The Pirates pulled away late with a homer from Andrew McCutchen, beating Derek Lowe for the first time in his career against Pittsburgh. Clint Hurdle went to Joel Hanrahan with the tying run on first in the eighth inning as Pittsburgh prevented a third straight heart breaker with a 5-2 win.
Atlanta drew first blood. Nate McLouth led off the home half of the first aginst Kevin Correia with a single. One out later, Freddie Freeman singled him to third. With two gone Eric Hinske doubled and McLouth scored.
Pittsburgh tied it up in the second against Lowe. Lyle Overbay led off with a walk. Michael McKenry doubled and the Pirates had runners at second and third. Correia helped himself with an RBI single. But Xavier Paul hit into an inning double play.
Pittsburgh put up a two spot in the fifth. Paul and Garrett Jones both singled. Andrew McCutchen doubled in Paul. The Bucs got another run one out later when Pedro Alvarez grounded out.
Atlanta got one back in the sixth. Freddie Freeman doubled leading off the inng. Dan Uggla’s grounder to Ronny Cedeno was ruled an infield single but Cedeno’s throwing error on the play allowed Freeman to come home, making it 3-2.
But Pittsburgh put the game away in the ninth against George Sherrill. Steve Pearce walked and McCutchen knocked one over the fence to make it 5-2.
Correia was lifted with one out in the seventh after giving up a single to Alex Gonzalez. Joe Beimel retired pinch hitter Chipper Jones as Alvarez turned a hard smash into an inning ending double play. Beimel got the first two outs of the eighth before giving way to Hanrahan who got the last four outs for the save.
Correia went 6-1/3 and gave up both Atlanta tallies. One was earned. He gave up nine hits and a walk. He struck out three. Lowe gave up three runs in five innings. The Pirates got eight hits and three walks. He struck out five.
The Good
How great would it be if McCutchen got steaming, smoking hot? Pushed up to the three spot in the lineup, he had three hits and knocked in three after making a slight adjustment to his legs, according to the game recaps.
Neil Walker had two hits.
Correia was solid.
The defense got four double plays, including one strike ’em out/throw ’em out.
The Bad
Bucs whiffed 14 times.
The Rest
Correia is now 2-1 against Atlanta. Lowe falls to 10-1 against Pittsburgh. In his three starts in 2010 against Pittsburgh, Lowe gave up four earned runs in 18 innings and earned wins in all three games.
Correia’s twelve wins match his career best.
McCutchen’s last three game hit was July 3.
This was the fourth time in 2011 that Hanrahan went longer than three outs.
Uggla has a 19 game hitting streak. Freeman’s hitting streak is at twelve games.
