Errors hurt Bucs in loss to Braves

Associated Press

Atlanta

Andrew McCutchen dropped a flyball and Pedro Alvarez flubbed a grounder.

The two errors in a span of three at-bats in the third inning led to an unearned run for Atlanta that was the difference as the Pittsburgh Pirates fell to the Braves 4-3 on Sunday.

The errors helped Atlanta’s Tim Hudson a win in his season debut and helped give Kevin Correia his first loss.

The Pirates led 2-0 after a two-run single in the second inning by Jose Tabata, who had three hits.

The two errors helped launch Atlanta’s comeback.

With one out in the third, McCutchen dropped Hudson’s fly ball to center field for the first error. After Michael Bourn walked, Alvarez bobbled Martin Prado’s grounder at third base for another error. Hudson scored on Freddie Freeman’s sacrifice fly, cutting the Pirates’ lead to 2-1.

McCutchen couldn’t explain why the ball didn’t stick in his glove. The sun glared off his sunglasses, but he appeared set for a routine catch.

“I don’t know what really happened,” McCutchen said. “Routine fly ball. Just missed the ball. You shake your head.

“I hate that it happened. We had two errors that inning. ... We didn’t get the job done. I didn’t get the job done. [Correia] doesn’t deserve that loss. I wish I could take it for him.”

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said it was an uncharacteristic defensive lapse for his team.

“We had been rolling for over a week playing really good defense,” Hurdle said. “It was just today we put two on in one inning. You give a team five outs, you’re lucky to get out of it with just a run.”