Jeff Locke took a strong start into the eighth inning as the Pirates defeated the Rays 6-5 to at least earn a road series victory.
Locke was given a good cushion before allowing his first run of the game as the Pirates (39-38) led 4-0 after three innings. Andrew McCutchen started the scoring in the first with a RBI groundout.
Cutch helped add to the lead in the third. Starling Marte and McCutchen recorded RBI singles and Neil Walker — in his first game off of the DL — hit a sac fly.
Locke shut the Rays (31-48) down until the fifth when he gave up a RBI double to Jose Molina. He then recovered to blank Tampa Bay in the sixth and seventh before getting into trouble again in the eighth when Evan Longoria sent a one-out fastball into the left field seats to cut the Pirate lead to 6-3. Jared Hughes and Tony Watson then recorded the final two outs.
Mark Melancon then made things interesting in the ninth. With two outs, Brandon Guyer hit a two-run single bringing the rays to within one. Melancon then got Longoria to fly out to center to end the game.
Russell Martin provided the decisive blow with an eighth inning solo home run.
Final Score: Pirates 6, Rays 5.
Starters Lines
Locke (W, 1-1): 7 1/3 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K’s, 1 HR, 1 HBP. 104 Pitches (69 Strikes).
Archer (L, 4-5): 7 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K’s, 1 WP. 106 Pitches (70 Strikes).
The Pirates take the road series and will look for the three-game sweep tomorrow afternoon.
Tomorrow’s Starters
(RHP) Charlie Morton (PIT): 4-8, 3.47 ERA
(LHP) David Price (TB): 5-7, 3.81 ERA
First pitch is set for 12:10.
