Pirates “Pour” In Eight Runs; Beat Atlanta Braves 8-4 In Soggy Steel City

After about a 20 minute rain delay before first pitch in Pittsburgh, the Atlanta Braves and Pirates squared off for game two of three in the Steel City. Julio Teheran and Charlie Morton toed the rubber for the Braves and Pirates, respectively.

The Braves had a chance to make it an early 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. After a Nick Markakis single with 2 out, A.J. Pierzynski roped a shot down the right field line and into the corner. Markakis motored all the way from 1st base trying to score. Nick was called out, but after a quick replay, I personally thought he was safe. Apparently so did the Braves.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez eventually challenged the call. Upon return from the commercial break, the umpires were reviewing the call. Ultimately, the call was upheld, but only because there must not have been enough clear evidence to overturn the original call. To me, Nick was clearly in above the tag. His hand swiped the plate before the tag of Bucs catcher Cervelli nabbed Markakis on the shoulder, AFTER Markakis’ hand touched home.

The Braves just can’t seem to catch a break lately.

In the bottom of the 1st, things got interesting. With one out and Bucs star center-fielder Andrew McCutchen was hit on the elbow by a pitch from Teheran. Obviously, Julio was not meaning to hit him. But with no elbow guard on McCutchen, it got him in a bad spot. Cutch was forced to leave the game.

The next hitter, Sterling Marte singled home Neil Walker to make it 1-0 Pirates. The throw to AJP at the plate got by allowing Jung Hu Kang (replacing McCuthen) and Marte moved up 90 extra feet.

Pedro Alvarez brought home the two runners with a ringing double to the gap in right center. Francisco Cervelli then promptly singled over second base scoring Alvarez to make 4-0 Buccos. Teheran was missing his spots in this inning. The HBP to McCuthcen may have shaken him up. He was certainly not very effective in the bottom half.

A five pitch walk to Gregory Polanco put runners on 1st and 2nd. Teheran’s half of the first was beginning to get away from him. A bloop single from Jordy Mercer was able to get Polanco home from first pushing the score to 5-0 Pirates. After that, the Braves bullpen started stirring.

All of this happening with one out. The wheels were coming off quickly for Teheran. On top of all this, the rain began to fall again. Which at this point, the Braves were probably hoping for another delay.

Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton was able to lay down a sacrifice to move Mercer over to 2nd, recording the second out for the Braves. Julio would get Josh Harrison to strike out swinging, but not before the Bucs sent 10 men to the plate and scoring 5 in the inning.

Having scored only 5 runs in the last five games by the Braves, an early five-run deficit was not something you really wanted to see on a day like today. Braves needed a win.

Juan Uribe led off the 2nd with a single that Kang couldn’t handle. Kelly Johnson struck out swinging and Joey Terdoslovich grounded out to first. Uribe moved up to 2nd on the play. Then, Morton hit Simmons on a low and inside pitch, prompting a warning to both benches. As the rains fell heavier, Morton got Teheran to strikeout swinging. At the end of 2, the score held at 5-0 Pirates.

In the 3rd, Cameron Maybin continued to be productive. A one out double and taking third on a throwing error by Josh Harrison. Markakis then wrapped a base hit that scored Maybin for the first Braves run of the day to make it 5-1. That was Markakis’ first RBI since June 17th.

AJP then singled, his second hit of the game, put runners at 1st and 2nd with one out. Unfortunately, Uribe popped out to Harrison in left, a Kelly Johnson strikeout looking left the runners stranded.

Next: Brigham En Route to Atlanta

With the score still 5-1 in the top of the 5th, the Rain started pouring again, but the oddity was that the sun was blinding through the rain! Yep, the sun was shining like a hot summer day, but the rain was coming down in sheets.

After Jace Peterson grounded out, the tarp was brought back on to the field. Fortunately, with only one out in the fifth, an official game was not yet realized. Of course, if you’re a Braves fan, your hope was that they couldn’t continue, and they try it again tomorrow with a double-header.

Ah well, one can dream right? After a 30 minute rain delay, the game resumed. Maybin grounded out the second out, and Markakis struck out. An official game was now in the books. At least a shutout had been averted.

Pittsburgh added a run, actually they stole a run, with a bad luck play for the Braves. With 2 out in the bottom of the 5th, runners on 1st and 3rd, the runner at first took off early. Atlanta did everything right afterwards. Teheran stepped off, ran towards the runner heading for 2nd. He looked back Marte at 3rd, twice. Julio gave up the ball to Peterson to start the pickle. Jace tossed to Terdo at 1st. As Jace gave up the ball, Marte took off for home.

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As fate would have it, and with a very soggy, slippery track between 1st and 2nd. Terdoslovich slipped trying to plant and throw to home to try to get Marte. As he fell, he was unable to get anything on the throw, and Marte scored easily, pushing the lead for the Pirates back to five.

In the top of the 6th, Jace Peterson would come through once again! A bases clearing double! The Braves loaded them up with two singles and a HBP to Eury Perez, pinch-hitting for Julio Teheran. Jace just missed getting his second grand slam of the season. He gladly settled for a 3-run double, though!

With the Score now 6-4 Pirates, the Bucs went to the pen. The Pirates pen extinguished the flames, but the Braves were still able to push across 3 on the double by Peterson.

Cervelli tacked on some insurance for the Pirates with a run scoring double off Braves reliever, Nick Massest. The double plated Marte to push the Pirate lead up by three. Jordy Mercer made it a four run game with a dink, bloop single, scoring Cervelli. The score stood at 8-4 Bucs.

That would wind up being the final. On a long, rainy, soggy day in Pittsburgh, the Pirates added to the Braves frustrations on the road this year, as the Braves fall to 0-5 on the road trip and 35-40 overall on the season. Teheran suffers the loss and falls to 5-4 on the year.

Alex Wood (4-5. 3.44) hopes to salvage the finale in Pittsburgh tomorrow at 1:35 PM EST as he goes up against Jeff Locke (4-3, 4.73).