Regular Season Game #53: Pittsburgh Pirates @ Detroit Tigers - KHarmo88's Dynasty

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Regular Season Game #53: Pittsburgh Pirates @ Detroit Tigers

Posted on May 22, 2013 at 09:05 PM.

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May 28, 2013
7:05PM

Comerica Park - Detroit, MI
Weather: 54�, Clear
Attendance: 26,536

Pittsburgh Pirates at Detroit Tigers
May 28, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Pittsburgh (31-22)	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	4	7	1
Detroit (34-17)	0	1	0	0	0	3	0	3	X	7	7	0
W: Joaquin Benoit (1-0) L: Jared Hughes (3-2) S: N/A

Pittsburgh Pirates
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
BATTING 2B: T. Snider (8) HR: A. McCutchen (16), G. Jones (15) RBI: A. McCutchen 2 (27), G. Jones (29), P. Alvarez (41) HBP: T. Snider, J. Mercer
FIELDING E: P. Alvarez (2)

Pittsburgh Pirates
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
W. Rodriguez	5.1	5	4	3	2	10	3.19
C. Leroux (BS, 1)	1.2	0	0	0	0	1	4.26
J. Hughes (L, 3-2)	0.0	0	1	1	1	0	3.20
T. Watson	1.0	2	2	2	0	1	5.02

Detroit Tigers
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
BATTING HR: V. Martinez (7), A. Dirks (7), O. Infante (3) RBI: V. Martinez 3 (33), A. Dirks (27), A. Avila (15), O. Infante (11)

Detroit Tigers
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
J. Verlander	5.0	5	4	4	0	8	2.89
J. Benoit (W, 1-0)	3.0	1	0	0	0	4	3.63
B. Rondon (H, 1)	0.2	0	0	0	0	1	2.65
O. Dotel	0.1	1	0	0	0	1	9.00
PITCHING WP: J. Verlander 2 (2)

Martinez's 3-Run Blast Powers Tigers Past Pirates

DETROIT - The Pirates and Tigers traded punches in Detroit, with each team coming away with decisive blowout victories. With the series back in Pittsburgh, game three has the potential to be a pitchers dual, with Pirates righty James McDonald opposing Tigers righty Annibal Sanchez.

The Pirates had flashbacks from last season meeting with Justin Verlander, looking to change their fortunes this time around. To do that, the Pirates looked to get to Verlander early, and that's exactly what they did. With one out, Verlander hit Travis Snider on an 0-2 count, bringing up Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen worked Verlander to a 3-1 count, taking the 5th pitch of the at bat out of Comerica Park for a 2-run shot, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the 1st, Wandy Rodriguez showed up his counterpart, striking out the side in order. Verlander led off the top of the 2nd, by hitting Jordy Mercer, followed by a single to John McDonald, advancing Mercer to 3rd. But Verlander would settle down, getting Starling Marte to ground out to end the inning. But the Tigers would get on in the bottom of the 2nd, as Andy Dirks hit a solo shot to cut the Pirates lead to 1.

Rodriguez would then walk Jhonny Peralta, followed by a single to Alex Avila. But the two would be left stranded on base, as Rodriguez got Torii Hunter and Ramon Santiago to strike out to end the inning.

In the top of the 4th, Garrett Jones hit a solo home run to give the Pirates a 3-1 lead.

The Pirates would continue to add on in the 4th, as Travis Snider followed the home run with a double, followed by a single from McCutchen. Pedro Alvarez would ground out, scoring Snider to put the Bucs up 4-1.

Jim Leyland would pull Justin Verlander in the top of the 6th, turning to Joaquin Benoit, who would get the Pirates in order. Trouble started to brew for Wandy Rodriguez in the bottom of the 6th, as Omar Infante led off with a solo home run, cutting the score to 4-2. Rodriguez would walk Cabrera, followed by a single from Prince Fielder. Andy Dirks would reach on a fielding error by Pedro Alvarez, scoring Cabrera to cut the Bucs lead again to 1. After a Jhonny Peralta single, Alex Avila reached on fielders choice, as he was called safe at first on a should have been double play, scoring Prince Fielder to tie the game at 4.

With the game tied at 4 heading into the bottom of the 8th, Clint Hurdle turned to Jared Hughes to face Miguel Cabrera, who would walk to start the inning. Hurdle then turned to lefty Tony Watson to oppose Prince Fielder who singled, to put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Watson would get Andy Dirks to fly out and Jhonny Peralta to strike out, putting the Tigers in a 2 on 2 out situation. Leyland would turn to Victor Martinez to pinch hit, and he'd make the Pirates pay with a 3-run home run to give the Tigers the 7-4 lead.

Down to their final 3 outs, the Pirates went up again Tigers closer Bruce Rondon. Rondon got Russell Martin to ground out and Jordy Mercer to strike out, before leaving with an apparent arm injury. Former Pirates closer Octavio Dotel would take the mound to finish the game, allowing a single to John McDonald, before getting Starling Marte to strike out to end the game.

Player of the Game:

After splitting the first two games in the series in Detroit, the Tigers head to PNC Park for the remaining two games of the series. First pitch, 7:05PM.