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Alvarez’s career-best six RBIs propel Pirates to series triumph
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The Pirates’ Pedro Alvarez, center, is congratulated by teammates Garrett Jones, left, and Casey McGehee after hitting a threerun home run off Indians starting pitcher Jeanmar Gomez in the fourth inning Sunday.
Associated Press
CLEVELAND
Pedro Alvarez had one of his best games yet. Still, it was a win by the Pittsburgh Pirates that had him really excited.
Alvarez drove in a career-high six runs with his second two-homer game in two days, powering Pittsburgh past the Cleveland Indians 9-5 Sunday.
“I’m just glad to help us win the series,” Alvarez said as music blared in the clubhouse following the Pirates’ second victory in three games, giving them a sixth series win in their last seven matchups.
Alvarez seemed unfazed by his own accomplishment — hitting three-run homers in the fourth and fifth innings for his fourth career multihomer game. He also doubled, for his first game of three extra-base hits.
His previous two multihomer games also came in consecutive games, July 20-21 against Milwaukee.
“It’s just coincidence,” Alvarez said of homering twice in consecutive games once again.
Manager Clint Hurdle said Alvarez has worked hard to lift his average to .207 with a team-high 12 homers and 34 RBIs, three behind team leader Andrew McCutchen. Alvarez has 10 RBIs in four games after going 10 games without any.
“He’s worked hard to get to a better place,” Hurdle said. “He drove one ball to right, then took advantage of a mistake and hit another. He had a very good day at the plate.”
Tony Watson (4-0), the second of five Pirates pitchers, worked 1 2/3 innings of relief for the win.
Pittsburgh scored nine runs for the second straight game after totaling 13 runs during a four-game losing streak.
Alvarez became the first Pirates player with six RBIs in a game since Andy LaRoche did it Sept. 28, 2009, against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Alvarez put the Pirates up 3-2 in the fourth. His line drive into the right field seats came after Cabrera fielded a two-out grounder by Casey McGehee, but threw it away.
Shin-Soo Choo sent Cleveland back in front with a two-run double in the bottom half. Hurdle thought left fielder Alex Presley should have caught line drive hit just over his head.
“We gave them a gift run,” Hurdle said. “It should have been a sacrifice fly. That ball needs to be caught.”
Presley came back in the fifth with his fifth homer, and second in two days to tie it at 4.
Also in the fifth, Alvarez hit a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right for his 12th homer and 9-4 lead.
Pittsburgh won a series for only the second time in their last 21 road interleague matchups.
Pirates RHP Daniel McCutchen (strained oblique) had his rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Indianapolis from Class A Bradenton.