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Sanchez, LaRoche lead Pirates past Phillies

Aug 19, 2007 - 4:44 AM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- If there has been a silver lining to the Pittsburgh Pirates' continued struggles over the past few weeks, it's been the hot hitting of Freddy Sanchez. On Saturday night, the defending National League batting champion proved his worth yet again.

Sanchez collected three hits, including a two-run homer, and fell a triple shy of the cycle as the persistent Pirates posted an 11-6 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

It was the team-high 28th multi-hit game of the season for Sanchez, who has hit safely in 20 straight contests and is hitting .357 (30-for-84) over that stretch.

"When you become the type of hitter that he's become, he can step away from something and realize what it is that he wasn't doing and he should have been doing," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "When he (stays in the strike zone), he's as good an offensive player that there is in our league, as far as bat to ball and driving the ball to all parts of the field."

While Sanchez was key in helping Pittsburgh win for just the first time in five tries against its intrastate rivals, it was a former teammate who ultimately gave the Pirates the win.

With the scored tied at 6-6 in the fifth inning, a costly throwing error by Phillies third baseman Abraham Nunez gave the Pirates their first lead.

Xavier Nady led off the inning with a single and went to third on Adam LaRoche's double. Both runners scored as Nunez fielded a grounder by Ronny Paulino and hurried his throw, sailing the ball over first baseman Ryan Howard's glove and into the stands.

"I rushed it," Nunez said. "I had more time than I realized. That play should have been made. I didn't make it."

Two batters later, Jack Wilson successfully executed a squeeze play to score Paulino and put the Pirates in front, 9-6.

Pittsburgh added two runs in the eighth, when LaRoche delivered an RBI single and pinch hitter Josh Phelps drew a bases-loaded walk.

It was a hard-fought win for the Pirates, who came back from a four-run deficit in the first inning and a two-run margin in the fourth to improve to 9-8 this month and 3-4 on their current homestand.

"All through the course of this homestand, we've swung the bats very well," Tracy said. "Some of these games that we've won, we've obviously had to do it the hard way, and that's coming back and coming back after having been hit early. We're coming through with some big hits. It's just really good to see."

"I think everybody believes in themselves on this team," Nady added. "It's encouraging to see guys have better at-bats. It's been an up-and-down season. Hopefully, we can kind of put things together and be encouraged for next year."

Philadelphia appeared on its way to its ninth win in 12 games in the early going.

Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a double and scored on a two-out single by Howard. After Aaron Rowand followed with a base hit, Jayson Werth belted a 1-1 offering from Pittsburgh starter Paul Maholm into the left field bleachers to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead.

Pittsburgh bounced right back, however, countering with four runs in the bottom of the inning as each of the first five hitters reached base against Jamie Moyer (11-9).

After Jose Bautista walked and Sanchez singled, Jason Bay hit a ground-rule double to left field, plating the Pirates' first run. Making his first start since July 31 because of injured hamstring, Nady singled to score Sanchez and LaRoche followed with an RBI double, reducing the deficit to 4-3.

Moyer finally registered an out when Paulino grounded out to shortstop, but Nady scored on the play to tie the game.

"Usually when we get a four-run lead like that early for (Moyer), he keeps you in the game," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "They were hitting him hard tonight."

The Phillies quickly regained the lead as Pat Burrell launched a two-run shot - his second homer in as many nights - in the second.

Pittsburgh forged a tie in the fourth, when Sanchez notched his third hit of the contest, belting a two-run homer to even the contest at 6-6.

Maholm (9-14) settled down after the second inning, retiring 11 of the final 12 batters he faced en route to his fourth win in six decisions. The lefthander yielded six runs and 10 hits in seven innings, striking out four and walking two.

"It's just one of those things that the pitches were hittable and just up a little bit," Maholm said. "I think everything was fine, I just think I was barely missing up (in the zone), and they took advantage of it. Give credit to our offense. It was another great job by them. I'm just glad I was able to stick it out and not spoil it."

Moyer suffered his first loss since July 16, surrendering eight runs - seven earned - and nine hits in four-plus frames. The 44-year-old lefthander, who had won four consecutive decisions, struck out four but walked two and hit a batter in falling to 5-6 lifetime against Pittsburgh.

"I took the momentum that we created (in the first) and passed it right back to them," Moyer said. "I deserved what I got. I've got to be better than that."

Tadahito Iguchi and Carlos Ruiz each had two hits for the Phillies (65-57), who fell four games behind first-place New York (69-53) in the NL East Division but remained tied for first with San Diego (65-57) in the wild card race.