Three-run eighth inning helps Houston Astros defeat Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 – MLB Update
The Houston Astros finally tasted victory at home helped by a three-run eighth inning to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 at the Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas on Saturday, July 16.
The win gave the Astros their 15th win at home with 34 losses already registered this season. Their win-loss record for the season now stands at 31-63 and are still ranked last in the Majors.
The Astros got off to a good start and piled up a three-run lead by the end of the third inning. Carlos Lee opened the scoring in the second inning before Jeff Keppinger hammered a 353-feet, two-run homer in the third inning to boost the bull-pen. Angel
Sanchez completed his run when Keppinger hit the ball out of the park.
The Pittsburgh Pirates remained silent on the plate till the fifth inning after which they replied with a flurry of home-runs. Neil Walker increased his tally of home-runs to nine this season in the fifth inning before two back-to-back home-runs in the sixth
inning helped the Pirates wipe out the two-run deficit and impose a one-run lead on the Astros.
Two consecutive home-runs from Lyle Overbay and Brandon Wood followed by a Michael McKenry run in the sixth inning sent the Astros in disbelief as they could not see themselves heading for another loss after a hard-earned start.
Bud Norris was the unlucky pitcher for the Houston Astros who got unglued by the Pirates. He ended up giving four runs and nine hits in the 5.2 innings that he pitched. After the flurry of runs, Norris was immediately relieved by Wilton Lopez at the mound.
The relievers from either side did a commendable job and it was the tough eighth inning encounter between Sergio Escalona of the Astros and Jose Veras of Pirates that decided the game.
With the Pirates sitting at a one-run lead at the end of the seventh inning and pressure mounting on the Astros, Escalona threw a dream spell. He threw a perfect inning and deservedly won his second game this season to improve his win-loss record to 2-1.
Veras, on the contrary, could not make it happen in the pressure situation. He was a bit off-target and the Astros were quick to bag this opportunity. The Astros added three runs in the eighth inning to take a decisive two-run lead and seal the night at
the Minute Maid Park. Hunter Pence, Brian Bogusevic and Clint Barmes added runs for the Astros.
Mark Melancon then came on the mound as a closer for the Astros and he replicated what Escalona had earlier exhibited. He silenced the Pirates in their last inning and saved his seventh game of the season to level the three-game series at one-game each.
It will be all-to-play on Sunday, July 17 when the two teams meet again at the Minute Maid Park for the decider.
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