Pirates vs Giants: Sanchez LIt Up; Can Giants Get Back On Track?
Jonathan Sanchez came into the game with one mentality: throw strikes.
Did it start well? No. Did it end well? No.
Sanchez gave up five runs and didn't make it out of the fifth, Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run bomb and the Pirates beat the Giants 9-2.
Pittsburgh came in to San Francisco with a 10-game losing streak, but they took game one in San Francisco, and they dominated this one.
Ronny Cedeno, Brandon Wood, Matt Diaz, Ryan Ludwick, and Garrett Jones each knocked in a run for Pittsburgh. Pablo Sandoval homered for San Francisco, who's solo home run streak was extended to 19, tying a major league record.
Jeff Karstens pitched for Pittsburgh, and he pitched well, using his curveball to fool hitters and his fastball as a nice compliment.
Karstens got out of jams, gave up just two runs and picked up his ninth win of the season. Jonathan Sanchez fell to 4-7.
In the first inning, Andrew McCutchen walked, stole second, and scored on Ryan Ludwick's bloop single. However, San Francisco got that run back, as Pablo Sandoval homered just over the right field wall, the Giants 19th straight home run with no one on.
Sanchez struck out three batters in the second, but in the third, he walked Karstens, then left an outside fastball over the plate to Andrew McCutchen, who sent the ball into the bleachers.
That same inning, Matt Diaz's single to center plated Steve Pearce, and Pittsburgh took a 4-1 lead. In the fourth, Orlando Cabrera knocked in Aubrey Huff, and the Giants cut the deficit to 4-2.
In the fifth, Sanchez walked McCutchen, threw a wild pitch, then gave up a Garrett Jones RBI single. Sanchez left with a mix of cheers and boos.
In the fifth, Karstens allowed runners to get to second and third, but struck out Jeff Keppinger for the third time, then get the Kung Fu Panda to ground out.
In the sixth, Karstens got in another jam, but struck out Eli Whiteside on a breaking ball. Pittsburgh added some extra runs in the seventh, as Matt Diaz and Brandon Wood hit RBI singles, while another run was scored on an error by Mike Fontenot.
Daniel McCutchen, Brad Lincoln, and Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan combined to finish off the win. Hanrahan, Pittsburgh's closer, struck out Mike Fontenot to end the game.
San Francisco now heads into a road trip with Florida, Atlanta, and Houston waiting. While San Francisco has a favorable schedule, they will need to win the tough games (Atlanta).
If the team wants to win, they need Carlos Beltran to step up, Pablo Sandoval and Nate Schierholtz to step up, and Keppinger and Cabrera to make an impact.
Aubrey Huff is heating up, but he will need to keep playing well. The Giants need Chris Stewart and Eli Whiteside to hit, and Andres Torres to play like, well last year's Andres Torres.
It's a lot to ask, but with the Phillies stronger than last year, the Braves and Brewers heating up, and the D-Backs playing well, it will be hard to make it out of the National League. The Giants can, definitely, but they will need more magic, more torture, more 2010.
Did it start well? No. Did it end well? No.
Sanchez gave up five runs and didn't make it out of the fifth, Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run bomb and the Pirates beat the Giants 9-2.
Pittsburgh came in to San Francisco with a 10-game losing streak, but they took game one in San Francisco, and they dominated this one.
Ronny Cedeno, Brandon Wood, Matt Diaz, Ryan Ludwick, and Garrett Jones each knocked in a run for Pittsburgh. Pablo Sandoval homered for San Francisco, who's solo home run streak was extended to 19, tying a major league record.
Jeff Karstens pitched for Pittsburgh, and he pitched well, using his curveball to fool hitters and his fastball as a nice compliment.
Karstens got out of jams, gave up just two runs and picked up his ninth win of the season. Jonathan Sanchez fell to 4-7.
In the first inning, Andrew McCutchen walked, stole second, and scored on Ryan Ludwick's bloop single. However, San Francisco got that run back, as Pablo Sandoval homered just over the right field wall, the Giants 19th straight home run with no one on.
Sanchez struck out three batters in the second, but in the third, he walked Karstens, then left an outside fastball over the plate to Andrew McCutchen, who sent the ball into the bleachers.
That same inning, Matt Diaz's single to center plated Steve Pearce, and Pittsburgh took a 4-1 lead. In the fourth, Orlando Cabrera knocked in Aubrey Huff, and the Giants cut the deficit to 4-2.
In the fifth, Sanchez walked McCutchen, threw a wild pitch, then gave up a Garrett Jones RBI single. Sanchez left with a mix of cheers and boos.
In the fifth, Karstens allowed runners to get to second and third, but struck out Jeff Keppinger for the third time, then get the Kung Fu Panda to ground out.
In the sixth, Karstens got in another jam, but struck out Eli Whiteside on a breaking ball. Pittsburgh added some extra runs in the seventh, as Matt Diaz and Brandon Wood hit RBI singles, while another run was scored on an error by Mike Fontenot.
Daniel McCutchen, Brad Lincoln, and Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan combined to finish off the win. Hanrahan, Pittsburgh's closer, struck out Mike Fontenot to end the game.
San Francisco now heads into a road trip with Florida, Atlanta, and Houston waiting. While San Francisco has a favorable schedule, they will need to win the tough games (Atlanta).
If the team wants to win, they need Carlos Beltran to step up, Pablo Sandoval and Nate Schierholtz to step up, and Keppinger and Cabrera to make an impact.
Aubrey Huff is heating up, but he will need to keep playing well. The Giants need Chris Stewart and Eli Whiteside to hit, and Andres Torres to play like, well last year's Andres Torres.
It's a lot to ask, but with the Phillies stronger than last year, the Braves and Brewers heating up, and the D-Backs playing well, it will be hard to make it out of the National League. The Giants can, definitely, but they will need more magic, more torture, more 2010.
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