9th Inning Rally Puts Bucs on Top

The Pirates compiled 12 hits and just one run through the first seven innings off of Mark Buehrle. The game changed after he left. Octavio Dotel surrendered a solo homer to Eric Hinske in the 8th. The following inning, Bobby Jenks retired the first two hitters and then gave up a game tying homer to Jack Wilson. Nyjer Morgan followed with a double. Delwyn Young knocked him in with a single.

Matt Capps struck out the side in the 9th to secure the win for John Grabow, who had relieved Jeff Karstens. The Pirates starter went 5-1/3 and gave up three runs. Two of those scored on a homer from Brian Anderson in the 2nd.

The Pirates broke their scoreless streak with a run in the first when Hinke’s double scored Freddy Sanchez. After that it was zilches as Buehrle got out of trouble with the help of two DPs and two base runner kills. He gave up just the one run in seven innings.

The Good

Comeback win.

Great to see Capps cut through some hitters.

The Bad

Inefficiency from the offense. 12 hits and one run through seven innings will not normally make it happen.

The Rest

The Pirates last win when starting the 9th behind was on Opening Day 2009 against St. Louis.

The Pirates 16 hits is their second highest total this year.

Buehrle came into the game 3-0 in three career starts against Pittsburgh.

Hinske’s last homer was 9/28/08 for Tampa. Wilson’s last dinger was 8/15/08.