Pirates 5 Braves 3

This was a weird game to watch unfold. For 7 innings the Pirates made Oscar Villareal, Chad Paronto, and Tyler Yates look kind of like John Smoltz while the Braves eeked out to a 2-1 lead. Then, suddenly the 8th inning started and every single thing they hit found a hole. After walks to Duffy and Wilson, Freddy Sanchez, Jason Bay, Xavier Nady, and Ronnie Paulino all hit RBI singles (with Sanchez tying the game, Bay putting us in front, and Nady and Paulino applying the insurance). Those 5 runs were enough for Capps and Gonzo to hold on to the lead, somehow getting Damaso Marte an actual win.

Chacon pulled his dancing through the raindrops crap again today, with 5 walks and 3 hits in 5 innings that luckily only lead to one Atlanta run. Since arriving in Pittsburgh Chacon has struckout 6 and walked 13. That is not a good ratio. The real story tonight was the defense, with Castillo making a ridiculous over the shoulder basket catch, Nady and Wilson combining on a very nice and very timely 3-6-1 DP in the 5th to get Chacon out of a bases loaded/one out jam, and Freddy making a nice play on a strangely hopping grounder that nearly handcuffed him with the go ahead runner at third. After the Braves broke out about 5 web gems against us last night, it was only fair that we evened the score tonight. Gonzo also very calmly shut the door tonight with a 1-2-3 inning featuring 2 Ks. I suppose it's only fair that I mention it since I point out every single roller coaster save he puts us on.