Jordy Mercer’s 4-for-5 night paced a high-powered Pirate offense as the black and gold posted 16 hits in a 10-3 drubbing of the San Diego Padres on Monday night.
Mercer — 4-for-5 with a HR, 3 1B, BB, 2 RBI and 4 runs — started the scoring in the third inning off of Padres starter Tim Stauffer with an upper-deck solo home run to left. The Pirates then loaded the bases allowing Ike Davis to hit a sac fly to make it 2-0. Stauffer followed that by walking Russell Martin chasing him from the game after only 2 2/3 IP. It was the first of four innings where the Pirates loaded the bases against seven Padre pitchers.
Even with the large amount of scoring chances, the Pirates were only able to scratch out four runs through six innings. That would change in the seventh though, as a Josh Harrison RBI single and a Neil Walker 2 RBI double with the bases loaded finally broke things open.
The Pirates added three more on in the eighth on a 2 RBI double by pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez and a RBI book-rule double by Andrew McCutchen.
Charlie Morton pitched a no-hitter into the fifth before the Padres made it a game scoring twice off of Morton. They had a chance to tie or take the lead with the bases loaded, but Morton struck out Tommy Medica — his ninth strikeout of the game which ties a career high — to end the threat.
From there, the Pirates bullpen shut things down only giving up a run in the seventh with the game already decided.
Final Score: Pirates 10, Padres 3
The game took four hours and four minutes which was the longest game played in Padres history. Another Padres record was broken as there were six hit by pitches in the game (3 by Charlie Morton, 3 by Padres pitchers) which broke the previous record of five.
Starters Lines
Morton (W, 2-7): 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K’s, 3 HBP. 98 Pitches (58 Strikes).
Stayffer (L, 2-2): 2 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K’s, 1 HR. 71 Pitches (40 Strikes).
These two will be back at it later tonight in the second game of the three-game set.
Tomorrow’s Starters
(RHP) Gerrit Cole (PIT): 5-3, 3.80 ERA
(RHP) Jessie Hahn (SD): Major League Debut
First pitch is set for 10:10 EST
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(Photo Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)
