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Presley's sprint lifts Pirates over Phillies

Apr 8, 2012 - 4:24 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Alex Presley beat out an infield single in the 10th inning to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

In the 10th with Joe Blanton (0-1) on the mound, Rod Barajas led off with a double off the top of the wall in center. Michael McKenry then took the base for Barajas and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Clint Barmes. After Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch, Jose Tabata popped out to second.

Presley then hit a slow grounder that Jimmy Rollins fielded, but Presley beat out the throw to first and McKenry crossed the plate for the winning run.

"I knew it wasn't hit well. He was kind of moving with the swing," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Presley's hit.

The player agreed.

"I hit it just bad enough," said Presley.

Yamaico Navarro scored the other run of the game for the Pirates on a wild pitch in the sixth inning while Presley had two hits in the win. Jeff Karstens went six innings in the start and gave up just one run on five hits. Juan Cruz (1-0) escaped a 10th-inning jam to get the win.

Hunter Pence singled home a run in the first inning while Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco each added two hits for the Phillies. Cliff Lee gave up just one run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts over six innings in the start.

"I felt good the whole time, but they fouled off a lot of pitches," said Lee. "They made me throw a lot of pitches -- a lot of foul balls, a lot of deep counts."

The Phillies grabbed the lead in the first inning. Victorino and Polanco started the game with consecutive singles and Rollins moved them up a base with a sacrifice bunt. Pence then hit a single up the middle that second baseman Neil Walker grabbed, but he didn't have a play and Victorino scored for a 1-0 lead.

Lee retired the Pirates in order in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but got into trouble in the sixth. With one out, Navarro walked and moved to second on a Jose Tabata single. Presley then hit into a fielder's choice that saw Navarro take third. With Andrew McCutchen at the plate, a wild pitch from Lee allowed Navarro to take the plate and tie the game.

The top of the 10th saw Polanco and Rollins hit two-out singles, but Pence struck out to end the frame.

Game Notes

Vance Worley takes the mound for Philadelphia in Sunday's series finale and will be opposed by James McDonald for the Pirates...Both teams have scored a total of two runs in the set...The Phillies left nine men on base.