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Game 4 Recap: Bucs Bunch Runs and Hold On

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Morton had a great outing in his 2011 debut, allowing one run in six innings.

79 wins and counting to reach a season above .500 for the first time since before I even began dating my wife of 16 years. I don’t blame her for the dry spell. Though sometimes I wonder in secret.

Kyle Lohse entered the game with a 5-1 career mark against the Pirates. He was in control through five, having allowed just two hits and one runner to second base. But the sixth inning saw Pittsburgh collect three of their eight hits and their lone walk to push across all four of their runs.

Ronny Cedeno led off with a single. Starting pitcher Charlie Morton sacrificed him over. Jose Tabata walked in front of a two run double from Neil Walker. Andrew McCutchen followed with a two run tater to right. That was all the scoring the Pirates got and thankfully all they needed.

Morton was effectively wild. He gave up two singles and a double to go along with five walks in six innings. St. Louis got to him for a single run in the second on a double play grounder.

Evan Meek continued to struggle. He began the eighth and allowed all three hitters he faced to reach base. Michael Crotta relieved him after a Lance Berkman single made it 4-2 and put runners on the corners with no one out. Crotta induced a run scoring fielder’s choice from Allen Craig and then whiffed David Freese. Joel Hanrahan was summoned to face Yadier Molina and the Pirates closer struck him out to end the threat.

Hanrahan posted a 1-2-3 ninth to end the game.

The Good
I’ll take 32 or 33 more just like that one from Charlie Morton.

Neil Walker had three of the eight hits for the team.

Bucs won just 17 road games last year and have three in 2011.

The Bad
Buc hitters have walked just twice in the last two games.

It’s early and I don’t want to panic, but Meeks is giving me the yips.

The Rest
After a stellar first half last year, Meek’s second half ERA was a somewhat pedestrian 3.73. So far in 2011, his ERA is in double digits.

A lot has been made about how huge a year Albert Pujols will have given that he is playing for what will likely be an enormous contract. So far he is 2-16 and picked up his first walk of the season tonight.

Morton had just two wins last year and only one through mid-September. Morton’s second and final win in 2010 came against St. Louis.

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