Pittsburgh– Josh Harrison didn’t start Friday night’s game against the Mets, but he made sure it finished in the Pirates favor as his 11th inning double scored Clint Barmes giving the Pirates a 3-2 victory.
Harrison came in to pinch-hit for starter Brandon Cumpton in the seventh inning and replaced Pedro Alvarez at third base. With the game tied at two in the tenth, Harrison led off the inning with a single and stole second. What came next is something you only see in a video game. Gregory Polanco hit a chopper back to Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia, who quickly ran at Harrison, who was too far off second base.
Harrison then proceeded to avoid three tag attempts in a rundown while diving on the ground twice and making two 360 spins in the process.
“The one thing that [Harrison] definitely brings everyday is energy and he used a lot of it in that rundown,” said manager Clint Hurdle. “I was looking for a trap door. I thought he would pull the max pack out and point at the sky and go.”
Harrison has kept those moves in his back pocket since his childhood days.
“That’s something I probably learned back in middle school or elementary with fires,” said Harrison. “Stop, drop and roll. That’s all that is.”
He would not score however, as Travis Snider and Neil Walker both struck out and Russell Martin flew out to end the inning.
Harrison took matters into his own hands again in the eleventh against former Pirate Vic Black. Black walked Barmes on four-straight pitches. Harrison then took the first pitch he saw off of the right-center field wall for the walk-off victory.
“I asked him how his day off went,” said Hurdle. “He’s been on some kind of roll.”
Brandon Cumpton gave the Pirates (41-39) a much-needed seven innings allowing the bullpen to work into the eleventh.
Cumpton strong allowing only one hit over the first three innings, but experienced trouble once the Mets (36-44) lineup faced him a second time. Ruben Tejada and Daniel Murphy started the fourth off with hits putting runners on second and third. Lucas Duda then placed a grounder just inside the first base foul line and past the glove of Ike Davis for a 2-RBI single.
The Pirates responded in the bottom of the inning when Jordy Mercer hit a 2-RBI single up the middle to tie things at two.
Cumpton recovered allowing only two hits over his final three innings of work. Justin Wilson, Mark Melancon and Jared Hughes (W,4-2) worked four scoreless innings in relief.
Final Score: Pirates 3, Mets 2.
Starters Lines
Cumpton (ND): 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K’s, 1 WP. 92 Pitches (65 Strikes).
deGrom (ND): 6 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K’s, 1 HBP. 90 Pitches (63 Strikes).
The Pirates have earned at least a series split with the Mets and will go for the series victory tomorrow afternoon.
Tomorrow’s Starters
(RHP) Gerrit Cole (PIT): 6-3, 3.64 ERA
(LHP) Jonathon Niese (NYM): 4-4, 2.78 ERA
First pitch is set for 4:05.
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(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
