Bucs’ Wood connects in debut over Nats

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Clint Hurdle’s advice to Brandon Wood on his Pittsburgh Pirates debut?

“I told him, ’Don’t put a lot of weight in making a first impression,” the manager said before Monday’s game.

Wood ending up impressing his new teammates and fans, anyway.

Wood’s two-run double in his first game for Pittsburgh was part of a four-run fourth inning that gave the Pirates their first lead.

They defeated the Washington Nationals 4-2 in front of a sparse crowd at soggy PNC Park on Monday.

“It’s nice you get the first hit and the first couple RBIs out of the way and can just go play some baseball from here,” said Wood, picked up on waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.

“It’s just one game and you never know how things go,” Wood added.

“I’m just going to keep the same mentality and just have fun. The guys were great. I’m fortunate to be around these guys because that was some fun coming through the dugout after that hit.”

Paul Maholm retired the final 13 batters he faced in seven strong innings as Pittsburgh made up the original series opener that was postponed by rain on Friday.

Announced paid attendance was 12,457, but only about 2,600 made it through the turnstiles on what wasn’t originally a scheduled game night.

Also contributing to the poor showing was rain that caused a 21-minute delay and a Penguins playoff game at the same time.

Maholm (1-3) allowed four hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in winning for the first time this season.

After Adam LaRoche’s two-run single in the first inning, Maholm faced only two over the minimum the rest of the way.

Six of the 15 runs Maholm has allowed this season have come in the first inning.

Monday, he came out of the fourth-inning rain delay better than Washington’s John Lannan.

The Pirates entered it behind but Maholm did not allow a baserunner thereafter.

“The first inning, I missed two pitches,” Maholm said.

“I just made sure they didn’t get anymore. I was mixing speeds and mixing pitches and just let the defense do some work.”