Bucs need extra innings to best Astros

Associated Press

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The Pittsburgh Pirates found themselves in an unfamiliar position Sunday, needing to bounce back after All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan blew a save.

Hanrahan gave up Chris Johnson’s tying double in the eighth inning for his first blown save of the season, but the Pirates scored three runs in the 11th to beat the Houston Astros 7-5.

Hanrahan had converted 28 straight save chances dating to last year.

“Fortunately, we kept it right there at the tie game and guys battled and we had some things working,” he said. “Sometimes you need a little extra time. The guys came back in the bullpen and did their job at the end, and it’s always nice winning a series and it’s good to go home with.”

Pinch-runner Josh Harrison scored on a passed ball for the first of Pittsburgh’s three runs in the 11th and rookie Alex Presley drove in his third run of the game later in the inning.

Brandon Wood doubled to start the 11th and was replaced by Harrison. Xavier Paul reached on an error when Houston closer Mark Melancon (5-3) couldn’t handle his one-out dribbler that sent Harrison to third.

“I make that routine play at first base, they have a guy on second with two outs,” Melancon said. “Looking back, it seems like three or four things went wrong. It seems like that sums up our season a little bit. It’s a game of inches, and we never get those inches. That’s on us. It’s not the way that luck falls, it’s on us, but it’s tough.”

Harrison scored on a passed ball by catcher Humberto Quintero to make it 5-4, and Presley followed with an RBI single. Presley scored on an error by reliever Aneury Rodriguez to push the lead to 7-4.

Presley said the Pirates were determined to win after Hanrahan’s rare failure.

“Stuff happens, adversity, so we fight harder and grind harder and I think we’ve been showing that lately and showed it today,” Presley said.

Hanrahan allowed an RBI double to Johnson that tied it 4-all in the eighth.

Jeff Keppinger singled off Jose Veras to start the inning. Hanrahan replaced him with two outs, and Johnson delivered his key hit. Johnson took third on a wild pitch, but Hanrahan struck out Brian Bogusevic to limit the damage.

Hanrahan pitched a 1-2-3 ninth before Chris Leroux (1-0) allowed one hit in a scoreless 10th for his first major league win. Chris Resop allowed a solo homer to Quintero in the 11th, but got his first career save.