Everyone who reads this blog likely knows that Charlie Morton only won three games in 2010. He already has three wins and he and his electric stuff will hopefully have little resistance to notching double digit wins. In unrelated news, the Pirates put together two large scoring outbursts to aid Morton.
Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez was in trouble from the get-go. The Pirates stranded two runners in the first inning. The Pirates broke through in the second. Ryan Doumit walked and advanced to third on a Pedro Alvarez single. Ronny Cedeno’s bunt went for a hit with Doumit scoring. Xavier Paul came up with the clutch blow. His two out triple scored both runners. Garrett Jones, hitting in the three hole, doubled in Paul, making it 4-0.
The Rockies chipped away at the lead. In the third, Dexter Fowler singled with two away and Alfredo Amezaga walked. Fowler scored on a single from Todd Helton. In the next inning, Carlos Gonzalez doubled. Two outs later Ryan Spillborghs – pinch hitting for Jimenez – singled in the second Colorado run of the game.
But the Pirates put the game on ice in the fifth. Esmil Rogers was on in relief. Lyle Overbay and Pedro Alvarez singled in front of a walk to Ronny Cedeno to load the bases. Morton came through with a sac fly. Andrew McCutchen singled to bring in Overbay. After Paul walked to load the bases, Jones came up with a two out, two run double to make it 8-2.
Morton hit some more trouble in the sixth. Seth Smith singled. One out later, Chris Iannetta walked and Morton was done for the day. Michael Crotta entered and tossed gas on the fire. He walked Jonathan Herrera to load the bases. Fowler doubled in two runs to make it 8-4. Clint Hurdle pulled a double switch. Brandon Wood came into shortstop and Joe Beimel relieved Crotta. Beimel whiffed Amezaga and got Helton to fly out to end the inning.
Neither team got a runner past second base after that. Joel Hanrahan gave up a single but induced a game ending double play from Troy Tulowitzki in the ninth.
Morton went 5-1/3 and was charged with all four Colorado runs. He allowed seven hits and an eye popping five walks while only striking out one. Jimenez is still winless on the year. He gave up six hits and four walks in four innings. He was charged with four runs. He struck out six.
The Good
Winning a road series, again.
Twelve hits and eight runs. Thank you, offense. Hopefully May will be better than April.
Six of the eight runs scored with two outs.
Five players had two hits.
Morton and his three wins.
The defense got three double plays.
The Bad
Swings and misses. Bucs whiffed eleven times.
The Rest
Jimenez was 6-0 on May 3rd, 2010. He was 3-0 with an ERA under 2.00 against the Pirates coming into the game. Pittsburgh came into the game collectively hitting just .190 off Jimenez.
Paul’s two hits were his first as a Pirate.
Morton picked up his first career win against Colorado.
