Pittsburgh Pirates Power Past Reds

With Wandy Rodriguez unable to make his schedule start on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Pirates called up Phil Irwin to make his major league debut as they took on the Cincinnati Reds.

The Pirates would have their best offensive day in two innings, as they scored 10 runs and busted out 15 hits, with just about all the damage coming in the seventh and eighth innings. The Bucs would sweep the Reds with a 10-7 victory. And with victories in five of their last six games the Pirates evened their record at 6-6.

April 14, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Phil Irwin (36) delivers a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

It was a tough first inning in the majors for Irwin as the first man he face would reach on a single and then he would walk the next two batters to load the bases for Brandon Phillips. Phillips would single to left bringing in two runs. The first inning could have been a lot worst had it not been for a great double play by shortstop John McDonald.

The second inning didn’t go much better for Irwin as the Reds would score two more runs on a double by Shin Shoo Choo. The Reds would add another run in the fifth inning when Phillips would bring home his third RBI of the day with a single to center.

Irwin would go 4 2/3 innings giving up four earned runs and six hits.

It took seven innings for the Pirates to give the fans something to cheer about. They finally broke into the run column when Michael McKenry hit a solo home run, his first of the year, cutting the Reds lead to 5-1. But the Bucs didn’t stop there as Travis Snider would hit his second double of the afternoon, even though this one looked like it should have been called a home run, and score Starling Marte to cut the lead 5-2.

Andrew McCutchen would step up to the plate next and hit a double to score Snider making the score 5-3. After Dusty Baker brought in left-hander Manny Parra, Clint Hurdle would pinch hit Gaby Sanchez for Garrett Jones and Sanchez would single to left bringing home McCutchen.

The Pirates brought on Jared Hughes in the top of the eighth and what they needed was a clean inning so they could get back at the plate. What they got from Hughes was anything but. Hughes gave up three hits in the inning, gave up one run and threw a wild pitch.

After a Pedro Alvarez walked McKenry stepped up to the plate and did the same thing he did previous at bat. This time a two run homer to tie the game at six. Then the Pirates completed the comeback when Marte crushed one over the left field wall for a two run homer giving the Bucs their first lead of the day, 8-6.

Sanchez would bring in another run with a sacrifice fly making the score 9-6. Neil Walker with his third hit of the day put the Pirates run total to double digits, increasing the lead to 10-6.

The Pirates will look to continue their offense as they take on the St Louis Cardinals tomorrow night.