There are many things we should be thankful for this holiday season. For Pirates fans, it was another season above .500 and playoff appearance.
The fine folks and I at PSN put together our top 10 games of the 2014 season.
10) Payback against Milwaukee – June 6th
The Pirates put 15 runs on the board against the Brewers in the first game against them at PNC Park since the Easter Sunday brawl. Russell Martin went 3-for-3 with a double and four RBI and Andrew McCutchen and Jordy Mercer provided solo home runs. Eight Pirates provided RBI on the day.
Brandon Cumpton went 5 1/3 innings allowing three runs on eight hits to get his first victory of 2014.
9) Ike is Grand against the Reds – April 21st
Ike Davis showed Pittsburgh the power they traded for with a fourth inning grand slam — his second against the Reds in the month — and Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker made it worth while with a tying solo home run in the eighth and walk-off single with two outs in the ninth as the Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak.
8) Pedro and Marte stun Toronto – May 2nd
The Pirates were two outs from dropping nine of their last ten games before Pedro Alvarez and Starling Marte brought the Bucs back. Alvarez sent a Sergio Santos 1-0 fastball over the right-center field seats to tie the game. Marte followed two batters later with bat flip solo-shot into the Pirate bullpen to walk-off.
7) The Lumber Company re-emerges in Cincinnati – April 14th
The Pirates went back-to-back three times — twice by Neil Walker and Gaby Sanchez — against Homer Bailey and Co, as they came back from down 1-0, 3-2 and 4-3. The game would the be postponed until the next day due to rain where the Pirates came away with a 5-4 victory. Ten home runs were tallied by both teams which is a Great American Ballpark record.
6) Vance Worley quiets the Giants – July 28th
Vance Worley shut the San Francisco Giants down going the distance in a four-hit shutout of the eventual World Series Champions. The Pirates put four runs up in the first inning against Madison Bumgarner which was plenty for Worley, who only needed 100 pitches.
5) Polanco’s first career homer lifts Pirates in extras – June 13th
Gregory Polanco showed everyone the offensive abilities we were all waiting for in only his fourth Major League game going 5-for-7 with a game-wining two-run home run — his first career Major League home run — in the 13th inning at Miami which halted what could have been a catastrophic meltdown in which Pirates relievers allowed six walks and four runs in the ninth inning.
4) Walker starts season off with walk-off – March 31st
In a game where only one base runner reached third base through nine innings, Neil Walker ended the offensive drought with a walk-off solo home run into the Clemente seats for the first Pirates Opening Day victory since 2011 and first home opening win since 2010. The game also featured the first ever Major League regular season replay review and replay reversal.
3) Fortunate bounce helps Pirates hold off Boston – September 18th
With the Pirates holding on to a 3-2 lead in the ninth, the Red Sox put runners on the corners with no out. That’s when the unexplainable occurred. Will Middlebrooks sent a grounder down the third base line that struck runner Jemile Weeks on the backside in fair territory. Weeks was called out and Mark Melancon was able to notch the save dropping the Pirates playoff magic number to seven.
2) Marte walk-off via review
With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Starling Marte sent a fly ball off the top of the Clemente wall. Marte tried stretching the play into a triple and reached when Pablo Sandoval allowed the relay to bounce past him. Marte hesitated a bit and then took off for home and was called out at home on a bang-bang play. However, Pirate manager Clint Hurdle challenged the call creating another Major League first.
1) Russell Martin’s curtain call – September 19th
With the Pirates 3 1/2 games ahead of the Brewers for the second NL Wild Card, Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo shut Pittsburgh down over seven innings to hold a 2-0 lead. Martin then pulled his best heroics of the season. With two on against Jonathan Broxton, Martin sent a shot into the right-center field seats to put PNC Park into a frenzy and a dagger into the Brewers playoff hopes.
That’s our Top 10, what’s yours?
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(Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
