Pirates Win Baseball Game 5-4, For Some Reason

This one looked like it was over almost immediately after it started. Vinny Rottino, who was just recalled today, singled with one out in the second, and Ronny Cedeno followed with a ball to the gap in deep right. Josh Harrison, who was playing right field for some reason, took a banana-shaped route to the ball and ultimately missed it (on, admittedly, a tough play), and our old pal Ronny ended up with a run-scoring double.

After a walk, a sacrifice, and another walk, Justin Turner hit a grounder just under Clint Barmes' glove, scoring two more runs. Jose Tabata's throw from left could have gunned down the runner at third, but Pedro Alvarez wasn't at the base, and Barmes cut the ball off. David Wright then singled home another run. 4-0 Mets in the second, and the game was over, right?

Somehow, no. Harrison, Andrew McCutchen, and Alvarez kicked off the bottom of the fourth with three straight doubles to make it 4-2. Neil Walker then decided to bunt for some reason (a lot of what happened in this game makes sense if you add "for some reason" to the end, sort of like "in bed" with fortune cookies) and popped out. Let me stop there and unpack that a bit -- with no outs, a man on second, the giant sucking vortex that is the bottom of the Pirates' order due up, and Johan Santana having given up three straight doubles, Neil Walker decided to bunt. For some reason. The Bucs ended up not scoring again that inning.

They did, however, tie the game in the seventh when Barmes singled and Michael McKenry homered. The Mets then started the bottom of the eighth with a ridiculously costly drop by "Captain" Kirk Nieuwenhuis, which led to Walker being at third with no outs. Casey McGehee grounded out, but Barmes brought Walker home with a just-deep-enough sacrifice fly, as Walker barely beat the throw.

Well, thanks for that, Mets. Joel Hanrahan got the save. Jared Hughes got his first career win. Cedeno did a ridiculous headfirst slide, for some reason, into first while getting gunned down by Alvarez. (Chris Mueller: "Cedeno needs to play one game in a spacesuit. That's all I ask.") Gorkys Hernandez made his big-league debut, pinch-hitting and striking out. And the Mets got three errors. Not the prettiest game, but I'm sure the Pirates are satisfied. In bed? In bed.