It's games like these when the Pirates' bullpen, which seemed solid at the start of the season but has been wobbly all year, really earns its keep. Evan Meek, Joel Hanrahan, and D.J. Carrasco all pitched well here; Carrasco threw three full innings, including a 1-2-3 14th, to get the win. This sort of game is exactly the reason Carrasco can be a big asset--a reliever who can throw three effective frames in extra innings is extremely valuable. Offensively, Andrew McCutchen went 4-for-7 with two homers, Andy LaRoche hit a two-run homer, Akinori Iwamura went 3-for-6, Ryan Doumit hit a game-tying homer in the ninth (his second consecutive game with a homer) and Garrett Jones laced the winning double into right. McCutchen's outburst brings his numbers up to .303/.361/.449, which is pretty similar to the line he had last year (.286/.365/.471).
The Pirates continue to make Pythagoras look bad, with five one-run wins so far and a 9-12 record despite a -77 run differential. They're still a horrible team, but it's amazing what a couple of decent games can do for a fan's anxiety level.