ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Pirates at Braves – 09/05/2003

Chipper! Jones had a huge day, scoring a run to tie the game in the eighth and hitting a solo homer to win it in the tenth. There’s no excuse for the game even going to extra innings — this was against Oliver Perez, whom the Braves torched a week ago — but at least they finally won. Vinny had the big hit to tie it, a two-out flare single, one of his two hits.

Poor Horacio Ramirez had one of his best starts, but didn’t get anything to show for it. He went nine. I would normally get on Bobby for stretching a young pitcher, but Horacio only threw 102 pitches and he was on long rest, so I don’t mind. He allowed one run in the first and a homer by Reggie Sanders in the seventh, but only three other baserunners, two of whom were erased on double plays. Why didn’t the Pirates trade Sanders, by the way? Will Cunnane struck out the side in the tenth and got the win.

Unfortunately, Shane Reynolds is doing Shane Reynolds things in the nightcap. Throw in the absence of Andruw, Sheffield, and Javy (who at least is replaced by Estrada) and it doesn’t look good. The magic number is 11, with nothing doing so far in the Philly and Florida games.