Gaby Sanchez hit a three run homer and rookie Alex Sanabia limited the Pirates offense to only a handful of hits as Pittsburgh lost for the 81st time in 2010.
Pirate starter Paul Maholm had retired nine of the previous ten Marlin hitters before allowing a lead off walk to Emilio Bonifacio in the sixth. Logan Morrison singled. Sanchez followed with his three run bomb. Rookie Mike Stanton hit into a double play after Dan Uggla had singled. But Cody Ross doubled and Wes Helms singled, plating Ross. Left in to try to get out of the jam, Maholm was unable to. Ronny Paulino singled and Sanabia was HBP to load the bases. Maholm was out and Sean Gallagher was in. Bonifacio – batting for the second time in the inning – whiffed to end the threat.
The Pirates collected just two hits off Sanabia through the first seven innings. But Chris Snyder and Argenis Diaz hit consecutive two out doubles in the eighth to put a run on the board and chase Sanabia from the game. Delwyn Young was whiffed by Clay Hensley to end the inning. Leo Nunez pitched the ninth and allowed Andrew McCutchen’s solo homer and a Neil Walker single. But he struck out Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez to end the game.
Maholm allowed all four Florida runs in 5-2/3. He struck out two, walked two and gave up eight his. Sanabia allowed four hits and a run in 7-2/3 IP. He struck out five and walked none. Nunez picked up his 28th save.
The Good
McCutchen homered for the third time in four games.
The bullpen combined for 3-1/3 innings of hitless relief.
Diaz had two hits.
The Bad
Losing for the 81st time.
Only having six baserunners.
The Rest
Pirates need to go 41-0 to prevent themselves from finishing below .500 for the season.
Maholm is 3-4 against Florida. This was Sanabia’s second career win (against one defeat) and his first appearance against the Pirates.
For the second straight game, the Pirates didn’t send the batting order to the plate four times each.
Ryan Doumit played right for the third time in the series and was hitless in three at bats. He was 0-11 in the series with six whiffs.
Garrett Jones is in the middle of a 5-41 slump. It might be wise – not that it matters – to give him a day off. He has played in all but one of the games. He has come off the bench twice and sat the whole game just once – back on 5/1/10 against LA.
