Final
  for this game

Sanchez sparks Pirates in his first game of season

Apr 8, 2007 - 8:21 PM CINCINNATI (Ticker) - The reigning National League batting champion made an immediate impact in his first game of the season.

After being activated from the disabled list, Freddy Sanchez sparked the Pittsburgh Pirates from the leadoff spot in a 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Sanchez missed Pittsburgh's first five games of the season with a right knee sprain. But he showed no ill effects of the injury, collecting two hits, including an RBI double, and scored a run as the Pirates salvaged the finale of a three-game series.

Last season, Sanchez seemingly came out of nowhere to win the NL batting title with a .344 average.

The Pirates got plenty of other offensive contributions. Brad Eldred had a solo homer and RBI double, Jack Wilson hit a two-run homer and Jason Bay added a solo shot.

Zach Duke (1-0) pitched six scoreless innings and held a comfortable 4-0 lead before running into trouble in the seventh.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit a two-run single and pinch hitter Juan Castro doubled home Griffey to pull the Reds within 4-3 before Matt Capps retired Javier Valentin on a flyout to end the inning.

Eldred homered in the eighth and Bay added one in the ninth to rebuild the lead to 6-3.

Salomon Torres, Pittsburgh's new closer, pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save in as many chances.

Cincinnati lefthander Eric Milton (0-1), activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, lasted 5 2/3 innings and yielded four runs and 10 hits.








  • NL
    FINAL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 1 6 13 0
    CINCINNATI 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 8 1 (FINAL)

    BATTERIES: PIT - ZACH DUKE, JONAH BAYLISS (7TH), JUAN PEREZ (7TH), MATT CAPPS
    (7TH), SALOMON TORRES (9TH) AND RONNY PAULINO
    CIN - ERIC MILTON, VICTOR SANTOS (6TH), TODD COFFEY

    Apr 8 3:55 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY JASON BAY (2) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN THE
    9TH OFF JON COUTLANGUS.
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 6, CINCINNATI 3
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: A LAROCHE (.130, 0-FOR-4)

    Pirates vs. RedsApr 8 3:46 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY BRAD ELDRED (1) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN THE
    8TH OFF TODD COFFEY.
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 5, CINCINNATI 3
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: J BAUTISTA (.348, 1-FOR-3)

    Pirates vs. RedsApr 8 3:28 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - MID INNING UPDATE
    PLAY: J Valentin hit for C Moeller.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J CASTRO ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 3 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J Valentin (.143, 0 HR, 0 RBI)

    Apr 8 3:18 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - MID INNING UPDATE
    PLAY: M Capps relieved J Perez.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J CASTRO ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 3 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: C Moeller (.000, 0-FOR-1)

    Apr 8 3:17 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - PITCHING CHANGE
    PIT: MATT CAPPS (1-0, 0.00) IN THE 7TH
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J CASTRO ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4, CINCINNATI 3
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: C MOELLER (.000, 0-FOR-1)

    Apr 8 3:17 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY JUAN CASTRO SCORED KEN GRIFFEY JR.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J CASTRO ON SECOND, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 3 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: C MOELLER (.000, 0-FOR-1)

    Apr 8 3:16 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY JUAN CASTRO SCORED KEN GRIFFEY JR.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J CASTRO ON SECOND, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 3 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: C MOELLER (.000, 0-FOR-1)

    Pirates vs. RedsApr 8 3:16 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - MID INNING UPDATE
    PLAY: J Castro hit for S Hatteberg.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, K GRIFFEY JR ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 2 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J Castro (.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI)

    Apr 8 3:14 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - MID INNING UPDATE
    PLAY: J Perez relieved J Bayliss.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, K GRIFFEY JR ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 2 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: S Hatteberg (.273, 1 HR, 4 RBI)

    Apr 8 3:13 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - PITCHING CHANGE
    PIT: JUAN PEREZ (0-0, 0.00) IN THE 7TH
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, K GRIFFEY JR ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4, CINCINNATI 2
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: S HATTEBERG (.273, 1 HR, 4 RBI)

    Apr 8 3:13 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - MID INNING UPDATE
    PLAY: S Hatteberg hit for V Santos.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, K GRIFFEY JR ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 2 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: S Hatteberg (.273, 1 HR, 4 RBI)

    Apr 8 3:13 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - MID INNING UPDATE
    PLAY: J Bayliss relieved Z Duke.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, K GRIFFEY JR ON FIRST, 0 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 2 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J Conine (.417, 1-FOR-2)

    Apr 8 3:07 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - PITCHING CHANGE
    PIT: JONAH BAYLISS (1-0, 0.00) IN THE 7TH
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, K GRIFFEY JR ON FIRST, 0 OUTS
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4, CINCINNATI 2
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J CONINE (.417, 1-FOR-2)

    Apr 8 3:07 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY KEN GRIFFEY JR SCORED ADAM DUNN AND EDWIN
    ENCARNACION.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, K GRIFFEY JR ON FIRST, 0 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 2 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J CONINE (.417, 1-FOR-2)

    Apr 8 3:06 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY KEN GRIFFEY JR SCORED ADAM DUNN AND EDWIN
    ENCARNACION.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, K GRIFFEY JR ON FIRST, 0 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 2 BOTTOM, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J CONINE (.417, 1-FOR-2)

    Pirates vs. RedsApr 8 3:06 PM


  • NL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 4 10 0
    CINCINNATI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 (BOT 7)

    CURRENT PITCHERS: PIT - ZACH DUKE
    CIN - VICTOR SANTOS

    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: A DUNN (.316, 0-FOR-2)
    E ENCARNACION (.333, 0-FOR-2)
    K GRIFFEY JR (.222, 0-FOR-2)

    Apr 8 2:58 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY FREDDY SANCHEZ SCORED JOSE BAUTISTA.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, F SANCHEZ ON SECOND, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 4
    CINCINNATI 0 TOP, 6TH
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: J WILSON (.375, 2-FOR-3, HR, 2 RBI)

    Pirates vs. RedsApr 8 2:42 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY JACK WILSON (1) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
    THE 5TH OFF ERIC MILTON SCORED FREDDY SANCHEZ.
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 3, CINCINNATI 0
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: J BAY (.227, 1-FOR-1, BB)

    Apr 8 2:21 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY JACK WILSON (1) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
    THE 5TH OFF ERIC MILTON SCORED FREDDY SANCHEZ.
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 3, CINCINNATI 0
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: J BAY (.227, 1-FOR-1, BB)

    Pirates vs. RedsApr 8 2:21 PM


  • NL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 1 1 5 0
    CINCINNATI 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 (TOP 5)

    CURRENT PITCHERS: PIT - ZACH DUKE
    CIN - ERIC MILTON

    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: F SANCHEZ (.000, 0-FOR-2)
    J WILSON (.348, 1-FOR-2)
    J BAY (.227, 1-FOR-1, BB)

    Apr 8 2:17 PM


  • NL
    AT CINCINNATI - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY BRAD ELDRED SCORED XAVIER NADY.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B ELDRED ON SECOND, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: PITTSBURGH 1
    CINCINNATI 0 TOP, 4TH
    DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: J BAUTISTA (.333, 0-FOR-1)

    Pirates vs. RedsApr 8 2:06 PM


  • NL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    PITTSBURGH 0 0 0 3 0
    CINCINNATI 0 0 1 1 (BOT 2)

    CURRENT PITCHERS: PIT - ZACH DUKE
    CIN - ERIC MILTON

    DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: E ENCARNACION (.375, 0 HR, 3 RBI)
    K GRIFFEY JR (.250, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
    J CONINE (.400, 1 HR,

    Apr 8 1:38 PM