The Phillies invaded Pittsburgh looking for some revenge on the three-out-of-four that the Pirates took in Philadelphia and they got off to a good start as they stifled a couple prime offensive chances for the Bucs in a 3 – 1 victory on Tuesday night.
The Pirates had something going in the third with two out. Marte reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second. Russell Martin would then work a walk and Andrew McCutchen would hit a shot up the middle. Phillies second baseman, Chase Utley, made a great diving stop to prevent a run from scoring. It would, although, load the bases for Garrett Jones. Jones, however, would strike out to end the threat.
The Phillies would finally get something going against a tiring Cumpton in the sixth. With one out, Chase Utley reached by fielder’s choice. Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard would then single to make it 1 – 0. Dominic Brown would then hit a sac fly to deep center to make it 2 – 0. A Delmon Young RBI double would finish the Philadelphia scoring and chase Cumpton from the game.
Cumpton felt this start was just as good as his previous two, but it just got away from him in the end; “I felt I got in a grove early on and the third time through the lineup got a lot tougher – fell behind a little bit and left some pitches up and didn’t make my pitches and they put them in play and made me pay.”
Garrett Jones would get the Pirates on the board in the bottom with a two out solo homer to right-center. It could have been more, but Cutch grounded into a double play erasing him and Martin before the shot.
They would load the bases again in the eighth with two out after walks by Martin and Alvarez and a Neil Walker single. Jordy Mercer would then come up and strike out to end the threat. “We had opportunities and the offense got started a little late,” said manager, Clint Hurdle. “Couple bases loaded opportunities that we were unable to cash in on, we hit a couple hard double play balls, one was a line out and one, McCutchen off his bat that was hit very sharply at second, so the chances we had we weren’t able to convert.”
Jonathon Papelbon would come in for the Phillies ninth and throw a perfect inning to close it out.
Final Score: Phillies 3, Pirates 1
Starters Lines:
Cumpton (L, 0 – 1): 5 2/3 IN, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K’s, 1 HP. 88 Pitches (60 Strikes)
Pettibone (W, 4 – 3): 5 2/3 IN, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K’s, 1 HR. 102 Pitches (58 Strikes)
Tomorrow’s Starters:
(LHP) Jeff Locke 7 – 1, 2.06 ERA (PIT)
(LHP) John Lannan 1 – 2, 4.83 ERA (PHI)
The second game of this three game set will be tomorrow at 7:05.
(Photo Credit: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
