Pirates curse unlucky carom in 3-2 loss to Houston
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HOUSTON -- Lousy luck?
Sure, the Pirates had another fill of that in their 3-2 loss to the Houston Astros last night at Minute Maid Park.
How else to explain Jeromy Burnitz's ninth-inning shot to the box, one that would have delivered the tying run, ricocheting off the pitcher right to the first baseman for an out?
"We were in an ideal position," manager Jim Tracy said. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to finish the job."
Beyond a doubt, fortune did have something to do with this one, especially taken in the context of a team that has lost seven times by two runs or less. More remarkable, on all seven of those occasions, the tying run came to the plate in the ninth.
And yet, a broader look at the Pirates' fourth defeat in five games, one that dropped their record to a National League-worst 5-13, will show that a failure to execute was the far more damaging element.
How about allowing the opponent to score in the first inning for the 10th time in 18 games?
Or stranding two men at third base in the opening three innings?
Or hitting into four double plays in the final six?
If the Pirates had performed more efficiently in any of those areas, even by a slim margin, the ending might not have come down to a cursed carom.
Consider the start alone:
The Pirates had men at first and third with one out for Craig Wilson, and Houston starter Wandy Rodriguez appeared on the verge of being rattled.
When he narrowly missed getting a called third strike on Wilson, home plate umpire Rick Reed -- in a highly unusual move -- jogged to the mound to say something to him. Astros manager Phil Garner sought an explanation from Reed, they went chest-to-chest, and Reed ejected Garner.
Once the dust settled, though, Rodriguez quashed the jam by picking Jack Wilson off first base and striking out Craig Wilson.
In the bottom half, Pirates starter Zach Duke notched two quick outs but walked Lance Berkman on a full count and fell behind Morgan Ensberg, 2-0. Ensberg crushed the fastball that followed -- one that was supposed to tail outside but stayed over the heart of the plate -- high over the left-field wall to homer for the sixth consecutive game, an Astros record.
Ensberg, the National League's leading hitter at .411, has eight home runs, seven during his streak.
"For me, this game boils down to the first inning," Duke said. "I walk a guy and make one mistake. He's going to hit that pitch."
Duke allowed another two-out home run, to Jason Lane in the sixth. He was done after six innings and allowing three runs, giving him his third quality start in four outings.
But the offense did little to make it matter, erasing five runners on the basepaths, and Rodriguez was tagged only with Jason Bay's fourth home run, in the sixth inning.
Then came the climactic ninth.
The Pirates trailed, 3-1, and faced Houston closer Brad Lidge, whom they beat twice last season. Jack Wilson led off a single, Bay walked, and Craig Wilson singled to cut the deficit to one. Runners were on first and second, nobody out.
But, with the crowd of 31,333 on its feet and roaring, Lidge toughed it out from that point onward.
Joe Randa struck out swinging under a slider.
Burnitz capped an 0-for-4 night by lining the ball off Lidge's leg and all the way across the diamond to first baseman Lance Berkman, who dived and tagged the bag just ahead of Burnitz.
"I hit it good, too," Burnitz said. "It's one of those things that happens. That's baseball."
The runners advanced to second and third on the play, meaning a hit not only would tie but also could put the Pirates ahead. But Jose Castillo struck out lunging at a 1-2 slider.
Afterward, Tracy and the players continued to talk about perseverance and the possibility that their production will improve.
Their luck, too.
"I'd like to hope so," Tracy said. "But for that to happen, we've got to continue to come out with the intensity we've shown so far. And I believe we will."
"This game has a way of evening things out," Duke said. "Our time will come."
Getting behind early
Pirates pitchers have given up a first-inning home run in eight of the first 18 games this season. The Pirates are 2-6 in those games.
Tim Johnson, Associated PressZach Duke delivers a pitch in the first inning last night against the Astros.
Click photo for larger image.
Matchup: Pirates (Ian Snell 0-1) vs. Astros (Taylor Buchholz 0-1)
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston.
TV/radio: FSN Pittsburgh, KDKA-AM (1020).
Pirates Notebook: Garner's Star turn full of intrigue
Chart: Getting behind early
Provided by Forecaster
DateHitter, teamPitcherResult4/3J.J. Hardy, Brewers (solo)Oliver PerezL, 5-24/8Rich Aurilla, Reds (3-run)Oliver PerezL, 11-94/10Jason Repko, Dodgers (2-run)Zach DukeL, 8-34/11Ricky Ledee, Dodgers (2-run)Ian SnellW, 7-64/12Jose Cruz, Dodgers (solo)Paul MaholmW, 9-54/16Todd Walker, Cubs (2-run)Ian SnellL, 10-44/17Albert Pujols, Cardinals (2-run)Paul MaholmL, 2-14/21Morgan Ensberg, Astros (2-run)Zach DukeL, 3-2
First Published April 22, 2006 12:00 am
