Pirates' weekend thunder turns to thuds in ninth
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The Pirates' Ryan Church argues a called third strike in the ninth inning with home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez Monday at PNC Park. -
Pirates starting pitcher Jeff Karstens delivers to the Brewers Corey Hart. -
The Pirates' Pedro Alvarez slides safely in to home. -
Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez makes play on ball hit by the Brewers Rickie Weeks. -
Pirates pitcher Jeff Karstens stands on the mound as the Brewers' Prince Fielder trots home after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning. -
Brewers closer John Axford pitches in the ninth inning. Axford got the save in the 3-1 Brewers win.
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All that weekend thunder was replaced by a thud.
Three of them, actually.
The Pirates' offense was suddenly silenced by a spot starter who had not won in three years, then fell short during a highly promising ninth-inning rally to lose to the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-1, Monday night at PNC Park.
"I thought we were going to win," center fielder Jose Tabata said. "We were so close."
Trailing by two entering the ninth and facing John Axford, Milwaukee's flamethrowing closer, Garrett Jones led off with a single. Next, Pedro Alvarez drew a five-pitch walk.
Up came Ryan Doumit, who had, remarkably, hit three of his eight home runs this season off Milwaukee closers in various ninth innings.
Game: Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers, 7:05 p.m., PNC Park.
TV, radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WPGB-FM (104.7).
Pitching: RHP Brad Lincoln (1-3, 5.14) vs. RHP Dave Bush (4-7, 4.07).
Key matchup: Lincoln vs. the long ball. He has allowed four home runs in his past two starts, including solo shots by Ryan Braun and George Kottaras July 11 in Milwaukee.
Of note: Delwyn Young, who has not started since June 26, has 11 pinch-hits, second in the majors to the Brewers' Joe Inglett, with 12.
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Axford was one of those victims, July 10 at Miller Park, and Trevor Hoffman for the other two.
"Yeah, and I think he was trying to do it again," Axford said.
First pitch was in the dirt, and the crowd of 12,375 palpably began to sense either a big hit or Axford blowing up. But a sweet curve brought a called strike, and Axford settled before getting Doumit to swing through a hanging slider.
"Got away with it," Axford said.
Ryan Church took a first-pitch ball, then took three strikes. The second strike was a fastball right down the pipe, the last one a curve that might have caught the inside corner.
First Published July 20, 2010 12:04 am
