James McDonald was on the mound for the Pirates and had one of his worst starts of the year, which isn't saying much because he's been so good this year. He gave up four runs in 5.2 innings, but got his seventh win of the year. He struck out just three and walked two as he was able to bounce back from a first inning in which he gave up two home runs. J-Mac did a nice job silencing the Phillies for the majority of his start and deserved the win the offense got him tonight.
The story of the game was the offense. Michael McKenry got it kicking it in the 2nd inning with a big two out, three-run homer. That was McKenry's second homer in two games as he's carrying a flaming hot bat. Casey McGehee was the next McContributor with a bomb to centerfield in the fourth inning. That would be his only hit of the game. McDonald helped his own cause with a big two out RBI single later in that inning, becoming the third Pirate "Mc" to drive in a run on the night. McKenry added another RBI with an infield single in the fifth.
The Mc's weren't done there though, as Andrew McCutchen decided to join the party in the eighth with a two run homer that drove in Drew Sutton (who had two hits and an RBI on the night). Between the four Pirate McStarters tonight, there were four runs scored, eight RBI, six hits, and three home runs. A pretty good McNight.
Another big story of the night was Brad Lincoln coming up huge in a crucial spot in the seventh inning. The Pirates were up 8-2 at one point and let the game get to 8-6 with runners on first and second and nobody out. Things were looking very grim and this would have been a devastating game to lose. Lincoln came in, got a strikeout, a flyout, and another strikeout to end the threat. The team would put up three more runs the next half inning to make the bullpen's jobs a bit easier, but those outs were still absolutely huge for Lincoln. Call him McLincoln tonight.
You know it was a good game when I write this long of a recap. Series finale tomorrow at 1:05.