Starling Marte stepped into the batter’s box and for a second consecutive game connected on a home run to left field as part of a Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 victory Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The three-run home run doubled the Pirates run total, and also provided the first runs since a 27-minute first inning.
In that first inning, the Brewers which went with a different lineup sent Ryan Braun up to the plate. It was the first time Braun has ever led off in a Major League Baseball game. Braun singled and the next batter Jean Segura, singled to Gregory Polanco. Polanco tried to get Braun out at third, but the throw was off line and Segura advanced to second base on the play.
Jonathan Lucroy would hit a sacrifice fly to score Braun and give the Brewers the lead.
“The game started with the third hitter and he put a foot down,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “The fastball command was good, and it stood them up. The curveball played extremely well. Each pitch fed off the other pitch, great rhythm and tempo throughout the game.”
“Anytime you come into a lineup where Ryan Braun’s the lead-off hitter you never know what kind of day it’s going to be,” Locke added. “To limit the damage and have them come away with one run early was big. It’s big for our offense too. We know we can score a run at any time. We don’t always do it of course because that’s baseball but we put three runs on them and I think it took the wind out of their sails a little bit.”
The Pirates first inning off Kyle Lohse [0-3] resulted in three runs scored. Josh Harrison started the inning with a single and Polanco continued his recent offensive surge with an opposite field double scoring Harrison. It was Polanco’s third consecutive opposite field hit. After an Andrew McCutchen walk, Neil Walker advanced both runners 90 feet with a ground out to second base.
Marte then stepped to the plate and hit a single. Polanco waited to advance from third base until the ball dropped and third base coach Rick Sofield waved McCutchen home.
Marte’s home run in the fifth inning gave him a career high as it gave him five RBI on the game.
Jeff Locke [2-0] settled down after the first two innings giving up two hits for the duration of his start. Locke also struck out six Brewers batters and threw 99 pitches 68 for strikes. The eight innings Locke pitched tied a career high.
Alvarez continued to impress at first base and made a play in the eighth inning where he was able to field a ball and move to his left while making the throw to Locke. The play went beyond his range and Hurdle noted the work Alvarez made in the back fields during Spring Training.
“I would think it would help his confidence,” said Hurdle. “He’s out there and he’s making plays. That was a tough play that he actually made look rather easy.”
Arquimedes Caminero came in to pitch the ninth inning. Earlier in the game McCutchen was hit by a pitch and after a mound discussion prior to the ninth inning, Braun was hit on the first pitch. Home plate umpire Cory Blaser first warned Caminero and followed that up by warning both benches.
Caminero retired the next two batters, however Braun stole second base because of catcher’s indifference and Khris Davis batted him in with a single. Caminero got the next batter Aramis Ramirez to strike out ending the game much to the delight of the 33,961 in attendance.
The two teams will wrap up the series Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m as Matt Garza [1-1 4.22 ERA] takes on Gerrit Cole [1-0 3.27 ERA]. Garza is 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA in eight starts against the Pirates and is 2-1 with a 3.58 ERA in six career starts at PNC Park. Cole owns a 1-2 career mark against the Brewers with a 3.27 ERA in five career starts.
