Ugh! A chance at .500, heh almost if the leads could of been held up. The Bucco's had a total of 6 leads combined for all three games, and they blew them all. None were as amazing as the 5 run give away in game one. Brian Roberts scored in the first on a double play ball to make it 1-0 Baltimore. The Pirates shot back with 2 in the top of the 2nd when Jack Wilson drove in 2 on a single into center. Doug Mientkiewicz would single in Jason Bay in the top of the 3rd and Jason Michaels followed that up with a 3 run homer and the 5 run lead was set. Phil Dumatrait had a solid outing until he gave up 3 runs in the 5th, giving him 5 earned total. Fernando Osoria and Sean Burnett would both give up two runs a piece on a total of 2.2 innings combined. That raised both Osoria and Burnett's ERA's to an enormous 5.01 and 7.53 respectively, I'm sure that'll win you 82 games. The offense came out like wild fire before being extinguished and the Orioles took it right back at the Bucco's. They came back so big, that they even got a save out of it! Winning 9-6.
In game 2, the Bucco's hels the lead 4 times, only to let it slip away each time. None hurt more than when automatic Matt Capps blew his 2nd save in less than a week. Yet, somehow things were even stranger when all of the Pirate runs were scored via home runs. The Pirates got 4 home runs coming from Xavier Nady, Freddy Sanchez, Jose Bautista, and Adam LaRoche. Yet, with a 2 run lead headed into the ninth, Capps gave up a home run to Oscar Salazar to tie the game at 7 and then allowed Ramon Hernandez to drive in Freddi Bynum to cap off their 4th and final come back. Zac Duke would throw 86 pitches over 6 innings giving up 4 runs on 9 hits. John Grabow surprised even more people when he would allow 2 runs on 3 hits in 2/3 innings of work, showing that even the best part of your bullpen will sputter at times. Buc's lose, 8-7.
In game 2, the Bucco's hels the lead 4 times, only to let it slip away each time. None hurt more than when automatic Matt Capps blew his 2nd save in less than a week. Yet, somehow things were even stranger when all of the Pirate runs were scored via home runs. The Pirates got 4 home runs coming from Xavier Nady, Freddy Sanchez, Jose Bautista, and Adam LaRoche. Yet, with a 2 run lead headed into the ninth, Capps gave up a home run to Oscar Salazar to tie the game at 7 and then allowed Ramon Hernandez to drive in Freddi Bynum to cap off their 4th and final come back. Zac Duke would throw 86 pitches over 6 innings giving up 4 runs on 9 hits. John Grabow surprised even more people when he would allow 2 runs on 3 hits in 2/3 innings of work, showing that even the best part of your bullpen will sputter at times. Buc's lose, 8-7. Sunday afternoon was another example of how fragile this Pirate team can be when Matt Capps struggled in the 9th again giving up 2 more runs on a Brian Roberts home run. Nate McClouth added a solo shot in the 3rd and Jason Michaels added 2 more RBI's later in the inning. Jose Bautista would add 
an RBI single of his own when he drove in Jason Bay in the top of the 5th. Besides Roberts' 9th inning heroics, the Orioles would get some offensive punch in the 5th when Guillermo Quiroz would homer and Aubrey Huff would add his own solo shot in the 6th to make it a one run game. The Buc's would hold on to this game though, when Adam LaRoche (of all people) would single to center allowing Jason B
ay to score and Matt Capps would shut the Orioles down for a second chance in the 10th, Buc's win 5-4.
The Pirates may have lost the series, but if you look at all of these games....man, the Buc's had an obvious chance to sweep the AL East Orioles and what should be a happy day in Pittsburgh. Celebrating .500 will have to wait, but this was a great opportunity blown by the Pirates. 
an RBI single of his own when he drove in Jason Bay in the top of the 5th. Besides Roberts' 9th inning heroics, the Orioles would get some offensive punch in the 5th when Guillermo Quiroz would homer and Aubrey Huff would add his own solo shot in the 6th to make it a one run game. The Buc's would hold on to this game though, when Adam LaRoche (of all people) would single to center allowing Jason Bay to score and Matt Capps would shut the Orioles down for a second chance in the 10th, Buc's win 5-4. 
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