Alvarez blasts two more, Pirates bomb Brewers
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The Pirates' Pedro Alvarez is congratulated by third base coach Tony Beasley after his second home run Wednesday at PNC Park. -
The Pirates' Ronny Cedeno lays down a bunt to bring in Pedro Alvarez in the fourth inning. -
The Pirates' Delwyn Young, right, celebrates with teammates after hitting a three-run homer off Brewers pitcher Randy Wolf in the fourth inning. -
The Brewers' Rickie Weeks runs into Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit in the first inning at home plate. Weeks was safe on the play. -
The Pirates' Delwyn Young is congratulated by third base coach Tony Beasley after hitting a three-run home run against the Brewers in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game at PNC Park. -
The Pirates' Pedro Alvarez scores against Brewers catcher George Kottaras in the fourth inning. -
The Pirates' Zach Duke pitches.
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Is this for real?
It was one thing to trample the Houston Astros over the weekend.
Another to tee off Tuesday against Milwaukee's soft-tossing Dave Bush.
But this offensive outburst for the Pirates, something few could have foreseen from a lineup that had been batting .235 with barely any pop, is now bursting at the seams: Pedro Alvarez homered twice for a second consecutive game to become the franchise's first rookie to achieve that feat, and Delwyn Young homered and had five RBIs in an 18-hit assault that blew away the Brewers, 15-3, Wednesday night before 13,532 at PNC Park.
Game: Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers, 7:05 p.m., PNC Park.
TV, radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WPGB-FM (104.7).
Pitching: RHP Ross Ohlendorf (1-7, 4.62) vs. RHP Yovani Gallardo (8-4, 2.58).
Key matchup: Ohlendorf vs. short-term memory. He had three strong starts before lasting 1 1/3 innings -- four runs, five hits -- Friday against Houston.
Of note: Gallardo, Milwaukee's ace, is coming off the disabled list for a strained oblique, and he will be on a pitch limit. His most recent work was a 45-pitch side session Saturday.
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Yeah, just two more touchdowns.
And 48 runs over five games.
"It's amazing, man," shortstop Ronny Cedeno said after his three hits matched those of Alvarez and Young. "And it's exciting. We have another game tomorrow, and I can't wait."
"These guys are having a lot of fun together and, when they start hitting, it gets contagious," manager John Russell said. "Especially with this young bunch, I can't emphasize enough: These are pretty talented players."
Therein might lie the most satisfying aspect for the Pirates over these five games: Alvarez, 3 for 5 on this night with three RBIs, is 9 for 20 with the four home runs, a double and nine RBIs. Neil Walker, with two more hits, is 14 for 24 with four doubles and six RBIs. And Jose Tabata, also with two more hits atop the order since Andrew McCutchen's injury, is 9 for 23 with eight runs.
First Published July 22, 2010 12:00 am
