Pittsburgh Pirates: Regular season results – MLB July 2011 - Part 7
With a decent 54-49 win-loss record, Pittsburgh Pirates were looking in great shape to achieve their best results in the Majors since 1999. Clint Hurdle and his men had shown great determination and fighting abilities throughout the regular season
to get things working for them.
Although the Pirates had made a poor start to their 2011 regular season campaign, they improved with each passing game to become the surprising NL Central leading team. Team manager, Clint Hurdle aimed to continue their good form in their next three
match series with the Philadelphia Phillies as well.
However, as it turned out, the Pirates failed to win a single game against the Phillies. In game one, they suffered an embarrassing 3-10 loss, which dented their confidence.
Roy Halladay allowed only one hit over seven innings as the Phillies hammered the Pirates 10-3 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. The Pirates, on the other hand, made too many unforced errors during the contest, which allowed their opponents to dictate
terms.
"We tried to address a need that we felt was a missing piece," Phillies’ general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "This gives us a little more balance."
Clint Hurdle’s side failed to live up to expectations in game two of the series to suffer their second straight series defeat. The Phillies took complete advantage of the situation and they secured a comfortable 7-4 to take a decisive 2-0 lead in the
series. Ryan Howard was the star of the show as he had four hits with a home-run and two doubles with three RBI’s to lift the Phillies to a superb victory.
"It helps having a guy like Hunter Pence in the lineup," Howard said. "He's another threat pitchers have to worry about. He brought a lot of energy and fits in great in this clubhouse.”
The Pirates were unable to put in a good performance in the final game of the series as the Phillies dominated. Struggling to handle the pressure, Clint Hurdle and his men were unable to take their chances during the contest and the Phillies secured
a nail biting 6-5 to complete a deserving series sweep. Trailing 5-3 in the eighth inning, Philadelphia came back from behind to register an emphatic victory.
Paul Ibanez hit two home-runs and a game winning double in the tenth inning of the game to allow the Phillies a secured and memorable win. Clint Hurdle was very disappointed with the outcome of the series. The Pirates had played some good baseball
throughout the series but they were unable to control their nerves in tense situations and they paid a heavy price for it.
Continued in Part 8
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