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Martin's grand slam lifts Dodgers in 10th

Apr 22, 2007 - 6:54 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of some early wildness. Russell Martin made the Pittsburgh Pirates pay for some late wildness.

Martin belted a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning to give the Dodgers a 7-3 comeback victory over the struggling Pirates.

All three Pittsburgh runs were scored with the aid of walks, wild pitches and errant throws, but a walk, wild pitch, throwing error and passed ball in the ninth inning allowed the Dodgers to tie the contest at 3-3.

"The way we scored our three runs, we're close to winning right there, but you've got to be clean in the ninth," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said.

Juan Pierre led off the 10th with a single to right field against Pittsburgh reliever Jonah Bayliss (1-1) and moved to second on a base hit to right by Jeff Kent. Damaso Marte entered and walked fellow lefthander Luis Gonzalez on five pitches to load the pitches.

Tracy then brought in Shawn Chacon and played five infielders and two outfielders, but Martin drove a 1-2 high fastball into the Dodgers' bullpen in left field for his first career grand slam.

"I wouldn't say I was looking dead red," Martin said. "The best pitch to throw in that situation is a sinker and I got under it a bit but hit it hard."

"We had five infielders out there with one out, but Russell Martin hit far enough that it didn't matter where the fielders were," Tracy said.

Jonathan Broxton (1-0) pitched a scoreless 10th to pick up the win.

In the crucial ninth, Andre Ethier worked an eight-pitch walk to open the frame against Pittsburgh closer Salomon Torres. Wilson Valdez forced Ethier on an unsuccessful sacrifice attempt, but advanced to third on a wild pitch combined with a throwing error by catcher Ronny Paulino.

"It's safe to say we beat ourselves," Pirates center fielder Chris Duffy said. "You just can't do that against a team like the Dodgers."

With the count 2-1, Olmedo Saenz swung and missed at a sinker, but the ball got underneath Paulino's glove. Valdez broke for home and even though the ball took a fortuitous bounce close to Paulino, the Giants' runner slid under Torres' tag to tie the contest.

"What's tough is the manner in which they got the run in the ninth," Tracy said. "They didn't hit a ball out of the infield."

Los Angeles has won 35 of the last 46 games against Pittsburgh at Dodger Stadium.

"I'm happy we won, we battled our butts off and we have a big one tomorrow," Martin said.

Ian Snell allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings with three walks and four strikeouts for Pittsburgh. Los Angeles reached the righthander in the first on a two-out double by Nomar Garciaparra followed by a base hit by Kent.

"Two runs, seven innings, a lead, yeah, I thought I pitched well," Snell said. "It's frustrating. I don't know what to say."

"We got another tremendous start from Ian Snell," Tracy said. "You can't do much better than that."

After seeing Pittsburgh jump a 3-1 lead with two runs in the third inning, Ethier drove home a run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Luis Gonzalez led off the frame with a double and moved up on a groundout.

The Pirates took advantage of some wildness in the first to take a 1-0 edge. Duffy led off with a soft ground-ball single that second baseman Kent could not handle. Duffy moved all the way to third on a wild pitch followed by a throwing error by catcher Martin. Duffy then scored on a groundout by Jack Wilson.

"This is probably one of the toughest losses since I've been here," Duffy said.

Penny, who was battling command problems, loaded the bases on two walks and a single in the third, then walked Adam LaRoche on a 3-1 fastball that appeared to catch the plate.

"You can't say enough about our pitching and Brad keeping his composure," Little said.

Los Angeles manager Grady Little went to the mound to talk with Penny, when home plate umpire Joe West came out to break up the visit, Little engaged West resulting in his ejection. Penny then uncorked a wild pitch, allowing another run to score for a 3-1 Pittsburgh lead.

"You can't argue balls and strikes, that's just the rule," Little said. "Those things happen. He had a better angle than I did."

Penny left after six innings, surrendering three runs - two earned - and six hits in six innings. He walked four and threw two wild pitches.

"His fastball was explosive," Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez said. "He was hitting his spots the way he needed to. He was throwing hard and firm."

The Dodger bullpen did not allow a run in the four innings that followed.

"From Saito to Broxton, to Beimel our guys are so good," Penny said. "You feel good giving the ball to them."

Pittsburgh right fielder Xavier Nady left the game in the sixth inning with a left hamstring injury and is listed as day-to-day.