Pirates down Tigers in 14 innings
Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Neil Walker drove in the winning run in the 14th inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Detroit Tigers, 5-4, to open a three-game series.
Chris Stewart singled with one out in the 14th, and Tom Gorzelanny (1-2) took over. Josh Harrison followed with a double off the glove of a diving Rajai Davis in right-center.
On the play, though, Gorkys Hernandez, who was pinch-running for Stewart, was called out on a basepath violation as he ran across the infield while trying to get back at third base. It didn't matter, though, as Walker followed with a double to right for the lead.
Deolis Guerra (1-0) finished off the game in the 14th by getting Victor Martinez to hit into a game-ending double play for his first win.
Gregory Polanco, Andrew McCutchen, Francisco Cervelli and Jordy Mercer each drove in a run for the Pirates, who have won three of their last four. Gerrit Cole allowed two runs on nine hits with six strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.
J.D. Martinez hit a two-run home run while Ian Kinsler and James McCann each drove in a run for the Tigers, who had a two-game winning streak stopped. Justin Verlander allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits and five walks in six-plus innings in the start.
"We battled and had our opportunities, but we just didn't get that big hit," said J.D. Martinez. "There were some two-out chances we had there, they had one and got the hit. That's about it."
The Pirates worked a run across in the second inning when Mercer singled, moved to third on a Stewart double and came home on a Polanco flyout.
Pittsburgh added to its lead in the third with a pair of runs. Starling Marte led off with a bunt single and Pedro Alvarez later doubled to leave men on second and third. Cervelli then reached first due to a bad throw by Kinsler, and Mercer followed with a sac fly for a 3-0 lead.
Detroit pushed a run across in the fifth on a McCann double off the wall in right that scored J.D. Martinez with no outs. The play was reviewed as a fan appeared to interfere with the ball, but the double stood.
Cole was able to limit the damage as he got Jose Iglesias to fly out to shallow right, struck out Anthony Gose, and forced a ground out from Kinsler to end the inning.
The Tigers made it a one-run game in the seventh when Kinsler doubled home McCann, but Pittsburgh got it back in the eighth thanks to an RBI single from McCutchen for a 4-2 lead.
With Tony Watson on the mound in the bottom of the eighth, the Tigers were able to tie the game as Victor Martinez led off with a single and J.D. Martinez later knocked his 20th homer of the season.
Game Notes
Pittsburgh went just 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position and stranded 19 ... Detroit was 3-for-15 with RISP and left 12 men on base ... It was the longest game of the season for Detroit, and tied the longest of the season for Pittsburgh.