Splitski | Pirates 3 Mets 1

Paul Maholm just keeps proving me wrong.

Maholm went 7 scoreless innings tonight and earned his 3rd win of the year after Jose Veras, Tim Wood, and Joel Hanrahan did enough to to preserve the lead.

Veras looked shaky in the 8th, surrendering a lead off walk and then a single, but he quickly got the hook and Wood came in to get a pretty lucky sacrifice fly double play that made the score 2-1 and greatly lessened the Mets threat. The Pirates added an insurance run on 3 hits and a walk in the bottom of the inning and Hanrahan had another easy 9th inning for his 17th save in 17 chances.

The offense got rolling early with a run in the first inning after 3 straight hits from Jose Tabata, Xavier Paul, and Neil Walker that scored a run. However, Paul was picked off 2nd and the threat for more ended quickly. Brandon Wood added the first insurance run in the 5th with a solo home run (his 2nd of the year) and that's all Maholm and company would need.

Mike McKenry made his Pirates debut and hit the ball hard but didn't get a hit, and also showed off his strong arm at different points of the night. The Pirates have never lost a game (in the last 10 years at least) while having 4 Mc's on the 25-man roster.

The Pirates finish up their homestand with a 6-4 record and will now hit the road for 3 in Houston followed by 3 in Cleveland. The team is once again one game under .500, with Jeff Karstens set to make the start tomorrow night.

In other news, Zach Duke hit his 2nd career home run tonight for the Diamonbacks, his first also came this year. Don't know how that happens, but whatever. Maholm > Duke.

Sweet McDreams, Pittsburgh.