Francisco Liriano struggled, but the Pirates ganged up on the Blue Jays bullpen to pull out yet another comeback win Saturday, 8-6.
Liriano allowed five runs, four earned, in 3.2 innings, with most of the damage coming in a messy fourth inning that featured three walks and four runs.
The Pirates loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, however, and brought home two runs, one on an R.A. Dickey wild pitch and one on Clint Barmes' groundout. The Jays got one back on Jose Bautista's solo homer in the sixth, which made it 6-2. But the Pirates didn't go away, scoring four runs in a seventh inning in which Barmes, Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer all doubled. (It's rare that those three players even play in the same inning together, let alone all double. Never let it be said that they don't contribute anything offensively.) Mercer's double, which went all the way to the wall in center, was the key, bringing home two runs to tie the game.
After Bryan Morris pitched a scoreless eighth, Ike Davis and Harrison singled with one out in the bottom of the inning, and Neil Walker doubled off the top of the wall in right center, bringing both runners home. Mark Melancon pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.