Starling Marte knew his Pittsburgh Pirates were up by one run, and — when the Colorado Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon singled and Dustin Garneau was waved home — Marte knew it was up to him to keep it that way.
“I knew when I threw the ball he was out,” Marte said.
That was just one of several spectacular plays in Friday’s game, and the Pirates put on a defensive clinic in their 2-1 victory over Colorado.
You may want to rethink running on Starling. https://t.co/5hFca6fCvv pic.twitter.com/Ualw0Nfqoy
— #VotePirates (@Pirates) May 21, 2016
Marte squared his body, came up throwing the ball and, on a bounce, found Francisco Cervelli’s waiting glove. The tag was applied, and pitcher Gerrit Cole acknowledged the Gold Glove left fielder. The throw amazed fans, earned praise from Cole and even drew some surprise from translator Mike Gonzalez when he heard Marte’s throw was clocked at 100.6 miles per hour.
“I thought if he went, he would be out,” Cole said. “He went, and he was out. Marte is as good as anyone out there in left field.”
Marte acknowledge that a baseball game is more than just about what a guy does in front of the plate.
“This says that defense is important, and that it wins ball games,” Marte said. “When we produce well on defense, we win games.”
Even David Freese, whose hit led to the game-winning run, acknowledged the team’s defense. (Freese made a nice play in the seventh inning when he made a diving stop to his left.)
“Everyone talks about hits, but when you use your arm to help your ace who is battling his butt off, it’s big,” Freese said.
Cole acknowledged how helpful it is to have a strong field behind him when he’s on the mound.
“That’s a world-class effort on how to play defense in the major leagues,” Cole said.
Find a way
It was an interesting night for Cole. For the first time as a Pirate, he didn’t record a strikeout. And he threw several balls that were hard-hit, but the defense came up big for him.
When the Rockies appeared poised to score the game’s first run in the first inning — Blackmon was on third base and Nolan Arenado was on first — Carlos Gonzalez took the first pitch and lined out to Freese, who tossed it across the diamond to first baseman John Jaso for an inning-ending double play.
Manager Clint Hurdle praised Cole for battling through a game that didn’t seem to be going his way.
“It’s good that he did it with no strikeouts because now he won’t be able to say that anymore,” Hurdle said. “He found a different way to win a game.”
Cole was again tested in the fourth inning, when he loaded the bases. Cole then got DJ LeMahieu to ground out. His lone mistake on the scoreboard was an inside fastball that Arenado turned around for his 14th home run of the season.
“You just have to go out there and figure it out,” Cole said. “You just roll with it.”
Freese comes through
An 87-mile-per-hour hit ended up winning the game.
In the sixth inning, Marte was in scoring position, and Freese was at the plate against Eddie Butler, the Rockies’ starter. Freese saw a 1-2 pitch, which appeared to break his bat. Still, he got just enough of the ball to single and score Marte.
Here's what David Freese had to say about that big hit in last night's win against the Rockies pic.twitter.com/HIZAfmFMIG
— PGHSportingNews.com (@PghSportingNews) May 21, 2016
Freese knows his days as a regular starter are gone and acknowledged Jung Ho Kang’s popularity, but Freese expressed a desire to produce however he can for his team.
Hurdle thought the at-bat represented who Freese is as a hitter.
“It was obviously a big at-bat, but it’s a gutsy guy up there with a lot of experience,” Hurdle said. “He is not going to give up an at-bat and with two strikes, he is going to fight.”
McCutchen sets the record
Andrew McCutchen certainly isn’t one for drama.
Needing one hit to pass Jack Wilson for the most hits ever at PNC Park, McCutchen immediately doubled off the Clemente Wall in right field in the first inning to set the record.
Wilson was watching in a suite.
Hurdle had nothing but praise for his star player.
“He’s a special player and will continue to be a special player,” Hurdle said. “The thing about Andrew that is so special is that he is always trying to get better. He doesn’t settle. Everything shows up so well, and it’s good for him. All of those milestones, you have to be healthy, be talented and want to play everyday and be talented. He’s done it.”
Up next
The teams play again Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. EST. The Pirates’ Jonathon Niese (4-2, 5.28 ERA) will take on the Rockies’ Tyler Chatwood (5-3, 3.20 ERA). Niese is 3-3 with a 5.64 ERA in 10 career starts against Colorado.
Image credit: Pirates.com
