David Hernandez stumbles as Pittsburgh Pirates defeat Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5 – MLB Update
David Hernandez wrecked havoc with a five-run eighth inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5 at PNC Park, Pittsburgh on Tuesday, June 7.
The first loss in more than 25 games came the Diamondbacks way just when they had complete grip on the game.
Tim Hudson effectively rendered the Pirates’ hitters unable to play him until the seventh inning, containing them to only three runs. However, once an otherwise reliable Hernandez was brought to replace him in the eighth inning, Lyle Overbay hit a three-run
double to shatter the Diamondbacks’ hopes of a 26th win.
Kelly Johnson provided an ideal start to the Diamondbacks with his homer in the first inning. Hudson was unyielding to create an opportunity for the Pirates apart from the two-run second inning scored individually by Chris Snyder and Ronny Cedeno.
"Hudson pitched a pretty good game for them today, they got a new guy in there and we were able to jump on him," said Andrew McCutchen, who scored his third run in the eighth. "We didn't give up; we just kept battling."
Once Snyder earned the second run of his game and the team’s third in the fourth inning, giving a 3-1 lead to the Pirates, Arizona changed the game plan.
Johnson hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning when Kevin Correia was going strong against the Diamondbacks. Johnson’s homer gave a needed 4-3 lead to the Diamondbacks which was preserved by Hudson.
Chris Young made it 5-3 in the eighth inning, apparently paving the way for Arizona’s success. However, everything changed with astounding swiftness.
Once the Diamondbacks thought they had almost won the game and brought on David Hernandez, the Pirates’ hitters went on a rampage and tore down the supposedly well-built defence of the Diamondbacks.
Tabata and Harrison singled each to level the score and Overbay went for a magnificently hit that earned him a three-run homer and the team an unexpected 8-5 lead. Joel Hanrahan then pitched to perfection in the ninth inning to win an incredible 8-5 win
for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
And if there was anyone who could put forward a befitting description of the disaster that was fairly unpredictable, it was Alan Trammell.
"Nightmarish would be one word you could use to describe (the eighth inning)," acting Arizona manager Alan Trammell said. "Momentum is a wonderful thing if you're on the good side of it. They got the momentum going in that inning and we tried to minimize
the damage but we couldn't."
It will be interesting to see how the Pirates carry their winning momentum into their next game. The Diamondbacks put in a good effort, but it was not enough to contain the Pirates’ offence.
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