It was a pitchers' duel yesterday at PNC Park between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Phillies sent Cole Hamels to the mound to start the game while the Pirates handed the ball off to A.J. Burnett, former Phillies pitcher, for the start of the game.
Hamels had a strong outing, 7.0 IP while allowing four hits, one walk, no runs, and twelve strikeouts.
Burnett also had a strong outing, going a full nine innings, giving up five hits and one walk while striking out four batters.
On the offensive side of the ball, it was hard for both teams to get anything going. The Phillies were able to string together only six hits, and they drew just one walk. The Phils were able to get one extra base hit, a double from Jeff Francouer in the top of the first. The Phillies were also able to get two stolen bases, one from Ben Revere and the other from Chase Utley.
The Pirates were unable to amount to much more. They got nine hits, three walks, and one extra base hit, thanks to a Starling Marte double in the bottom of the tenth. The Pirates also were quick on the base paths as well as Josh Harrison stole a base.
The Phillies and Pirates were in a deadlock at 0-0 through ten innings. Come the eleventh inning, the Phillies couldn't get anything going. Come the bottom of the eleventh, however, the Pirates were able to get the ball rolling.
It didn't start well for the Pirates. Jonathon Papelbon retired both Francisco Cervelli and Gregory Polanco, and the Pirates had only one out left in the inning.
Neil Walker kept things alive by hitting a single to center field and putting a runner on base. Jose Tabata came on to pinch hit for Antonio Bastardo, another former Phillies pitcher, and got the ball in play. Freddy Galvis threw the ball away, which put Tabata on second and Walker only 90 feet away from home plate. Harrison then came up and singled the ball into center field, which allowed Walker to score, and the Pirates completed the three-game sweep of the Phillies.
The Phillies now sit at 22-42 on the season and are 1-9 in their last 10 games. The Phillies now travel to Baltimore for two games against the Orioles and complete the home-and-home in Philadelphia for the final two games of the series.
The Pirates have now won four straight games and are currently 35-27 on the season. The Pirates also start a home-and-home series with the White Sox next, starting in Pittsburgh for two games and then moving back to Chicago for the next two.