Garrett Jones doubled the opposite way and JT singled to left to put Bucs on the corners with no outs. Pedro ripped a shot to right that almost dehorned Tabata; Jones scored on the knock, but JT was nailed trying to get to third, taking a circuitous route to the sack. With no one out... Anyway the party continued as Mike McKenry bounced a two-bagger over third, with El Toro pulling up at the hot corner.
John McDonald was plunked by a pitch to load the sacks, and Wandy helped himself by banging one off Marcum's wrist, deflecting to second where the force on Old McDonald was made - his hard slide made sure there would be no relay - and scoring Pedro. Starling Marte beat out a ball to short, and it was 3-0. Wandy had another quiet inning, giving up a two-out knock to lefty Ike Davis who softly dropped a ball the opposite way to beat the Buc shift.
Both sides went down in order in the third, and the Pirates went down without a peep in the fourth. David Wright led off with a double in the Met half, but was stranded as Wandy got a grounder that moved him to third followed by a pair of infield pops.
The Buc bats got back to work in the fifth. Marte got plunked and Jordy Mercer singled to right, sending Starling to third. Cutch popped out, but Jones launched a drive to right that was originally ruled a triple. Clint Hurdle came out, got a review, and the umps waved GI home, the second time the 1B has won a review homer this season, to make it 6-0. A two-out single by Pedro brought on Robert Carson, who finished the frame without any further ado.
The Mets woke up, too. Anthony Recker hit his first long ball of the year when he took a heater over the wall in left, followed by a roped double by Juan Lagares. But Wandy worked out of it to keep the score 6-1 after five. Rodriguez is up to 84 pitches, so he's approaching the end of his start.
The Bucs went down in order the hard way in the sixth. With two down, Marte singled but was picked off first. Wright led off for NY with a knock through the left side. Wandy got three grounders to Mercer at second to close down the inning via the 4-3 route, and was quite efficient, tossing just eight pitches to finish the free swinging Mets this frame.
Scott Atchison took the bump for the Mets in the seventh, and Jones welcomed him with a one-out double, but was stranded. Hurdle moans about his starters not giving him length, but yanked Wandy after 92 pitches for Vin Mazzaro. Rodriguez went six, giving up a run on six hits with two K. Mazzaro kept the train rolling with a 1-2-3 frame.
The first two Bucs went down routinely in the eighth; Old McDonald got to first on a throwing error by Wright, but was tagged out after taking a turn toward second. The Pirates haven't exactly put on a baserunning clinic today. Mazzaro stayed in, and gave up an opening knock to Ruben Tejada, who rolled a slider into right. He came back to get a grounder that was a Jones pick away from a DP. No diff; Wright banged into an around the horn twin killing to sit the Mets down. Good outing for Vin; of the six batters he faced, four put the ball on the ground.
Scott Rice took the ball for the Mets. Gaby hit for Mazzaro and drew a walk after falling behind 1-2. Marte followed by poking a single to right on a slider down and on the outer half. A wild pitch moved the pair to second and third, and the bases were juiced after Mercer drew a four pitch free pass. The frame fizzled as Cutch banged into a DP, though the 6-4-3 did add another run to make it 7-1.
Jose Contreras climbed the hill. With an out, Jordany Valdespin took him long with a no-doubter into the second deck in right, and Ike Davis followed with a bloop knock to center. Recker drew a five pitch walk. Legares stemmed the bleeding by lining out to Marte. Contreras fell behind Andrew Brown 3-0, then ran the count full before Brown singled into left to plate another run and bring the tying score to the on-deck circle.
That was it for Jose; Jason Grilli got the call. Tejada squared up on a fastball, but lined it Cutch and the victory was in the books, as was Jason's 14th save and Wandy's third W. Today's tale - Pittsburgh was 5-for-11 with RISP; the Mets 1-for-12.
Franciso Liriano makes his debut tomorrow afternoon against Jonathon Niese.
- Garrett Jones had three hits (HR, 2-2B) as did Starling Marte. Pedro and Jordy Mercer added a pair.
- Russell Martin sat tonight because of reoccurring neck soreness. Martin has only caught one game since May 5 while dealing with the injury, but the Bucs still see it as a day-to-day issue.
- Danny Knobler of CBS Sports has a feature on Pirate closer Jason Grilli.
- Shaun Marcum worked 4-2/3 innings for the Mets tonight; it was the longest start he's had for them of the three he's made this year.
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