The story of the game was pitching. Roy Halladay was Roy Halladay and shutout the Pirates for eight innings before Jonathan Papelbon came on and closed it out. Alex Presley led the game off with a solid single to left, and Jose Tabata followed him with a swinging bunt single. However, Halladay got Andrew McCutchen to bounce into a six-four-three double play and Neil Walker to fly out to end the inning. After that it was 7 no-hit innings from Doc. McCutchen and Clint Barmes were the only two Pirates base-runners after the first, both of them were hit by pitches.
Erik Bedard started for the Pirates and went pitch-for-pitch with Halladay all game long until the 7th inning when he gave up a run on two hits. Ty Wigginton singled, John Mayberry doubled, and Carlos Ruiz (who was three-for-three today) brought in the game’s only run with a sacrifice fly to right field. Tabata almost had the out at the plate but his throw was a bit high and Rod Barajas’s tag was just late.
Bedard’s final line was seven innings, six hits, one earned run, four strikeouts and one walk. Chris Resop and Juan Cruz both threw one-hit scoreless innings.
The Pirates were two for twenty-eight at the plate today, although a one run loss to Roy Halladay and company isn’t the worst way to start a season. They are back in action Saturday night as Jeff Karstens faces Cliff Lee.