was 5-5 with a couple of doubles (25, 26), his 11th and 12th HRs of the year and a single. (Laroche is .356/.387/.695/1.082 in his past 16 games).  Note to LA:  Thanks for 3B LaRoche.

 Zach Duke sparkled with a few 1-2-3 innings and looked eeriely similar to how effective he was in the season opener at PNC. 

The Pirates are in desperate need of Duke to return to his All-Star form.  He certainly looked like it today with a 4 hitter, one walk, and six strikeouts.

The only boos in PNC Park came in the ninth when Pirate manager John Russell came to the mound to remove Duke from the game after a sacrifice fly allowed LA to score their only run.  JR received even more boos as he walked back to the dugout.  It should be interesting to hear Duke’s comments after the game. 

Donnie Veal was brought in to end the onslaught and send the Dodgers to San Diego with a strikeout.  The Dodgers clinching party will be postponed until tomorrow night when they try to put away the Padres for the first time in the past three games.

 Garrett Jones hit number 21.  His OPS is now something like .982.  Sick.

Heh Dodgers, you might want to bring your own bubbly to San Diego.  Hell, that stuff has been on ice for days now.  Also, I am not sure it will even have enough carbonation to spray after it gets sent all the way back to the West Coast for tomorrow’s game against the Padres.  That’s some serious frequent flier miles.

Hell, it is the Dodgers though, they probably just left the champagne in the locker room.  Kinda like how they gave the Bucs Delwyn Young.

 How enjoyable is it to read this article by T.J. Simers regarding the Sunday locker room drama? LA Times :

"It’s the ninth inning, the Dodgers three outs from clinching the division title, broadcaster Eric Collins ready to really give it to L.A., and the Dodgers three runs ahead of the Pirates, who usually need a good week to score as many runs.Inside the Dodgers’ clubhouse the furniture is being moved, plastic hung across the lockers to save what’s inside from the champagne party about to begin.TV analyst Steve Lyons is there too, dropping his suit pants to put on shorts in anticipation of flying champagne."

I really like the words, “the freakin Pirates”  and later in the article the use of the word inept.  Twice.

Later in the article T.J. said this about the game today:

"One more early game here today against these inept Pirates, who will probably draw a few thousand fans, and it should be over."

Makes it feel really good T.J.  Thank you.   Looks like the Dodgers are walking today.   I will email you a map of downtown.