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Pirates NewsBucs Pack Their A Game in Road Opener
Special to Piratesreport.com
POSTED: July 27, 2010
DENVER -- It has been rare occasion when the Pirates played a complete game on the road, but Tuesday night was one of them. Starter Zach Duke pitched six quality innings with help of solid defense behind him, and Garrett Jones and Neil Walker delivered key hits late in the game, as the Pirates opened their road trip with a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. "The relievers and Zach Duke did a tremendous job tonight," said Walker, who had a solo home run among his three hits. "It definitely was a team win." Duke (5-9) won his second consecutive start. He gave up three hits and struck out four batters. "We did what you need to win games," manager John Russell said. "Zach did a good job and the bullpen did what it usually does late in the game. It was a solid win for us." After Walker went deep off ex-teammate Joe Beimel in the eighth inning, Ronny Cedeno made a no-look peg to gun down Ryan Spilborghs, who attempted to stretch a double to lead off the bottom half of the frame. "That was huge," Walker said. "We were a little surprised that he took off to third with nobody out there, but (left fielder Jose Tabata) did a great job to get the ball in and Ronny did a great job to relay it. That was a key out in the game." The Pirates broke the 2-all tie on Jones' RBI double off starter Jorge De La Rosa in the sixth inning. "He's tough, man. He throws hard and is tough on lefties," Jones said. "I tried to get a pitch up (in the strike zone), not chase a splitter or slider in the dirt, take a nice, short swing and stay through the middle. He left a fastball over the plate enough to where I could get a good part of a bat on it." The only trouble spot for Duke was the fifth inning, when he gave up back-to-back home runs to Brad Hawpe and Clint Barmes. Reliever Evan Meek got out of the seventh inning after Miguel Olivo doubled to start it. Joel Hanrahan pitched a scoreless eighth inninng and closer Octavio Dotel pitched the ninth to earn his 21st save in 26 tries. De La Rosa (3-3) lasted seven innings and took the loss. Earlier in the day, the Pirates recalled pitchers Steven Jackson and Wil Ledezma from Class AAA Indianapolis. Ledezma did not allow a run in his last 20 appearances there. Jackson was expected to return to the farm club this weekend. Daniel McCutchen appeared to be the likely candidate to be promoted for the start against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Saturday night. Prior to the game, Rockies reliever Huston Street suffered a bruise to his abdomen when a line drive off the bat of teammate Ian Stewart struck him while he warmed up in right field. Street was taken to the hospital, where he was released later. His status was day-to-day. The two teams will meet again tonight (8:40, FSN, WPGB-FM). |
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