Pirates blow big lead, fall to Mets

Local Sports

Discussion

July 2, 2009

By JOHN PERROTTO The Tribune-Democrat Thu Jul 02, 2009, 11:29 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH — There were plenty of twists and turns to Thursday afternoon’s game at PNC Park, along with two rain delays.

When it was over, the Pirates had suffered one of their most difficult defeats of the season as they dropped a 9-8 decision in 10 innings to the New York Mets.

The Pirates took a 5-0 lead, but starter Paul Maholm squandered it as the Mets rallied to go ahead 8-5. However, the Pirates rallied to force extra innings as Garrett Jones’ solo home run in the seventh made it a two-run game before Adam LaRoche’s two-run homer in the ninth off closer Francisco Rodriguez (2-2) tied it.

The Pirates, though, left two runners on base in the ninth in the most frustrating of fashion as Brandon Moss lined out hard to second baseman Luis Castillo. The Mets then won the game in the 10th on Ryan Church’s two-out RBI single off Matt Capps (1-4).

“It’s a tough one to take,” LaRoche said quietly as he dressed for the Pirates’ nine-game road trip that begins tonight at Florida and leads into the All-Star break.

“You hit a ball 200 mph and get nothing to show for it with the game on line, it’s a tough one to swallow.”

LaRoche wasn’t talking about his home run, which was impressive enough as it was the first game-tying shot Rodriguez had allowed since serving one up to Baltimore’s Kevin Millar last July 25 when he was still pitching for the Los Angeles Angels. Instead, LaRoche was talking about the ball Moss scalded with two outs and runners on the corners.

“You can’t hit a ball any harder than that,” LaRoche said. “He hit it right on the screws, but right at the guy’s head. He had to catch it out of self-defense.”

The Mets then put together their winning rally in the 10th as Fernando Tatis hit a two-out single, stole second and scored on Church’s single to center as Andrew McCutchen’s throw sailed to the backstop.

Maholm, though, felt the game should have never gotten to extra innings as he squandered the big early lead by giving up six runs and 11 hits in 41/3 innings.

“Not being able to hold a 5-0 lead is pathetic,” he said. “The Mets made adjustments and I didn’t. I kept throwing thigh-high fastballs right down the middle of the plate and they kept crushing them.”

The start of the game was delayed a half-hour and there was a 42-minute delay during the top of the first inning, after Maholm had faced just three batters.

However, he vehemently denied the delays affected him.

“No effect whatsoever. None,” he said.

Maholm was chased during a four-run fifth that put the Mets ahead 6-5. Tatis’ two-run homer off Jeff Karstens an inning later pushed the lead to 8-5.

However, Jones’ first homer with the Pirates cut the deficit to two runs in the seventh. Jones came within a single of hitting for the cycle as he doubled, tripled and homered in his second game with the Pirates after being called up from Class AAA Indianapolis on Tuesday when left fielder Nyjer Morgan was traded to Washington.

Robinzon Diaz also had three hits for the Pirates.

“It felt really good to contribute, and I was really happy with my at-bats,” Jones said. “Still, we lost a game in pretty tough fashion, so it’s hard to feel too good about it.”

LaRoche put the Pirates in position to win with his home run off Rodriguez, who blew just his third save in 24 opportunities this season after setting the major-league record with 62 saves last year.

“In that situation, I’m just looking to hit a ball in the air and avoid a double play,” LaRoche said. “He throws a lot of breaking balls, a lot of (sliders), but he threw me a changeup and hung it, and I was able to get a good swing on it.”

The Pirates put a lot of good swings on Mets starter Tim Redding, who was tagged for five runs and six hits in 21/3 innings.

The Pirates opened the scoring with a three-run second as Diaz had an RBI single, McCutchen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Jack Wilson hit a sacrifice fly. They then made it 5-0 in the third when Jones tripled in a run and scored on Diaz’s double.

“I liked the way we battled back,” Pirates manager John Russell said. “It’s a tough game to lose, but I liked how our guys didn’t fold.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Local Sports

Pirates pick up fourth straight victory
There were times earlier in his career when James McDonald would run into trouble and innings would slow to a crawl. Even worse, runners would disappear, and not in a good way.
Too much thinking. Not enough attacking.

May 28, 2012 2 Photos
Sympathetic Pirates add to Cubs’ slide
Andrew McCutchen and the Pittsburgh Pirates can relate to what the Chicago Cubs are going through.
Perhaps more than anyone, they know what it feels like to be on an extended losing streak
– 12 in a row, in the Cubs’ case.

May 27, 2012
AAABA League will open after busy offseason
The AAABA League opens on Tuesday at Point Stadium with two new, but familiar managers, a new but familiar sponsor, an expanded interleague schedule and two new franchises committed to the 2013 season.
A lot of activity took place during the offseason, including the AAABA national committee’s vote to expand the age limit to 21 years old beginning in 2013.

May 27, 2012 1 Photo
Richland's Lumley settles for pair of silver medals
Paige Lumley was on an emotional roller coaster and seeing silver on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Richland senior had state record jumps twice during the triple jump competition, but ended up with a silver–medal leap of 40 feet,
1¾ inches.
Defending state champion, second-seeded junior Lanae Newsome of Brookville, won with a jump of 40-3½.

May 26, 2012 1 Photo
Ridge’s Dull takes second with school-record time
Matt Dull finished his athletic career with his best on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Chestnut Ridge senior ran a career-best time of 38.12 to finish second in the 300 hurdles final, also setting another school record.

May 26, 2012 1 Photo
Hit batsman lifts Pirates over Cubs
Matt Hague was hit by a pitch from Rafael Dolis with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates sent the Chicago Cubs to their 11th straight loss with a 3-2 victory Saturday night.
Hague took a 96 mph fastball from Dolis (2-4) in the back near the shoulder blade, scoring Jose Tabata and eliciting an incredulous look to the sky by the Cubs reliever.

May 26, 2012 1 Photo
Generals return to defeat Sting
It’s been a dramatic month for the Johnstown Generals.
There were two postponed games that left the immediate and long-term future of the franchise in serious doubt just two weeks ago.

May 26, 2012
Greater Johnstown Speedway failed to win the support of fans
Back in the late 1950’s, the area stock car racing landscape was populated by a very strong and popular three-track weekend circuit, consisting of the Windber Stadium Speedway, Jennerstown Speedway and the Ebensburg Fairgrounds Speedway.
Thus, it came as a major surprise when the announcement was made that a new track, the Greater Johnstown Speedway, would be built and begin operation in 1958.

May 26, 2012 1 Photo
Final PIAA track update - No gold for local athletes
Richland senior Paige Lumley broke the state triple jump record twice in the PIAA Class AA Track and Field Championships today, but it wasn't enough to earn a gold medal.

May 26, 2012 1 Photo
PIAA track update - Central Cambria's Brandis earns medal
Central Cambria's Alyssa Brandis claimed the first local medal of this morning's action at the PIAA Track and Field Championshps.

May 26, 2012
More Local Sports Headlines

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

Pirates blow big lead, fall to Mets

Should the speed limit on sections of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and related highways be raised to 70 mph from 65 mph.

Contact Us