First, JR decided to sit Freddy Sanchez. Why tonight is the question, when the perfect opportunity was fast approaching with a night game followed by day game the next two outings. It cost him.
Maybe he wanted Delwyn Young to get a start; maybe the computer kicked out some match-up he liked; maybe he really thought Sanchez needed a blow; who knows?
The Big O had one of his better showings, throwing inside and generally keeping the ball down. He gave up a two-out run in the third when Young made a diving stop of a grounder, got up - and threw home instead of first, where the lumbering Chipper Jones would have been an easy inning-ending out.
It was Jack Splat's turn in the sixth, when he let a leadoff grounder play him and deflect off his glove. That runner eventually scored.
In the seventh, Young didn't cover first on a sac bunt - a sac bunt! - and guess what runner came home as the winning run.
Not that the bats picked it up. They had all their runs in the column by the fourth; like last night, they snoozed over the final five frames. They didn't leave as many runners, but still went just 1-for-6 with guys in scoring position.
That's two games that they've let get away; they have to pick up their heads and start playing solid ball before the season gets away, too.
-- Jen Langosch of MLB.com reports that:
(Charlie) Morton will be recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday to take (Jeff) Karstens' spot in the rotation. The fact that Karstens was needed in relief during Monday's 15-inning affair could be playing a role in this decision. But it's no secret that the Pirates were already looking for a way to get Morton into the big league mix.-- Tyler Yates has been shut down again; he was a side session away from rehabbing in the minors.
Pittsburgh is expected to send left-hander Tom Gorzelanny back to Indianapolis, where he can re-enter the Indians' rotation. Karstens would then provide the Pirates with a long-inning option out of the bullpen.
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