Edinson Volquez threw seven solid innings after a shaky start and Andrew McCutchen added his thirteenth home run of the season as the Pirates clinched their fifth straight series victory with a 3-2 win over the Phillies on Saturday afternoon.
The Pirates got on the board in the first for the third time in four games when Andrew McCutchen sent a two-run home run — his ninth since June 1st– into the Phillies bullpen. It came one at bat too late though, as a home run would have given him the cycle yesterday.
“It was a fastball down the middle,” said McCutchen. “I got a little better swing out in front of it more. I was able to get my hands through the zone and put a little more backspin on it and get us on the board early. It set us up early and allowed Volquez to come in and relax and pitch”
They added another run in the second when Volquez helped himself out with no outs and the bases loaded with a RBI groundout. It would be the only run they scored though, as the next two batters flew out to end the inning.
“It’s always nice to get in front [early],” said Manager Clint Hurdle. “There’s a lot of numbers you grab when teams score first. It doesn’t always play out that way, but it does give you a sense of some momentum coming out of the chute. We were able to add another run in the second. We didn’t think it would be it, but it turned out to be it.”
Volquez didn’t start as strong as he wanted walking a total of four Phillies in the first and third innings while allowing a hit, but was able to keep Philadelphia off the board by getting Marlon Byrd to fly out and strikeout to end both frames. The Phillies would finally get on the board in the fourth when Cody Asche led off the inning with a home run into the first row of the Clemente seats.
It would be the final run the Phillies would score as Volquez settled in retiring ten straight before allowing a two-out single in the seventh. Volquez said it was a mound meeting with Ray Searage that changed his course of the game prior to the Byrd strikeout.
“He slowed me down,” said Volquez. “I was too fast to the plate and everything was late with my hands to get the ball to do what I wanted. He came to me and said to stay back and slow down and make better pitches and I did.”
The same could be said for Phillies starter David Buchanan, who allowed only two his and an intentional walk in his final four innings of work.
Tony Watson worked a perfect eighth and Mark Melancon (Save #14) closed things down in the ninth, but not before Byrd finally got on the board with a solo home run.
Final Score: Pirates 3, Phillies 2.
Starters Lines
Volquez (W, 7-6): 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K’s, 1 HR. 106 Pitches (65 Strikes).
Buchanan (L, 4-5): 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 IBB, 3 K’s, 1 HBP, 1 HR. 87 Pitches (53 Strikes).
The Pirates will take their ninth chance at getting their first series sweep of 2014 tomorrow afternoon.
Tomorrow’s Starters
(LHP) Jeff Locke (PIT): 1-1, 3.46 ERA
(RHP) A.J. Burnett (PHI): 5-7, 3.92 ERA
First pitch is set for 1:35.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
