It was one bad inning that did in Charlie Morton. That inning was the third and the Red scored four times and collected four of their seven hits for the game. Joey Votto’s two run double did the most damage.
Morton allowed just two other hits in his seven innings of toil. But the Pirates managed only a solo jack from Lastings Milledge off of Bronson Arroyo. The ex-Bucco also lasted seven, scattering five hits and whiffing four.
The Pirates put three runners on against Francisco Cordero in the 9th, but were unable to score.
The Good
Nothing. Maybe Morton wasn’t so bad other than that one inning.
Three double plays from the defense, including an OF assist from Brandon Moss.
The Bad
The continuing saga of the pathetic offense.
The Rest
Welcome G20 summit attendees and protesters!
Arroyo moves to 4-3 in his career against Pittsburgh. He picked up his second win of 2009 with no defeats against the Pirates. This was Arroyo’s 76th win since being let go by the Pirates.
Only four pitchers have logged 200 or more innings in each of the past five years – Arroyo, Mark Buehrle, Danny Haren and Javier Vazquez. As it stand right now, the Pirates have amassed just four such pitcher seasons over the same period. I don’t want to go out on a limb, but I think it was officiallly a mistake to let him walk.
After hitting 14 homers in 587 ABs in 2008, Milledge has just three in 179 ABs in 2009.
