No more than 30 minutes earlier Starling Marte played hero hitting a game-winning home run, however he quickly tried to deflect the credit.
“You should be talking to Jung Ho [Kang],” Marte said. “He hit two home runs, he was the real hero today.”
Marte’s 15th home run of the season, his second career walk-off allowed the Pittsburgh Pirates to defeat the San Francisco Giants by a 3-2 score.
“I was looking for a fastball away because it was tied in the ninth inning and that’s what pitchers do most times,” Marte said. “I was looking for it away but it was cutter inside.”
Earlier Saturday afternoon, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle stated that Jung Ho Kang was speaking in more complete sentences and he was letting his bat do the talking.
The second part of that statement certainly rang true as he hit two home runs, his 11th and 12th of the season, which accounted for the Pirates offense.
“I’m going to do my best to take it to another level,” Kang said. “I’m working hard to get there.”
Gerrit Cole was looking for his first win in August and was the pitcher of record upon departing the game.
“His entire body of work was better, there were improvements across the board,” Hurdle said.
He did not allow a hit until there were two outs in the fourth inning. Cole received help from Starling Marte, who robbed Brandon Crawford of a home run in the second inning.
“I’ve been working hard this year to make a play like that,” said Marte.
Cole is engaged to Crawford’s sister and stated that the play will probably be brought up a few times.
“That was good one to rob, he picked a good one,” Cole said.
Gregor Blanco led off the fifth inning with a walk and then advanced on a stolen base attempt when Chris Stewart threw the ball away. Ehire Adrianza batted Blanco in with a single. The run was unearned.
Kang responded with his first home run, which came on a 2-2 count to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning. It was the first Pirates hit of the game.
The second Kang home run came in the seventh inning off Hunter Strickland and both Pirates player in team history to hit two home runs 425-feet or more.
After escaping a jam in the sixth inning Hurdle elected to bring Cole out one more time. Cole promptly walked Gregor Blanco and a wild pitch placed him on second base. Immediately Ray Searage came out for a mound visit. Cole would settle down and retire the next three hitters to end his outing.
“That seventh inning may have been one of Ray’s best mound visits this year,” said Hurdle.
With Cole out of the game Joakim Soria entered and immediately allowed a walk to Matt Duffy and a single to Brandon Belt. Soria has come in retiring each of the past 11 batters he had faced. Soria was able to get Buster Posey to ground into a double play, however was undone by a wild pitch during Marlon Byrd’s at-bat which tied the game.
With George Kontos pitching his second inning of work in the ninth and two outs in the inning, Marte hit a first-pitch home run to give the Pirates a win.
Mark Melancon [3-1] was the winner and Kontos [2-2] was the losing pitcher. Melancon has won each of his past three decisions and has not lost since Apr. 21 against the Chicago Cubs.
This four-game series concludes Sunday night with Francisco Liriano [8-6 3.35 ERA] facing Ryan Vogelsong [9-8 3.93 ERA]. Liriano is 3-1 with a 3.75 ERA in four career starts against the Giants. ESPN will televise the contest.
Photo credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
