Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Associated Press
PITTSBURGH
James McDonald is evolving into a top-of-the-rotation starter in front of manager Clint Hurdle’s eyes, to the point Hurdle calls it “fun” to watch McDonald pitch.
Watching his team at the plate doesn’t give Hurdle quite the same feeling.
McDonald tossed seven strong innings against the New York Mets on Tuesday but the Pirates again couldn’t muster much run support in a 3-2 loss. Despite failing to pick up the victory on a night he allowed just one run on four hits, striking out eight and walking two, McDonald remained upbeat.
“There were times last year where I was terrible three starts in a row and these guys had my back,” McDonald said. “They’re playing hard behind me.”
They’re just not hitting. Befuddled by R.A. Dickey’s dancing knuckleball all night, the Pirates allowed the 37-year-old veteran to rack up a career-high 11 strikeouts.
Dickey (6-1) gave up one run on four hits to move into a tie with a host of others for the most wins in the majors. Frank Francisco pitched the ninth for his 11th save.
Josh Harrison had two hits for the Pirates, who couldn’t take advantage of another strong start by McDonald.
Mike Baxter, batting leadoff for the first time in his career, doubled off Juan Cruz (1-1) with one out in the eighth then came home two batters later when Duda’s liner glanced off the glove of first baseman Garrett Jones and rolled into right field.
New York added an insurance run on an error by Pittsburgh’s Pedro Alvarez and the Mets hung on.
“We had three balls go off our gloves that inning and they scored two runs,” Hurdle said with a shrug.
Dickey’s darting 80 mph knuckleball isn’t designed to rack up strikeouts, but then again the free-swinging Pirates have a way of making opposing hurlers look overpowering.
Pittsburgh began the night with the most strikeouts in baseball and had little trouble adding to the total, though Hurdle warned his players to stay patient and only let it rip if the knuckleball stayed up.