The final score was much closer than the game felt as the Pittsburgh Pirates took game three of a four-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies. Vance Worley returned to Philadelphia with a workman-like outing while the Pirates' bats came alive. The win keeps the 1 1/2 game lead for the second Wild Card intact. The Pirates will be looking to take three of four from the Phillies on Thursday.
The Pirates were set down in order only two times on the night and finished with 13 hits. They got off to a good start when Jerome Williams plunked Josh Harrison and Starling Marte in the top of the first. They would both come around to score. Russell Martin's single to left field was enough to score both of the speedy players.
The Phillies took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Williams helped his own cause with a two-RBI single. That would be the end of the scoring for the Phillies as Worley held them to three runs on four hits in just five innings of work. Bobby LaFramboise, John Holdzkom, Tony Watson, and Mark Melancon kept the Phillies hitless in the last four innings. The near-flawless bullpen work was a breath of fresh air for the Pirates whose bullpen work in the second half of the season has been a constant struggle.
The Pirates' bats were active all night. Harrison, Marte, Andrew McCutchen, Travis Snider and Jordy Mercer all had multi-hit games. Martin finished with three RBI including a home run. The offensive highlight of the night was McCutchen's first ever inside-the-park home run just before Martin's shot. Ben Revere made a leaping attempt at the 409 feet sign in deep center field, but would have needed a trampoline to come near the ball. The angle was just right as the ball shot toward right field and McCutchen made it standing up. Unofficially it took McCutchen 15.1 seconds to get around the bases and he didn't even kick it in until he realized Revere had no chance.
The series will wrap up Thursday as Francisco Liriano takes on ex-Pirate A.J. Burnett. Neither pitcher has lived up to their hype this season. The Pirates hope to take momentum into their last homestand of the year.