Pirates punish Reds 6-2
Print Edition
The Pittsburgh Pirates went 21 years between playoff games. The wait will be significantly shorter this time around.
Russell Martin homered twice and Francisco Liriano was dominant for seven innings as the Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-2 in the National League wildcard game on Tuesday.
In front of a black-clad crowd savoring its first postseason game since 1992, Marlon Byrd also homered and Andrew McCutchen had two hits and reached base four times for Pittsburgh.
“We’re for real,” McCutchen said. “We’re definitely for real.”
Liriano scattered four hits for the Pirates, who will face the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the NL division series today. Liriano struck out five batters and walked one to win the first playoff game of his career.
“This is 20 years of waiting. You’re seeing it all come out in one night,” Martin said. “Hopefully we can keep this atmosphere till late October.”
Cincinnati starter Johnny Cueto gave up four runs in 3 1-3 innings and appeared rattled by a raucous ballpark that taunted him throughout by chanting his name.
The 36-year-old Byrd, acquired by the Pirates in late August from the New York Mets, celebrated the first postseason of his 12-year career — 1,250 games — by sending Cueto’s fastball into the seats to give the Pirates the lead in the second inning. Martin then sent a drive into the bleachers in left field to make it 2-0. The Reds never recovered, ending a 90-win season with a six-game losing streak.
Liriano was signed on the cheap after a mediocre 2012 season with the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox. He has been reborn in Pittsburgh, going 16-8 with a 3.02 ERA during the regular season, his devastating slider nearly unhittable against left-handers.
(AP)
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
