Pirates lose, 2-0, while turning triple play
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CINCINNATI -- Not even a highlight-reel double play and the Pirates' first triple play since 1993 could help them today. Similar to the one-hitter thrown at them the game before last, the Pirates were stymied by Aaron Harang's complete-game, three-hitter in a 2-0 loss to Cincinnati before an Easter crowd of 12,876 inside Great American Ball Park.
Nyjer Morgan got a bloop double to open the game, then the Pirates' offense went dark until a Brandon Moss single with two out in the fifth inning. Harang (1-1) walked none and allowed only one other baserunner, Morgan, who was hit by a pitch in the third inning and singled in the ninth. No Pirates baserunner got as far as second base after Morgan's game-opening double.
Harang, who threw a six-inning no-hitter at the Pirates in spring training, struck out nine and faced just one batter above the minimum between the second and ninth innings. It was the first complete game thrown in the major leagues so far this season.
St. Louis' Chris Carpenter one-hit the Pirates Thursday in Busch Stadium.
Jack Wilson, from his stomach, tossed the ball with his glove to Freddy Sanchez, who while falling to his right then threw to first base for an inning-ending double play in the seventh.
But the defensive diamond in this offensive rough was the club's first triple play in 16 years and their first on the road since 1968 here in Cincinnati. An Edwin Encarnacion liner was caught by Wilson almost in short left field, and with Brandon Phillips plus Jay Bruce running on contact, Wilson threw to Sanchez at second to get out Phillips, and Sanchez threw to first to erase Bruce.
Cincinnati hit into a triple play last April.
Ian Snell (0-2) was touched for a two-run homer by Phillips in the first inning, then escaped one-out jams with runners on second and third in both the third and fifth. He struck out seven and allowed five hits in his six innings.
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First Published April 12, 2009 3:59 pm
