Having the bases loaded was not necessarily a recipe for the success for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night, but pinch-hitter Pedro Alvarez made sure 39,404 fans went home happy.
Alvarez’s pinch-hit single with the bases full in the bottom of the tenth gave the Pirates a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Just because you don’t start a game it doesn’t mean that you won’t play a role in the game,” Alvarez said. “I can speak for everyone here when they are in the same situation they want to come up big. That’s why guys in the fourth and fifth inning go into the cage and get loose and get ready when they’re called upon.”
LA starter Clayton Kershaw came into the game having pitched 37 consecutive scoreless innings, however, the streak ended after one pitch.
Gregory Polanco hit a first-pitch fastball over the Clemente Wall seats in right field to lead off the game and place the Pirates in front 1-0. It was Polanco’s second consecutive game with a leadoff homer and the Pirates fourth as a team this season.
“I know he throws a lot of first pitch fastballs for strikes so I was just being aggressive,” said Polanco. “It was a pitch I was looking for and he threw it.”
“I was daring him to hit it and he did,” Kershaw said. “Good job.”
The Dodgers recorded a two-run third inning. Joc Pederson recorded his 18th double of the season with one out. Kershaw grounded out to advance Pederson and Jimmy Rollins walked. Rollins stole second during Howie Kendrick’s at-bat. Kendrick then grounded out to Aramis Ramirez. Ramirez made a diving stop and the throw dragged Michael Morse off the bag. While the Pirates debated the call made by first base umpire Gabe Morales, Rollins also came around to score.
In the fourth inning, the Pirates loaded the bases with no outs, however nearly came away with no runs to show for it. Andrew McCutchen, Ramirez and Jung Ho Kang each singled, but Morse lined out to first and Sean Rodriguez struck out.
Chris Stewart worked a 3-0 count against Kershaw. The next two pitched were called strikes, however each was outside of the strike zone. Home plate umpire Mark Carlson did call ball four on the 3-2 pitch, tying the game.
Jimmy Rollins put the Dodgers back in front in the fifth inning with an RBI single that plated Pederson.
The Pirates reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning. After Marte was hit by a pitch, McCutchen hit a first-pitch fastball for a double to once again tie the game. Ramirez then contributed a single, his fourth RBI since rejoining the Pirates, to make the score 4-3 in their favor.
Rollins cashed in once again in the seventh inning to tie the game at five. Joakim Soria came in to relieve Gerrit Cole and got the first two outs. Stewart was called for catcher’s interference on pinch-hitter Carl Crawford and also dropped a foul tip that would have allowed the Pirates to get out of the inning with the lead. Rollins made the Pirates pay for Stewart’s mistake with a double that scored Crawford. Rollins had a three hit night for the first time since June 21.
“He swings deep,” said Stewart. “Now I remember him doing that and unfortunately that’s one of those freak things that happens. I don’t necessarily reach out to get the ball which me to get in the way of his bat. Unfortunately my glove went into my bat. It’s completely my fault.”
Soria overcame this however getting Kendrick to ground out ending the top half of the seventh.
“I tried to keep focused, battle and make good pitches,” Soria said. “I feel like I made some good pitches to Jimmy but he’s a good hitter and he got a double. I kept the inning tied and gave my team a chance to win.”
In the eighth inning, the Pirates left the bases loaded after the first three batters once again reached base with no outs. Stewart and Neil Walker each grounded into fielder’s choices and Polanco grounded out to end the threat.
Antonio Bastardo [4-1] allowed two base runners in the 10th inning but got two big strikeouts to end that threat.
The Pirates loaded the bases in the 10th inning against Dodgers reliever Jim Johnson with a Kang walk, a Francisco Cervelli single to left and a Sean Rodriguez bunt single. Lefty J.P. Howell then came in to face Alvarez, who sent a 2-2 pitch from down the right for line game-winning single to end it. Johnson [2-4] took the loss.
“At this ballpark it’s a tough place to come play as a visiting player,” Rollins said. “It’s all black and yellow and they’re unfortunately raising the Jolly Roger tonight.”
The series will continue on Saturday afternoon when Francisco Liriano [7-6 2.92 ERA] faces Mat Latos [4-7 4.29 ERA]. Liriano is 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA in three career starts against the Dodgers.
They said it: “Give those guys some credit. They have a pretty good club over there and came to play.” – Dodgers manager Don Mattingly on the Pirates
Photo credit: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
