Portrait of a season
(c) Associated Press
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Jimmy Paredes is an infielder by trade. Chris Carter has scant experience as an outfielder. This, combined with an error by losing pitcher Edgar Gonzalez and two Pirate homers, including a tying two-run shot that cleared the stands and hopped into the Allegheny River, were enough to give Pittsburgh a 5-4 win Friday night over the Astros.
Paredes' gaffe with the bases full in the bottom of the ninth was the final blow but he wasn't the only one making mistakes. Up 4-1 in the sixth, Carter muffed a three-base error off the bat of Andrew McCutchen to set up the second Bucs run. McCutchen had homered off Jordan Lyles for the first Pittsburgh tally.
Pedro Alavrez exploded a Hector Ambriz pitch 462 feet into the big drink in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score and set up the inglorious final stanza.
McCutchen singled Travis Snider to third with one out before Brandon Inge loaded the sacks on Edgar Gonzalez' error. Then Gonzalez managed to strike out Neil Walker and it appeared he might wriggle off the hook when Russell Martin lofted a high pop fly to shallow right. Paredes came in and Jake Elmore went out from second base. Both reached for the ball and collided with each other, allowing the ball to fall to the ground and Snider to cross with the winning run.
Lyles had done a fine job for five innings, giving up one earned run on four hits. Lyles also remembered how to put down a sacrifice bunt which helped a three-run rally in the fifth that seemed to put him in line for a rare victory.
Matt Dominguez homered off Jeanmar Gomez to put the Astros up, 2-1, then Elmore spanked an RBI single and Robbie Grossman scored on Martin's throwing error.
Bo Porter went to the bullpen five times doing his best Brad Mills imitation but no amount of managerial strategy can make up for bad pitching and poor fielding.
The 11-31 Astros will try again Saturday night at PNC Park with ex-Pirate Erik Bedard (0-2) slated to go against A.J. Burnett (3-4) in a 6:05 Central contest.
Off the field, The Astros announced that Reid Ryan would be the new President and CEO, replacing George Postolos. Also, Jose Altuve is expected to return from bereavement leave Saturday where he hopes to avoid any more collisions with onrushing right fielders.
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