The Duke of St. Louis

Pirates explode offensively with seventeen hits resulting in 7 runs. Pirates knock around Cards starter Todd Wellemeyer early and often. Freddy Sanchez set the tone early in what would turn out to be a great game for him. Pirates squander a chance to score in the first but do not make the same mistake in the second inning. With suddenly red hot Branden Moss beginning the barrage that saw a string of 5 straight Pirate batters reaching base while scrapping together 4 runs in the second. Buccos add 1 more in the third and 2 more in the sixth which was plenty of support for Zach Duke. Duke went 6 1/3 scattering 5 hits and avoiding the dreaded "big inning". Duke even froze Albert Pujols on a perfectly located 0-2 Fastball that painted the inside corner. Duke did a good job getting ahead in the count and kept his pitch count down enabling us to keep the bullpen in the bullpen. Nate McLouth got his first hit of the year, a two-run home run that was gone the second he hit it. Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez spent more time on base than they did in the dugout with 4 hits...a piece! Good win, good sign with Duke looking like he did as a rook. Pirates look to take 3 of 4 against the Cards tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 1:40. Ross Ohlendorf will be battling Chris Carpenter.

Game Notes

• 5 players for Bucs have multi-hit games
• 1-4 hitters go combined 9-20
• Ad. La Roche 0-5, In the zone
  
• An. La Roche didn't play. Thank God
• Duke - 6 1/3, 5 h, 1 er, 2 bb, 4 ks
• Yates made it interesting keeping his season era at 27.00
• Sanchez, Morgan, and Wilson all batting .400 or higher (look for this to continue, Ted Williams was overrated)