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Barmes' grand slam lifts Pirates in 11-5 win against Padres
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The Pirates' Clint Barmes hits a grand slam against the Padres in the fourth inning. -
Fans cheer for Clint Barmes after he hit a grand in the fourth inning.
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Retribution came in the snap of a finger for Clint Barmes Sunday afternoon.
One swing of the bat erased his miscues in the field. When Barmes crossed the plate after his first career grand slam, he bounded down the dugout steps, slapping emphatic high fives, fired up after handing the Pirates the lead.
In an inning of body blows, Barmes' grand slam served as the opening combo during the Pirates' 11-5 win against the San Diego Padres at PNC Park Sunday. The Pirates sent 14 men to the plate in the fourth inning and scored nine runs, the most the Pirates have scored in an inning since July 2010.
The win prevented the Padres from sweeping the Pirates, snapped the Padres' six-game win streak and ended the Pirates' three-game losing streak.
Barmes came to the plate after Garrett Jones had walked, Gaby Sanchez reached on an error and Pedro Alvarez singled. Michael McKenry walked to score a run before Barmes smoked a 2-2 pitch from former Pirate Ross Ohlendorf off the left-field foul pole for his sixth home run of the season.
Ohlendorf walked Erik Bedard before exiting the game. Cory Burns replaced him, and the wheels, loosened by the grand slam, came off completely.
After two singles, a double, a triple and a walk, the Pirates, who once trailed 5-0, led 10-5. Barmes grounded out to end the inning while the crowd gave the Pirates a standing ovation.
Neil Walker went 5 for 5 with his 14th home run and came a triple short of the cycle.
The Pirates' big inning put the top of the first, where the Padres scored four runs, in perspective. Chris Denorfia began the afternoon by clobbering the second pitch of the game into the bullpen. The Pirates have now allowed a first-inning home run in four consecutive games.
Bedard had a 1-2 count on Logan Forsythe but walked him. He struck out Chase Headley, but hit Carlos Quentin on the shoulder. Jesus Guzman singled, scoring Forsythe.
Cameron Maybin hit a grounder to the left side of the infield that Barmes fielded. He pivoted to throw to second, but flung the ball into foul territory by the right-field line instead, allowing two runs to score.
After nine batters, 21 minutes and 38 pitches, the Padres had a 4-0 lead.
Forsythe doubled in the second inning. Headley dribbled a weak grounder down the first-base line that Bedard and McKenry both chased. McKenry picked it up and tossed it to first for the out, but no one covered home, and Forsythe scored from second to increase the Padres' lead to 5-0.
The Padres loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth without getting a ball out of the infield. Denorfia walked and Forsythe hit an infield single down the third-base line. Alvarez and Barmes collided trying to field Headley's grounder, the second error on Barmes on the day, but Quentin grounded out to end the inning before a run could score.
First Published August 12, 2012 5:23 pm
