Pirates Outlast Phillies in First Game of a Split Twin Bill
Throughout 2009, the Pirates have had some frustrating losses to their old North Division rivals. They even had a nine-inning tie. Today, Gino Beniamino took the ball knowing the depleted staff would need a complete game with second tilt scheduled that evening. He turned in a sterling nine-inning performance to carry the Pirates to their first win of the season against the Phillies, 7-6.
Despite Gino’s effort and overcoming a four-run deficit to tie the game up, the Pirates were trailing by two runs after Phillies rally in the top of the seventh. It looked like they were headed for another loss to the Phillies, but Coach Walter Jacobson was determined to get the Pirates a win.
“We’ve had some frustrating games against the Phillies this year,” said Jacobson. “With another game, it would have been deflating to lose the first game to the Phillies, again.”
Jacobson lead off the seventh by cracking a triple to left. Rookie Danny Segel slammed a rocket deep into the hole. After a fly out and a fielders choice, Jay Kreisberg managed to the two-out RBI to tie the game. Two innings later, Kreisberg was the one leading off with a triple for Eastwood Adare to drive home the winning run for their second walk-off win of the season.
“It was a great win,” said Kreisberg. “It was Coach [Jeff] Francis’ idea to bat me lead off. It just made sense and put me in a spot to help us win.”
Still, without Gino’s gritty performance, the team not only would have come up short in game one, they would have been shorthanded in game two.
“I felt good,” said Beniamino. “I didn’t throw a lot of pitches, but even so, I wasn’t coming out of the game.”
