Charlie Morton came into Saturday night’s start with five career RBI and one win on the season. Each increased by one during the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.
Morton [2-0] pitched his second consecutive seven inning outing surrendering two runs [one earned] on three hits. He threw 85 pitches, 57 of which were for strikes. Morton also got 16 ground ball outs and no fly ball outs in his outing.
“It was a big boost,” Josh Harrison said to Root Sports. “He went out there and dealt. He made pitches when he needed to and it’s nice to be behind our pitching staff when they pitch this way.”
“He looked like a headache, I was glad he was on our sides,” said McCutchen.
Both teams scored one run in the first inning.
Neil Walker had an RBI single which scored Andrew McCutchen. The Pirates however stranded three runs against Tyson Ross [2-5] after Francisco Cervelli grounded into a force out.
The Padres run came after Morton opened the game with a walk to Will Venable. Yangervis Solarte then came up and after faking a bunt hit an RBI double.
Another Pirate run scored in the second inning, an inning in which the Pirates stole three bases while stranding an additional two runners. Josh Harrison’s single scored Jordy Mercer, however Starling Marte grounded into a double play with the bases loaded.
Pedro Alvarez’s sixth error of the season as part of a force play allowed Matt Kemp to score in the fourth inning, a sequence which tied the game.
Morton’s ground out to second base scored Alvarez, the game-winning run. Alvarez hit a double on a 1-1 pitch in the sixth inning. Cervelli was hit by a pitch and Mercer singled advancing both runners 90 feet.
A two-run ninth inning for the Pirates concluded all scoring. Harrison and Gregory Polanco both singled off Kevin Quackenbush and Andrew McCutchen followed with an RBI double, his 12th of the season. The second run came on a ground out from Starling Marte.
Tony Watson pitched the eighth inning and extended his scoreless streak to a team high 19 innings.
Mark Melancon pitched the ninth inning and earned his 13th save of the season. It also is the 62nd save of his Pirates career which breaks a tie with Stan Belinda. Melancon now is in seventh place by himself for most saves in team history.
Sunday concludes the four-game series between the two series. Jeff Locke [3-2 4.70 ERA] will face Odrisamer Despaigne [2-3 5.23 ERA]. Locke is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in his lone career start against the Padres allowing four earned runs in five innings.
Photo courtesy: Gregory Bull/AP
