Wednesday was supposed to be Josh Harrison’s day off, but a Starling Marte ejection quickly changed things.
Marte was ejected along with manager Clint Hurdle when a call was reversed by replay in the sixth inning. Marte was ruled out at second base on a stolen base attempt as a result.
Harrison turned around and hit one of four Pittsburgh Pirates home runs on the game in a 5-4 victory against the Cincinnati Reds.
This Pirates win puts the team at 18-15 on the season while earning a split of the abbreviated two-game series.
McCutchen’s Charge
Don’t look now, but it appears that Andrew McCutchen again has discovered his May mojo.
On paper, a 1-for-4 night at the plate is nothing to write home about, but when that one hit is a home run – McCutchen’s seventh and a play which ties the game – it increases the magnitude a bit.
May success is nothing new for McCutchen, who came into this game batting .313 this month and .320 over the course of his career.
April has been a frustrating month for the Pirates center fielder.
Last season, he was frustrated enough to voice his thoughts in the infamous “0-for-freaking-four” interview and once again started slow this year.
Instead of panicking, McCutchen has picked up his offense and now owns a six-game hitting streak.
This homer was the 26th of his career versus Cincinnati, which ranks highest among any team he has faced.
Long balls a key, but made way for bigger hit
Ironically until the ninth inning, the Pirates had four runs all on homers, but those were the only hits they recorded.
David Freese has been tested in many different ways and Wednesday he hit leadoff and played first base, each for the first time this season and second time overall.
This was the plan Tuesday as well before Mother Nature intervened. When the Reds decided to keep Alfredo Simon as their starter, Hurdle elected not to deviate either
With two outs and a full count in the fifth inning, Freese connected for his second homer of the season, a ball that landed past the right-centerfield.
Freese has hit safely in eight of his last nine starts.
Jung Ho Kang connected for a Pirates home run in the seventh inning once again off Simon.
Kang was down 0-2 in the count leading off the inning. This homer was his third of the season.
To put this in perspective, Kang who admits he is not going to be 100 percent this season has needed 15 at-bats to reach three home runs this season. Last year, it took until May 28, a span of 110 at-bats, to reach that same three homer total.
Thus far, Kang is batting .333 on the season. The Pirates are 34-11 when Kang records an RBI.
The big hit though was Jordy Mercer’s ninth-inning single that broke a 4-4 tie. This hit also snapped an 0-for-9 skid at the plate. He has now reached safely in 19 of his last 21 games.
The hit came off former Pirate Ross Ohlendorf (3-4) and Mark Melancon’s 10th save of the season earned Tony Watson (1-0), the win.
Up next
The Pirates are off Thursday before a three-game road series commences against the Chicago Cubs.
In Game 1, Francisco Liriano (3-1 3.60 ERA) will face Jason Hammel (4-0 1.85 ERA). Liriano is 5-2 with a 2.27 ERA in 11 career starts against the Cubs.
Photo credit: @Pirates
