McCutchen’s HR wins it in 9th, 4-3
PIRATES, FROM D-5 players from year ago.
The injuries could prompt another wave of roster moves. If Stewart is out, catcher Elias Diaz is next in line at Class AAA Indianapolis. If Polanco returns to the 10-day disabled list — he came back five days ago after a hamstring strain — the Pirates could elect to promote top prospect Austin Meadows, 22, who has batted .350 with a .915 OPS in his past 20 games.
Until the ninth inning Monday, the game was almost a side show to the injuries. For six innings, right-handers Trevor Williams and Randall Delgado dueled, allowing one run apiece. Williams remarked, “It was a one-run game, so it’s who flinches first.” The first flinch belonged to reliever J.J. Hoover, who served up a go-ahead triple to the slowfooted Stewart in the seventh.
At batting practice, Stewart allows himself one round to try for a home run. Those which land on the warning track, he calls “Stew homers.” This, manager Clint Hurdle admitted, was a Stew homer. It was his second triple this season, the second in his career, and perhaps the last.
“He doesn’t need to hit any more triples the rest of his career, either,” Hurdle said, deadpan. “We’ve put a limit at two bases unless it leaves the yard.”
“Apparently it’s over now,” Stewart, 34, said, responding to the triples kibosh. “I proved the first one wasn’t a fluke. I can stop at second base from now on.”
After left-hander Felipe Rivero escaped a first-andthird, one-out jam in the eighth, a pinch fed by John Jaso’s misplay at first base, the ninth inning belonged to closer Tony Watson (4-1). With two outs, Diamondbacks catcher Chris Iannetta, whose nose was broken May 13 by a Johnny Barbato fastball, claimed stalemate from the jaws of defeat with a full-count, two-run home run.
The stage was set for McCutchen. After a week in which he was left out of the lineup for two games in Atlanta and then dropped to the No. 6 spot in the lineup, he has exhibited progress. Reliever Archie Bradley (1-1) fired a fastball over the outer half of the plate. Rather than pull the ball to left, the way he has all seasons, McCutchen took it the other way, up and over the wall.
“A week ago, I probably wouldn’t have been able to do that,” McCutchen said. “Last year I said the time off in Atlanta didn’t do anything for me. This time it did. I don’t what it is about Atlanta.”
The blast, McCutchen’s eighth home run this season, tied him with Ralph Kiner and Willie Stargell for most walk-off home runs (six) in Pirates history. It raised his batting average to .215.
“I was ready to go home,” McCutchen said. “Extra innings, you don’t get paid for overtime.”