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LaRoche wins it for Pirates in 16th

Apr 26, 2007 - 5:33 AM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Perhaps the weight of the world has been lifted from the shoulders of Adam LaRoche.

The slumping LaRoche singled past the shortstop with the bases loaded in the 16th inning to provide the Pittsburgh Pirates a 4-3 victory against the slumping Astros in the longest game in the major leagues this season.

Pittsburgh reliever Shawn Chacon worked out of two jams during his four scoreless-inning stint and John Wasdin (1-1) tossed two scoreless for the Pirates, who won their fifth straight vs. the Astros this season, equaling a 1991 run.

"We played so hard and it's very disappointing, but the name of the game is 18 guys left on base," Houston manager Phil Garner said. "We battled so hard, we got 16 hits, but we couldn't get a hit when we needed one. It's a shame. Everybody did a nice job tonight but we've got to come up with that big hit and close that game out."

After the Pirates put runners on first and third with two outs after a single by Jose Bautista, Brian Moehler (0-1) walked Jason Bay intentionally to face LaRoche, who entered the at-bat 6-for-65 on the season, including 0-for-4 in this contest.

It was LaRoche's first hit at PNC Park this season, snapping an 0-for-18 slide.

"It felt really, really good," a relieved LaRoche said. "I have been in the most unbelievable funk and as bad as it was going, the confidence was still there. I've been through slumps before nothing like this and I know it turns around.

"The coolest part is how much my team is pulling for me, every one of them. They're almost in this thing with me, it feels like. And to see them rush the field and show the support they've been showing the whole year is pretty special."

Chacon worked out of a bases-loaded situation in the 11th when he got Morgan Ensberg on a lineout to third base and retired three straight after a leadoff double by Carlos Lee in the 14th.

"Coming into the game, I was a little erratic in the strike zone, but you get to a point where you're like, 'Now I've got to go right after them, I have no choice.' And that's what I did," Chacon said.

Ensberg also grounded out with the bases juiced way back in the third against Pittsburgh starter Zach Duke to end that inning.

"It was a disaster," said Ensberg when asked to sum up his night. "I had the bases loaded a couple of times and just couldn't get it done. It was just frustrating."

With the aid of two infield singles, a throwing error and a seeing-eye base hit, the Astros rallied from a 3-1 deficit off Pittsburgh closer Salomon Torres in the ninth.

Luke Scott hit a sharp single to right-center field to plate Adam Everett to cut their deficit to 3-2. Pinch hitter Mark Loretta then reached on an infield single before Craig Biggio grounded a soft single up the middle, plating Scott with the tying run.

"That was tough for Salomon because they really didn't hit anything hard, so that sucks," Chacon said.

After getting tagged for a combined 14 runs and 18 hits in six innings in his latest two starts, Duke turned it around against the Astros. He yielded just a first-inning run and six hits and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning when he got Ensberg on a groundout.

Duke departed after seven innings with a 3-1 lead, allowing six hits and a walk.

Matt Capps worked a scoreless eighth inning before Torres blew his third save in nine chances. After Torres, the Pittsburgh bullpen tossed 7 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, while surrendering just five hits.

"Our bullpen got tested and they passed big time," Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy said. "I cannot say enough about the job they did."

Houston opened the scoring in the first, when Chris Burke drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on a base hit by Berkman and scored on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Lee.

The Pirates bounced back with two in the fourth off Houston starter Matt Albers, who was making his second start of the season and fourth career. Jack Wilson started the rally with an infield single to first before Bautista extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double down the right field line.

Wilson scored on a groundout by Bay and Bautista crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to short-center field by LaRoche.

In the fifth inning, Pittsburgh right fielder Brad Eldred broke an 0-for-17 skid with a home run - his second of the season to left-center.

Albers allowed three runs and four hits in six frames with a walk and strikeout.