Charlie Morton pitched seven or more innings for the third time in four major league starts this season as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 to avoid a sweep.
“That’s who we are, we bounce back very well,” Jordy Mercer said. “We’re a very resilient ball club and when things don’t go for us we can easily come back the next day and be ready. We showed a full team effort tonight.”
Morton [4-0] would pitch a total of 7.1 shutout innings allowing three hits. In his 102 pitches, 66 of which were strikes, he walked three and struck out a season high six batters. Morton also had nine ground ball outs.
“What he did was outstanding,” Tony Watson said. “Since he’s come back he’s thrown the ball great and tonight was no different. He was very efficient and it was just a great night all around.”
The Pirates scored a run in both the first and second innings of the game.
In the first inning, Gregory Polanco led off the bottom of the first inning with a double off the top of the Clemente Wall in right field. The next batter Starling Marte then singled him home on an infield single. With Andrew McCutchen up, Marte stole his 11th base of the season. McCutchen then singled. Third base coach Rick Sofield waved Marte home however the Pirates left field was tagged out. A fielder’s choice that resulted in McCutchen being tagged out in scoring position ended any additional scoring threat.
Pedro Alvarez kicked off the bottom of the second inning with his 10th home run of the season over the right field wall. The 438-foot homer just missed landing in the Allegheny River.
Both of those runs were scored off Kyle Lohse [3-7].
This was all Morton needed. He had a no-hitter working through four innings. Andrew McCutchen preserved it in the top of the third inning when Shane Peterson had a hard hit ball that McCutchen had to run down for a loud first out.
“On contact he was off,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It looked like a perfect route. All I know is it was a really good baseball play from a really good center fielder.”
Morton was removed in the seventh inning and received a standing ovation. It took two pitches for new reliever Tony Watson to come in and get Jean Segura to ground into a double play.
“I knew they’d be aggressive for sure, especially late when they hadn’t scored or had many hits,” said Watson. “I wanted to go hard in, got a strike. I figured they’d swing, sinker down and away, ground ball and it went to Mercer. It worked out.”
Mark Melancon pitched the ninth inning earning his 19th save of the season in 20 total chances. It also was his 17th consecutive save opportunity converted. With the save, Melancon has 68 in his time with the Pirates which passes Matt Capps for sixth in team history.
Following an off day Thursday, the Pirates will begin a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies. Kevin Correia [2015 debut] will start for the Phillies against Jeff Locke [3-3 5.37 ERA]. Locke is 4-0 with a 1.35 ERA in four career starts against the Phillies. The Pirates split a four-game series in Philadelphia in May.
Photo credit: AP Photo
