Regular Season Game #123: Arizona Diamondbacks @ Pittsburgh Pirates - KHarmo88's Dynasty

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Regular Season Game #123: Arizona Diamondbacks @ Pittsburgh Pirates

Posted on August 19, 2013 at 08:27 PM.

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August 18, 1:35PM ET
PNC Park - Pittsburgh, PA
TV: ROOT SPORTS RADIO: KDKA-FM 93.7

Weather: 79�, Clear
Attendance: 23,824

Arizona Diamondbacks at Pittsburgh Pirates
Aug 18, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Arizona (81-41)	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	9	1
Pittsburgh (71-52)	0	1	0	1	0	1	2	0	X	5	12	1
W: James McDonald (13-6) L: Tony Sipp (5-3) S: Jason Grilli (42)

Arizona Diamondbacks
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
BATTING 2B: A. Hill (26), M. Prado (26), J. Hardy (22) RBI: A. Hill 2 (69), A. Rios (57)
BASERUNNING SB: P. Goldschmidt (17), A. Rios (10) CS: A. Rios (6), A. Hill (5)
FIELDING E: P. Goldschmidt (11)

Arizona Diamondbacks
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
I. Kennedy	6.0	10	3	3	0	3	2.97
T. Sipp (L, 5-3)	0.2	2	2	0	1	0	1.95
J. Collmenter	1.1	0	0	0	0	2	2.94
TOTALS	8.0	12	5	3	1	5

Pittsburgh Pirates
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
BATTING 2B: G. Jones 2 (20) RBI: G. Jones 2 (60), R. Martin 2 (44), A. Lambo (1) SAC: J. McDonald, J. Tabata GIDP: A. Lambo, T. Sanchez
FIELDING E: G. Jones (7)

Pittsburgh Pirates
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
J. McDonald (W, 13-6)	7.0	8	3	3	0	10	1.64
D. Welker (H, 13)	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0.71
J. Grilli (S, 42)	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	1.23
TOTALS	9.0	9	3	3	9	13

Jones Carries Offense as Pirates Avoid Sweep

PITTSBURGH - Any time a team is 20+ games over .500 and holding a 9 game lead in the divisional race, a four game skid usually wouldn't mean much. However, for Pirates fans, it was starting to mean something. After a monumental collapse in 2012, Pirates fans are hesitant to by into this team, even given their current position in the standings. After dropping two out of three in St. Louis and on the verge of getting swept at home by the Diamondbacks before heading out west, the Pirates really needed a team after to get a win. James McDonald would take the mound to oppose Ian Kennedy in the finale.

Things got rocky right off the bat in the top of the 1st, as Martin Prado doubled to lead off the game. After a strikeout of Parra, Paul Goldschmidt singled, advancing Prado to third. Alex Rios then singled, scoring Prado to give the D-Backs a 1-0 lead.

Alex Rios then stole second, putting two on with only one away. Aaron Hill followed with a double, scoring Goldschmidt and Rios to push the snakes up 3-0.

Russell Martin would throw out Aaron Hill, who was attempting to steal third, followed by a strikeout of JJ Hardy to end the top half of the inning. In the bottom of the 2nd, after Pedro Alvarez struck out to start off the inning, Garrett Jones doubled to right, then scored on a line drive single from Russell Martin to cut the score to 3-1.

After a quick 3rd inning and top of the 4th, the duo of Garrett Jones and Russell Martin were at it again, as Jones doubled with one out and then scored on a single from Russell Martin to cut the lead to 3-2.

With the D-Backs still ahead 3-2 heading into the bottom of the 6th, Garrett Jone singled with two outs, followed by a single from Russell Martin. Andrew Lambo then singled, scoring Jones, to tie the game at 3 and give Lambo his first major league RBI.

James McDonald continued to lock in for the top of the 7th, retiring the side in order. In the bottom of the 7th, Jerry Sands reached on a fielding error by Paul Goldschmidt to get the inning bottom of the inning started. Jose Tabata sacrificed Sands to second, followed by an intentional walk of Andrew McCutchen. Pedro Alvarez then singled, loading the bases with one away. Garrett Jones, yet again, came to the rescue with an RBI single, scoring Sands and McCutchen to put the Bucco's ahead 5-3.

Jason Grilli took the two run lead into the top of the 9th, allowed a one out doubled to JJ Hardy. Grilli would then get Ross to line out for the second out of the inning, followed by a huge strikeout by Ed Easley to put the Pirates back in the win column and collect the 42nd save by Jason Grilli.

Player of the Game

The Pirates will look to continue their winning ways, as they head out west for a seven game road trip. The Bucs first head out to San Diego, where Francisco Liriano takes the mound to oppose Eric Stults. First pitch, 10:10PM.

The Hunt for October - Updated: August 18, 2013
NL CENTRAL	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Pittsburgh	71	52	-	421	373
Cincinnati	64	60	7.5	549	566
St. Louis	63	60	8.0	509	458
Chicago	53	70	18.0	475	557
Milwaukee	50	74	21.5	473	551