PIRATES SCORE NINE UNANSWERED RUNS TO SHOCK ROCKIES 11-4
Eternal Baseball
PITTSBURGH – The Pirates and Rockies beat up each other’s starters on Opening Day, but the battle of the bullpens was no contest. Pittsburgh exploded out of a two-run hole to score nine unanswered runs and defeat the Rockies 11-4 on the first day of Spring Training.
Colorado and Pittsburgh each scored four runs off the other’s starting pitcher (Jhoulys Chacin and Babe Adams) but the Pirates continued the assault on the Rockies’ bullpen. Colorado’s Curtis Leskanic inherited a 4-4 game and he breezed through the bottom of the Pirates lineup with a 1-2-3 sixth inning.
Leskanic encountered trouble immediately in the seventh, as Ralph Kiner pinch hit for Kent Tekulve and drove a single to centerfield. Kiner was the start of a conga line around the basepaths as Paul Waner singled, Honus Wagner doubled, Willie Stargell grounded out, Josh Bell was intentionally walked, Arky Vaughan singled, Andrew McCutchen doubled, and Jason Kendall was walked intentionally, before Bill Mazeroski’s single scored two to make the score 10-4 Pirates.
Steve Reed mercifully relieved Leskanic, and Ralph Kiner came to the plate for the second time in the inning. His sacrifice fly scored Kendall to make it 11-4. Paul Waner’s flyout ended the inning, but the game had been pushed well out of reach.
Pittsburgh’s relievers were commendable, as Kent Tekulve and John Candelaria combined for three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four. Colorado’s Larry Walker drove the Colorado offense, with three hits including a double. Pittsburgh’s attack showed incredible balance as every position player (and one pinch hitter) has at least one hit and eight different players knocked in runs on the day. Josh Bell hit Pittsburgh’s only home run, a two-run shot in the fifth inning that tied the score at 4.
Pittsburgh starter Babe Adams delivered an uneven performance (6 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) but Kent Tekulve (1-0) vulture a win with a scoreless seventh inning in relief. Colorado starter Jhoulys Chacin was similarly stymied (5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) while Curtis Leskanic (0-1) suffered the loss after a rough day (1.1 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K).
Tuesday night brings game two of this pre-season opening series. First pitch from PNC Park is at 7:05 PM EST.
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