A Statement Win For The Pirates

Last Night's Performance Is Why the Pirates
Acquired AJ Burnett

Last night the Pirates made a statement.  A statement to themselves, a statement to the fans, and a statement to the entire National League.  The statement was a simple one: If you thik we are just happy to punch our ticket to the post season and go home...think again.  In a series that means a whole lot more than just the final 3 games of the regular season, with home field advantage on the line, and against the arch rival reds...the Pirates showed up in a big way.

Games like theses are the exact reason you brought in a pitcher like AJ Burnett, and Burnett did not disappoint.  AJ pitched 8 strong innings against the Reds, giving up 6 hits, and only one run.  Burnett had command of his pitches all night as he struck out 6 and walked only one batter.  This was the performance that everyone expected from AJ, but if you think about it, Burnett has had more outings like this than he has "duds".  The one thing that has always alluded Burnett that keeps his Wins and Loss totals so dismal is run support.  Burnett is lucky if he even gets ONE run in support of his efforts, but last night the Bucco Bats pulled through in a big way.  The offense didn't "mash" and put up double digit hits.  No, the Pirates actually only accounted for 6 total hits, but those hits were clutch hits.  In the 3rd, Marlon Byrd started things off with a bases loaded single that drove in 2, and in the 7th Pedro Alvarez put the icing on the cake by taking a ball deep to center field for 2 run HR that would end Homer Bailey's night, as well as the Reds' chances of victory.  Jason Grilli came in for mop up duty, and although he gave up a single to Joey Votto, the defense bailed him out by turning a nifty 5-4-3 double play.  Hurdle seems set on Grilli as the closer for this stretch run, and Pirates fans across the globe will just hope that's the right decision.

So where do the Pirates go from here?  Well, Charlie Morton will have the biggest start of his career today.  If the Pirates can back up the win last night with a win today, they would secure that Wild Card game being played in Pittsburgh and not Cincinnati and make Sunday's game completely meaningless.  That is the best case scenario, obviously, for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Charlie Morton is a guy that seems to have been waiting for an opportunity like this.  His last 2 starts have been gems in every sense of the word, but now its time for him to continue that hot streak into games that mean a lot more than just another win on the schedule.  He will be going against Bronson Arroyo who has given up the most Home Runs in the National League, and that bids well for the Pirates batters...if they can actually produce for 2 games in a row.  Whether they are capable of such a feat is 'to be determined'.

Say what you want, but these Pirates are a team that has played differently since breaking the streak and clinching a playoff birth.  They look loose, relaxed, and at ease with where they are and the magnitude of each situation.  Last night's game was a statement win, no doubt about it, but as Mike Tomlin would say "Its time for us to put an exclamation point on our work.", and that would start with a win today to lock up home field advantage for the Tuesday Wild Card game.