Pirates rebound with “resilient effort” in 4-3 (14 innings) win over Rockies

W: G. Olson (1-1)

L: F. Morales (0-1)

Post-Game Wrapup: After an embarrassing 7-1 home opener loss to the Colorado Rockies (4-2) on Thursday afternoon in front of the second largest crowd in franchise record, the Pirates (5-3) showed resiliency on Friday night and into Saturday morning, defeating the Colorado Rockies 4-3 in 14 innings.

Jose Tabata delivered for the Pirates with a solo home run in the 6th inning and hit the game winning run with an RBI double off the right-field wall with two outs in the bottom of the 14th inning, scoring Josh Rodriguez from first base, ending a five hour, fourteen inning game, that included 15 pitchers.

The Pirates bullpen also stepped up for the Pirates as six relievers combined for 11 1/3 scoreless innings.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the 11 and 1/3 scoreless innings pitched by the Pirates in Friday’s 4-3 win over the Rockies, is the most scoreless innings they have gotten out of their bullpen since 1900. The previous Pirates high for most scoreless bullpen innings was 11 innings in a 2-1 win over the Cubs in 1977.

“Our guys stepped it up tonight, ” manager Clint Hurdle said.

What was promising was how Tabata and Pedro Alvarez came up big in different aspects tonight.

Alvarez’s (1-for-4, 2 strikeouts) struggles at the plate continue, but Alvarez made a potential game saving play for the Bucs in the 10th, when the Rockies had the bases loaded with 2 outs and Ty Wigginton crushed a ball down the third base line and Alvarez snagged the ball behind the bag, throwing across the diamond from one knee to get Wigginton out.

Things looked bleaked for the Pirates early on as Ross Ohlendorf put the team in a hole, giving up 3 runs in the 1st inning, highlighted by a three run homer by Jason Giambi on an 0-1 pitch with 1 out.

Ohlendorf > needed 30 pitches to get out of the first inning and the game had the look where the Pirates were on the verge of imploding after Thursday’s 7-1 loss.

However, the Rockies three runs in the first inning would be all that they would get.

Ohlendorf left the game with 2 outs in the third inning due to shoulder discomfort and the Pirates bullpen would shut the door from there to keep the Pirates in the game.

Jeff Karstens came on in relief to pitch 3 1/3 shutout innings, allowing 2 hits and striking out 5. Karstens figures to be the top candidate to move into the starting rotation for the short-term as Ohlendorf is likely to go on the shelf.

“I felt some discomfort, and I knew it was time to come out,” Ohlendorf said. “It’s similar to last year, and it’s in the lat area. We’ll just have to see how it is over the next few days.”

Ohlendorf ended up on the 60-day DL to end the 2010 season due to right shoulder discomfort.

Also bothered by shoulder tenderness is reliever Evan Meek who was held out of today’s game. Meek is day-to-day.