The crowd was sparse. The weather was rotten. Michael Morse hit a three run homer with two out in the third. Other than that, it was an okay day.
The Pirates jumped out early again. Andrew McCutchen doubled to lead off the game and scored on a single from Neil Walker. It looked like the Pirates might finally lay a loss on Jason Marquis.
But Marquis got things going with a lead off single in the third against Kevin Correia. David Espinsa singled and Rick Ankiel walked. Jayson Werth reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Marquis forced at home. A grounder from Adam LaRoche scored Espinosa and brought Morse to the plate. He cracked his first homer of the year to empty the bases and make it 4-1 Washington.
The Pirates narrowed it in the fourth. A walk to Garrett Jones and a Pedro Alvarez double put runners on second and third with no one out. Chris Snyder hit a sac fly and Ronny Cedeno doubled to make it 5-4. Correia successfully sacrificed Cedeno to third, but McCutchen was retired to end the inning.
LaRoche led off the fifth with a dinger to make it 5-3. The Pirates would get no closer. Laynce Nix doubled in a run in the eighth to make it 6-3. McCutchen singled with one gone in the ninth but was thrown out by Werth attempting to score on a fly ball from Jose Tabata, ending the game.
Correia allowed five runs in 4-2/3 innings. Washington clipped him for eleven knocks. Marquis went six and gave up three earned runs on eight hits and two walks. Drew Storen pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.
The Good
Walker had three hits. McCutchen and Alvarez each had two.
Daniel McCutchen is still unscored upon in 2011.
The Bad
Bucs hit into three double plays, including the one that ended the game.
The Rest
Marquis is now 12-6 against Pittsburgh in his career. He has no more than nine wins against any other team. His last loss against Pittsbugh was 8/8/08.
Correia had not given up five or more earned runs in a start since 8/31/10 against Arizona.
This was the first homer LaRoche hit against Pittsburgh since being traded to Boston in 2009.
In case anyone was wondering, the Nats Danny Espinosa is not related to former Reds scattered armed 1st round draft pick David Espinosa. He played in Dayton right after I moved here and made people sitting behind the first baseman want to bring gloves and wear helmets. Steve Sax would’ve been proud.
Bucs were also 9-12 after 21 games in 2010. They were 11-10 in 2009.
