The Pirates Bust Out

The Pittsburgh Pirates have scored 124 runs this season in 35 games or roughly 3.54 runs per game. Meanwhile, they have given up 217 runs or 6.2 runs a game. For those of you keeping score, that's a run differential of -93. That gives the Pirates a Pythagorean won-loss record of 9-26. But they are 15-20, which is remarkable considering their run differential. But they had fallen on hard times this week as they were shut out two games in a row and had scored one run in three games heading into Friday's game with the Cubs. It didn't look good for the Pirates.

But the Pirates have a secret weapon. They are 4-0 against the Cubs this year. And they did something this Fan has never recalled seeing. They had consecutive guys in their line up each get five hits in the game. How about these two lines for the night:

• Andrew McCutchen: 5 5 5 2 1 0 with a homer, a double, a walk and a stolen base.
• Garrett Jones: 6 2 5 5 0 1 with a homer and a double.

Let's see Braun and Fielder top THAT in the three/four hole in the line up! McCutchen in one game raised his batting average 26 points and his OPS 68 points. Garrett Jones raised his average 29 points and his OPS 72 points.

Though the Fan has never recalled back to back hitters collecting ten hits in a game, according to Baseball Musings, two guys on the same team have had five-hit games 21 times since 1957. The last time it was done was last year by the Texas Rangers when Ian Kinsler and Marlon Byrd had 11 hits between them on April 15 (the Fan has a short memory apparently). But Kinsler batted first and Byrd sixth. Ironically, Byrd participated in Friday night's game as the centerfielder for the Cubs.

Keep in mind that the Pirates have a -93 run differential this season. But against the Cubs, they have scored 28 runs and have given up 11. So against everyone else, the Pirates have a run differential of -110 but against the Cubs, they have a run differential of +17! The win also vaulted the Pirates over the Cubs in the standings so now the Pirates are in fourth in their division and the Cubs with their payroll, are in fifth. It's time for Piniella and Hendry to go, no?