sanchezPITTSBURGH 4 – CHICAGO 3
Win: Stolmy Pimentel (1-0)
Loss: Carlos Villanueva (0-2)
AROUND THE BASES
The Pirates received excellent starting pitching for the second straight game but the bullpen couldn’t hold as Jason Grilli blew a save opportunity in the ninth as the Pirates and Cubs went to extra innings for the second straight game in what ended up being a marathon game.
Just before 1:00 a.m., Tony Sanchez finally ended it with an RBI single to left in the 16th inning, scoring Jose Tabata for a 4-3 Pirates (2-0) win over the Cubs (0-2).
Sanchez RBI single came off Carlos Villanueva who gave up the walkoff homer to Neil Walker on Monday afternoon. Starling Marte singled to put runners at the corners in the 16th inning and Sanchez knocked in the winning run.
  • Charlie Morton pitched six shutout innings. Morton allowed 4 hits and no runs, while striking out 6 and walking 1. Morton threw 84 pitches, 56 for strikes. He received a no decision.
  • Cubs starter Edwin Jackson allowed 2 runs, and 2 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
  • Jason Grilli allowed 3 hits and 1 run in a blown save opportunity. He threw 19 pitches in the inning. With 2 outs in the ninth and the Pirates leading 2-1, Emilio Bonifacio singled to left for his 4th hit of the game advancing Junior Lake to second to give the Cubs runners at first and second. With a 1-0 count, Luis Valbuena singled off Grilli to right scoring Lake to tie the game at 2-2.
  • The Pirates were limited to 3 hits through nine innings and managed just 8 hits in the game
  • Chicago’s Emilio Bonifacio went 5-for-7 and is hitting .750 (9-for-12) in the series.
  • Starling Marte went 2-6 with an RBI. Marte’s two-out RBI in the 12th forced a 13th inning.
TIDBITS: Andrew McCutchen was 0-4 with 3 walks. McCutchen struck out with two outs and bases loaded in the bottom of the 13th…… Russell Martin was 0-6…….The Pirates were 3-12 with RISP……Wandy Rodriguez makes his first start Thursday afternoon since June 5, 2013.

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