Nate McLouth started the scoring with an RBI single in the fourth and capped it with a 3 run jack in the sixth. Ross Ohlendorf allowed just two singles and a walk in seven innings to pick up his first win as a Pirate.
Florida’s best chance to score came in the first when Emilio Bonifacio led off with a single and John Baker reached on an error by Jack Wilson. Ohlendorf settled in to prevent any damage by retiring 18 of the next 19 hitters.
Tyler Yates and Jesse Chavez tossed an inning of perfect ball each to finish it off.
The Good
Ohlendorf’s first win came in his longest outing as a Big League starter.
This was the Pirates fourth shutout of the season. The Pirates had exactly two in all of 2008. Is this in fact an aberration or an early manifestation of Magic Joe Kerrigan?
Adam LaRoche has passed his April 2008 RBI total and equaled his April 2008 run scored total.
Every starting non-pitcher had at least one knock. Including Andy LaRoche. Jason Jaramillo had his first ever two hit game.
The Bucs left Florida with just their second loss on the year.
The Bad
Jack Wilson made his second error in as many games.
The game was delayed by rain and the stands (ESPN showed this game and the Reds/Astros since the regularly scheduled game was rained out) were nearly empty. Attendance was listed as 8,790.
The Rest
Former Pirate turned super utility guy Alfredo Amezega was hitless in two ABs. There was no sighting of former catcher Ronny Paulino who backs up in Florida and is off to a decent start.
Not a fan of Tim Brown’s post on steroids. Of course grown men should be responsible for their own actions. However, people in position of leadership are responsible for having the vision – both of what might go well and what might not go well – and doing their best to secure a bright future. That responsibility I lay squarely at the feet of Bud Selig and Don Fehr. They couldn’t have prevented every single player from using steroids. But they sure should’ve made a better effort. Brown’s case is a bit like letting our government and the heads of national banks off the hook for allowing such loose regulations on borrowing. Of course the people who borrowed too much are to blame. But, our leadership – both governmental and financial – should’ve seen this coming. That’s why they are leaders – they are supposed to have vision. Jumping down off my soap box. You can’t legislate morality into people’s lives (some guys will take PEDs and some guys will spend too much no matter what), but you should be able to legislate common sense so that fewer people are tempted to keep up with the Joneses. Getting down off my soap box now.
