The Pirates scored eight times in the first two frames to help them to a 11-6 series-opening victory over the Tigers on Monday night.
The Pirates (63-55) got to work immediately against Tigers starter Justin Verlander. Josh Harrison led the inning off with a single and advanced to second on a fielding error by center fielder Rajai Davis. Gregory Polanco and Ike Davis followed with one out walks to load the bases and Starling Marte cleared them with a triple down the left field line. Travis Snider then scored Marte when first basemen Victor Martinez misplayed a grounder.
“It was a welcome sight,” said manager Clint Hurdle. “We like to play and you’re going to face on of the elite pitchers in the game. We’re one run down and we know our game plan is to go up there and see pitches, be aggressive in the strike zone, try and make him work and we were able to get those things accomplished.”
The Pirates continued their work against the Tigers (63-52) bullpen in the second after Verlander left the game with “right shoulder soreness”. After getting on the board with a Russell Martin sac fly, Travis Snider provided two more runs with a two-run home run to left.
Snider, Martin and Davis later provided solo home runs to keep the Pirates ahead for good.
Jeff Locke was able to hold a strong Tigers lineup to only a single run — a Miguel Cabrera RBI single in the first — through five innings of work. Snider helped keep things that way in the second with runners on second and third when he caught a line drive with one out and made a perfect throw home to get the runner and end the inning.
Locke would struggle in the sixth before coming out. Cabrera and Martinez started the inning with singles. Torii Hunter then hit an RBI double. Locke then loaded the bases with a walk and allowed another run to cross on an Alex Avila RBI single.
“I was just missing some spots,” said Locke. “I wouldn’t give them too much patience. They’re a good hitting team and aggressive. We all knew that coming in. We also knew with the big lead we had, it’s not enough sometimes against a team like that. Fortunately, we were able to hold them off.”
Jared Hughes then came in allowing only one inherited runner — only the second to score this season — to score while striking out three in two innings of work.
Casey Sadler allowed two runs in his first appearance after being called up from AAA Indianapolis while Tony Watson and Justin Wilson were perfect against four batters to close things out.
Final Score: Pirates 11, Tigers 6.
— Justin Verlander will have an MRI done on his right shoulder tomorrow in Pittsburgh.
“Warming up and long tossing, it didn’t feel great and then it started loosening up towards the end of my bullpen,” said Verlander. “When I got on the mound, I didn;t have any sharp pains or anything . The ball wasn’t coming out of my hand good at all. I was throwing 88-90 mph.”
Starters Lines
Locke (W, 4-3): 5+ IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. 94 Pitches (59 Strikes).
Verlander (L, 10-11): 1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K’s. 40 Pitches (23 Strikes).
These two will continue this four-game home-and-home series tomorrow night.
Tomorrow’s Starters
(RHP) Edinson Volquez (PIT): 9-7, 3.70 ERA
(LHP) Robbie Ray (DET): 1-1, 4.70 ERA
First pitch is set for 7:05.
Follow @TBerardi_OVA
(Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire)
