The Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates Look To Avoid Extra Innings

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The Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates Look To Avoid Extra Innings

The Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates have played back-to-back extra inning games and may do it again.

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Following a controversial win in the second meeting of this four game set, the Atlanta Braves added to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ chagrin with another extra-inning victory their last time out.

Manager Clint Hurdle’s club could be in for further disappointment against Derek Lowe.

Lowe looks to improve to 11-0 in as many starts versus the Pirates during Thursday night’s series finale at Turner Field.

After Atlanta (61-44) defeated Pittsburgh 4-3 in 19 innings Tuesday when Julio Lugo scored the winning run on a call plate umpire Jerry Meals later admitted was incorrect, the Braves won 2-1 on Wednesday thanks to David Ross’ bases-loaded single in the 10th.

Ross started in place of the injured Brian McCann, who was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained left oblique suffered Tuesday. The backup catcher finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

“You’re not replacing B-Mac,” he said. “I’m trying to get in there and hold down the fort until he comes back.”

The Pirates (53-49), meanwhile, have averaged 2.4 runs and batted .214 while losing five of seven.

“We’re not built to slug,” said Hurdle, who was infuriated with Meals following Tuesday’s result. “You combine that and you come in here and face the Braves starting rotation, it’s one of the best ones in the league. It’s tough duty.

“We’ve got to find some bats to get in play. Hopefully that will start (Thursday).”

While Hurdle would like to see his team break out offensively, the Pirates have yet to defeat Lowe (6-8, 4.49 ERA).

The 38-year-old right-hander has compiled a 2.64 ERA en route to winning his previous 10 starts versus Pittsburgh. He’s been better in this series of late, yielding two runs over 13 innings in the last two wins.

“I have no idea,” Lowe said of his success against the Pirates after a 7-3 win May 28, 2010. “It’s completely different guys. It’s just like why do you struggle against certain teams.”

Lowe is trying to become the first pitcher to win his first 11 starts against a team since Pedro Martinez beat Seattle in each of his first 12 from 1998-2004.

Lowe, though, has struggled recently overall, allowing four runs in each of his last three starts. He took a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning but failed to record an out and was removed despite throwing a season-low 68 pitches during Saturday’s 11-2 loss at Cincinnati.

“I’m trying to find words for it,” he told the Braves’ official website. “To have it go that fast is head scratching.”

Lowe hasn’t allowed a homer to any current Pirate, but some of them have fared well. Andrew McCutchen is 5 for 12 off Lowe, and Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez are a combined 4 for 9.

While he represented the club at this year’s Midsummer Classic, Kevin Correia (11-8, 4.38) hasn’t looked anything like an All-Star of late, going 0-2 with a 9.42 ERA over his last three starts.

The right-hander is coming off perhaps his ugliest effort of the year, yielding a season-worst seven runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 9-1 defeat to St. Louis on Saturday.

“My stuff has been as good as it’s been all year,” Correia said. “…In situations where I’ve got to do damage control, I’m giving up three-run innings. Instead of making a good pitch at the right time, I’m making the wrong pitch at the wrong time.”

Correia is likely looking forward to getting back on the road, where he is 9-2 with a 2.85 ERA. He is 1-1 with a 4.74 ERA over four career starts against the Braves.

The Braves win again and send the reeling Pirates out of Atlanta with another loss.

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