Pirates frustrated with sweep by sizzling Texas
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The Rangers celebrate after defeating the Pirates, 6-5, Thursday at The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. -
Pirates pitcher Jeff Karstens throws during the second inning. -
The Rangers' Josh Hamilton waves to the crowd after doubling in the second inning. The Pirates' Garrett Jones looks on. -
The Rangers' Vladimir Guerrero swings for a pitch from Pirates pitcher Steven Jackson in the ninth inning. Guerrero singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning. -
Rangers Elvis Andrus, left, celebrates with teammate Nelson Cruz after scoring the winning run. -
Rangers pitcher Scott Feldman throws during the second inning. -
The Pirates' Garrett Jones walks to the dugout after he was caught trying to steal second by the Rangers' Elvis Andrus during the third inning. -
The Pirates' Andrew McCutchen scores a run during the first inning as Rangers catcher Matt Treanor looks on.
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ARLINGTON , Texas -- Never bet against a streak, as they say.
The Pirates had chance after chance after chance to bury Texas, but the Rangers gained their only lead with the game's final pitch, Vladimir Guerrero's RBI single off Steven Jackson with two outs in the ninth inning, to prevail, 6-5, Thursday night at The Ballpark.
That was Texas' 11th victory in a row, longest streak in Major League Baseball this season, and it appeared to leave quite the sting in the visitors' clubhouse.
"That hurt," starter Jeff Karstens said. "We were right there. All night."
"Right there," manager John Russell had said a minute earlier. "It's hard to explain. We were right there."
Game: Pirates vs. Oakland Athletics, 10:07 p.m., Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
TV, radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WPGB-FM (104.7).
Pitching: RHP Brad Lincoln (0-1, 6.50) vs. RHP Ben Sheets (2-7, 4.95).
Key matchup: Controlling the running game of Oakland's Rajai Davis, formerly of the Pirates. He has 26 steals, second-most in the majors, and is batting .317 over his past 32 games.
Of note: The Athletics have lost seven of eight, all against National League Central opponents, scoring just 20 runs in that span.
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Right there, where the Pirates burst to a 4-0 lead in the first, including Pedro Alvarez's two-run double. It was their first output of more than three runs in an inning since June 4, a span of 160 innings.
Right there, with a 5-1 lead in the fourth.
Right there, where Karstens overcame defensive lapses to hold down baseball's hottest lineup and exit in the sixth with a 5-3 lead.
Right there, where, even after Evan Meek -- of all people -- blew that lead in the seventh, Neil Walker's apparent gapper in the ninth would have brought the lead but was just a long out.
And right there, in the end, where Jackson, recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis earlier in the day but forced into action, nearly escaped a jam but did not.
First Published June 25, 2010 12:43 am
