Pirates Morning Report:

FINAL SCORE: PIRATES 4 CUBS 2

WHY THE PIRATES WON: ROBERTO PEREZ WAS THE SURPRISE OFFENSIVE HERO WITH 3 RBI’S AND A HOME RUN. MICHAEL CHAVIS ALSO HOMERED TO GIVE THE PIRATES THEIR 4 RUNS. AGAIN, THE BULLPEN WAS FANTASTIC AND JOSE QUINTANA PITCHED A GRITTY 4 AND 2/3 INNINGS GIVING UP ONLY 2 RUNS, DESPITE HAVING SOME CONTROL PROBLEMS RESULTING IN 3 WALKS. THE BULLPEN WAS NOT QUITE AS DOMINANT AS THE GAME BEFORE, GIVING UP 4 HITS AND A WALK, BUT DID NOT ALLOW A RUN FOR 5 AND 1/3 INNINGS. THE PIRATES GRABBED THE LEAD ON THE CHAVIS HOME RUN IN THE 4TH AND ADDED THE FINAL RUN, ON PEREZ’S HOME RUN IN THE FIFTH. THE BULLPEN PROTECTED THE LEAD FOR THE SECOND NIGHT IN A ROW.

KEY PLAY OF THE GAME: THE DOUBLE STEAL BY VAN METER AND NEWMAN WITH 2 OUT IN THE 2ND FOLLOWED BY THE DOUBLE BY PEREZ THAT GOT THE PIRATES GOING. THE PIRATES FOUND THE LONG BALL WHICH WON THE GAME.

NEXT GAME: TODAY, CUBS IN CHICAGO. ONLY SHELTON KNOWS WHAT THE NEXT LINE UP FROM HELL WILL BE. THREE OUTFIELDERS TWO DAYS IN A ROW. NO WAY JOSE. IF THE PIRATES CAN GET A SPLIT THIS WEEKEND, A DISASTEROUS LOOKING ROADTRIP AT THE START, WILL TURN OUT TO BE MORE THAN ACCEPTABLE.