Pittsburgh, PA (Worldwide Gamble) - Ryan Church collected three hits and drove
in two runs, including the deciding one in the 10th inning, as the New York
Mets rallied from a five-run deficit to top Pittsburgh, 9-8, in the makeup
contest of a postponed June 3 game from PNC Park.
Fernando Tatis finished 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and scored four times,
and Daniel Murphy also knocked in a pair for the Mets, who have won two in a
row after dropping five straight.
Nick Evans chipped in with a pair of hits and an RBI, while Gary Sheffield and
Jeremy Reed drove in a run apiece.
Despite allowing four hits and two runs over two relief innings, Francisco
Rodriguez (2-2) got the win. Starter Tim Redding was tagged for six hits and
five runs in just 2 1/3 innings.
"I'm the kind of guy that if I make a mess, I clean it up," Rodriguez said. "I
felt really frustrated that I didn't get the job done in the ninth, then we
score and I go back out there in the 10th."
Garrett Jones went 3-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and three runs scored for the
Pirates, losers in four of their last five. Adam LaRoche launched a two-run
home run, and Robinzon Diaz also posted three hits and knocked in a pair.
Matt Capps (1-4) surrendered the go-ahead run in the 10th for the loss. Paul
Maholm didn't make it out of the fifth during his start, touched for 11 hits
and six runs over 4 1/3 frames.
"I was very proud of the way our guys batted back," Pirates manager John
Russell said. "It's easy just to fold up, especially when Rodriguez comes in
the game...I was really proud of the effort today."
Tatis was hit by a Capps pitch with two down in the 10th, stole second, then
motored home as Church bounced a base hit up the middle to put the Mets ahead
by a run.
Rodriguez then sent the Bucs down in order to finish the game.
The Pirates escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first, when Maholm induced a
grounder to second from Church, then put up three runs in the second.
Jones led off with a double, Andy LaRoche walked, then Diaz singled to bring
in the first run. Vazquez walked to load the bases, then Andrew McCutchen was
hit by a pitch two batters later to force in the second. Jack Wilson lifted a
sacrifice fly to left, and Diaz scored for a 3-0 game.
An RBI triple by Jones and run-scoring double by Diaz made it 5-0 with one out
in the third and chased Redding. The Mets countered in the fourth on Murphy's
pinch-hit two-run double with the bases loaded, but a double-play grounder
prevented further damage.
New York struck for four runs in the fifth to go in front. RBI singles from
Sheffield, Church and Evans forced Maholm from the game for Jeff Karstens, who
surrendered an RBI base hit to pinch-hitter Reed for a 6-5 Mets advantage.
Tatis added a two-run homer to right-center in the sixth, then Jones responded
with a solo shot in the seventh to bring the Bucs within 8-6.
In the ninth, Rodriguez allowed a single to pinch-hitter Freddy Sanchez then a
game-tying two-run blast to LaRoche before getting two outs. Diaz and Vazquez
singled to put runners on the corners, but Brandon Moss lined out to send the
game to extra innings.
Game Notes
The Mets won four of the seven meetings in 2009...Thirteen pitchers were used
in the game, with New York sending seven to the hill....The game was delayed
42 minutes in the top of the first inning by rain. The contest was delayed a
total of 1 hour, 13 minutes..Both teams are in action on Friday, with the Mets
head to Philadelphia for three games and the Pirates begin a nine-game road
trip with three at Florida.
